Men and women who are incarcerated have a range of personal networks in the community, including family members who may rely on them for financial and other support and family members who can be a powerful support to them during incarceration and after release. Inmates should be assessed as early as possible to determine their family responsibilities and the strengths upon which they can draw (see Policy Statement 8, Development of Intake Procedure). Information gathered during the assessment process should help to shape each individual's programming assignments while incarcerated (see Policy Statement 9, Development of Programming Plan) and, in the aggregate, should help corrections administrators to determine what policies and programs should be offered to strengthen family support networks. This policy statement recommends expanding institutional parenting and family-focused programs and strategies to support the broad needs of inmates' children and family members of different ages. Effective prison- and jail-based family policies and programs help prepare prisoners and their families for release and the subsequent re-entry period (see Policy Statement 23, Victims, Families, and Communities).