Oklahoma Marriage Initiative (OMI): Marriage and Relationship Skills Education as a Way to Prepare Prisoners for Reintegration

The number of people incarcerated in this country is in the millions, and most will eventually be released to the community.В  Policy interest in preparing prisoners for reentry has grown significantly in recent years.В  This interest is fueled in part by research showing that marital and parent-child relationships are at high risk of disruption during incarceration and reentry, and by research suggesting that healthy marriage is associated with a reduced likelihood of recidivism.В  Oklahoma is the first state whose correctional system offers standardized programming in marriage and relationship skills.В  In partnership with the Oklahoma Marriage Initiative, the Oklahoma Department of Corrections offers this program in prisons throughout the state, to male and female prisoners, married and unmarried.В  This brief describes what led to the implementation of this program, how it was implemented, how participants have responded, and the potential implications for replication.