Opening new doors with persons deprived of liberty

Persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) don’t have enough assistance prior to release—a glaring gap in our criminal justice system.

With Empath, we redesigned the pre-release group sessions of Humanitarian Legal Assistance Foundation. By providing mental health support to PDLs, we reduce chances of recidivism and help them lead lives they can be proud of.

Ensuring psychologically safe spaces for all parties involved was our key priority. We equipped facilitators with training materials they could use to prepare for sessions. Worksheets were also designed to encourage PDLs to process their thoughts and emotions before a major life transition.