We are very pleased to announce that Yvette Harris and Cricket Meehan received university approval for establishing the Center for the Study and Support of Children and Families of the Incarcerated (CSSCFI).

The mission of this interdisciplinary university center is that all children, caregivers, and families impacted by incarceration are recognized, valued, and supported without stigmatizing or stereotyping through solution-focused, evidence-informed research, practice, and pedagogy. Yvette will serve as the director of the center, and Cricket will serve as its associate director.

The importance of this center is clear, and recent events reflecting broader societal stereotypes and cultural biases only further underscore the value of this effort. We are excited about the opportunities to develop scholarship and community engagement on these important matters, and we’re proud of the vision that Yvette, Cricket, and the entire CSSCFI Working Group has provided that will further enhance Miami’s research and educational missions.