Center for Restorative Justice Works

Every child has the right to build a loving relationship with their parents, even if a parent is in prison. Keeping children connected with incarcerated parents has been shown to improve the health and wellbeing of children, to reduce recidivism rates, and build stronger communities. Beyond the Bus is a transformative program that offers children the chance to maintain connection and personal relationships with a parent in prison through virtual visits and expanded opportunities for in-person visits after the pandemic.

We believe that children have the right to see, touch, and speak face-to-face with incarcerated parents. For years, our Get On The Bus program has provide free bus transportation and specialized family visits so that low-income children and their incarcerated parents could engage in bonding family activities, including sharing meals and playing games together. With COVID restrictions finally lifted across California prisons, we are reuniting children and parents who have not seen each other since the start of COVID.