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The D.C. Reentry Navigator: Empowering You To Succeed With A D.C. Criminal Record  

The D.C. Reentry NavigatorThe Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia (PDS) is pleased to announce its publication of The D.C. Reentry Navigator, a 900-page, 16-chapter book that is a comprehensive compilation of expert knowledge and reentry resources for people arrested, charged, tried, and/or convicted under District of Columbia law. PDS created The D.C. Reentry Navigator as a resource for persons working to regain their lives following arrest, conviction, and/or incarceration.  Readers will learn more about:

  • Preparing for release from incarceration and succeeding on supervision
  • Accessing public benefits, healthcare, housing, employment, and education
  • Using technology and transportation
  • Obtaining personal records, managing personal finances, and building family ties
  • Understanding legal protections and rights
  • Registering to vote and resuming an active civic life

PDS intends that people will use The D.C. Reentry Navigator to educate, support, and empower themselves as they steer through the turbulence of life following criminal system involvement.  As explained by The D.C. Reentry Navigator’s author, Chiquisha Robinson, Deputy Chief for the Prisoner & Reentry Legal Services Program:

“Whether someone is reading this book in a bunk in a prison cell with years left on their sentence, or is reentering our community and trying to figure out how to take the Metro, access public benefits, reunite with their family, seek an education, or search for employment with a criminal record, this book is for them. It was carefully designed to compile all the guidance and resources needed to navigate life with a criminal record. PDS is publishing The D.C. Reentry Navigator because the information and resources it extensively covers should be available to everyone.”

The D.C. Reentry Navigator is available below in PDF:

The D.C. Reentry Navigator: Empowering You to Succeed with a D.C. Criminal Record

The D.C. Reentry Navigator: Empowering You to Succeed with a D.C. Criminal Record 508 Accessible Version