Case Study: Breaking the Cycle: Reentry, Resilience, and the Power of Care
Black Angelenos remain disproportionately impacted by both incarceration and homelessness — the result of decades of structural inequities in housing, education, employment, and the criminal legal system. In Los Angeles County, Black residents represent just 8–9% of the general population but nearly 30% of those experiencing homelessness. Incarceration remains one of the strongest predictors of housing instability.
A newly released case study examines how Los Angeles County is working to interrupt that cycle.
After nearly 13 years of incarceration, Korey Harvey returned home in December 2023, determined to rebuild his life. What he encountered were the barriers that too many formerly incarcerated residents face: difficulty securing housing, employment gaps, limited support networks, and bureaucratic hurdles just to obtain basic identification documents.
“I had to grind,” Harvey said. “I didn’t have many people to count on.”
His story illustrates both the fragility of reentry and the transformative power of coordinated support.
Through the Los Angeles County Justice, Care, and Opportunities Department (JCOD), Los Angeles County is reimagining reentry as a pathway rooted in care rather than punishment. Established in 2022 and led by Judge Songhai Armstead, JCOD works to reduce incarceration and homelessness by providing housing assistance, workforce development, diversion services, and trauma-informed case management.
One of the department’s most critical investments is up to two years of rental assistance, giving returning residents the stability needed to pursue employment and reconnect with the community. JCOD also partners with organizations such as the Center for Living and Learning to operate SECTOR, a workforce readiness program that combines job training with healing-centered approaches, such as cognitive behavioral interventions.
“All of our work is based on trauma-informed care,” said Judge Armstead.
For Harvey, that support changed everything. With stable housing and workforce preparation, he secured employment at Hope the Mission and was later promoted to case manager. It transformed his lived experience into service for others navigating reentry.
JCOD’s work aligns with the County’s broader racial equity framework, led by the Los Angeles County Anti-Racism, Diversity, and Inclusion Initiative (ARDI). Together, these efforts recognize that incarceration and homelessness are deeply interconnected and that addressing racial disparities requires coordinated housing, workforce, and healing-centered investments.
This case study explores how cross-department collaboration, community partnerships, and trauma-informed care are building a more equitable public safety model: one grounded in stability, dignity, and belonging.
Harvey’s journey demonstrates a powerful truth: when systems invest in housing, employment, and healing, they do more than reduce recidivism. They restore opportunity. They strengthen families. They create safer communities.
