Duke University Researchers Launch Interdisciplinary SAFE HOPE Study to Evaluate Durham Guaranteed Basic Income Program for Reentering Community Members
New Durham-based pilot study explores the impact of choice in direct financial assistance programs on health and recidivism for formerly incarcerated adults
Researchers at the Wilson Center for Science and Justice at Duke Law, Duke University School of Nursing, and the Duke Department of Population Health Sciences have partnered to launch SAFE HOPE (Supporting Adult Financial Empowerment to Improve Health Outcomes Post-Exit), a pilot study evaluating how choice in guaranteed basic income programs affect health and recidivism among formerly incarcerated adults in Durham.
The project will evaluate the City of Durham’s ROOTED (Resources & Opportunities for Ongoing Transition, Empowerment & Dignity) pilot program and generate evidence to inform future multi-city studies and long-term policy investments in guaranteed basic income (GBI) initiatives. SAFE HOPE brings together researchers from law, nursing, and public health to better understand how financial stability may shape health, well-being, and reentry outcomes for people leaving incarceration. This project adds to a body of literature that has found that GBI programs improve outcomes in reentry by evaluating how participant choice in payment structure affects outcomes.
“We are committed to generating evidence that can help communities build more effective and equitable responses to challenges within the legal system, including reentry,” said Wilson Center Research Scientist Dr. Jesse Lopez. “SAFE HOPE reflects the interdisciplinary collaboration needed to address complex social and health challenges presented by reentry.”
Participants selected into the city-run GBI program will receive $8,400 over 12 months. They chose between one of two payment structures: a front-loaded schedule with larger payments early in the program or equal monthly payments distributed over the course of the year. The study allows participants to select the payment structure they believe will work best for them while enabling researchers to examine both participant preferences and outcomes in a real-world setting. Researchers aim to determine the impact of each payment structure on mental health, physical health, and recidivism as well as identify if different payment structures lead to different outcomes.
“Formerly incarcerated individuals often face overlapping barriers to health and well-being long after release,” said Dr. Tonia Poteat, Professor at the Duke University School of Nursing. “This study allows us to examine how guaranteed basic income can serve as a meaningful intervention to promote health and support better outcomes for people during reentry.”
“Research consistently shows that the criminal legal system has lasting consequences for health, not only for individuals but also for families and communities,” said Dr. Lauren Brinkley-Rubinstein, Associate Professor in the Department of Population Health Sciences at Duke University. “SAFE HOPE will provide important evidence about how economic support during reentry can improve health outcomes and reduce system involvement, helping inform policies grounded in both data and community realities.”
City officials emphasized the importance of partnerships between Durham and local academic institutions in advancing innovative public policy solutions.
“Durham launched the ROOTED pilot to provide direct support to residents returning to the community as part of a broader effort to promote stability, improve health, and reduce recidivism,” said Ryan Smith, Durham’s Director of Community Safety. “Partnerships with our local universities have long played a key role in helping us learn from and strengthen programs that serve the Durham community. Through collaborations like SAFE HOPE, we're able to build on a growing body of evidence about the benefits of guaranteed basic income while gaining a deeper understanding of how these investments can best support health, stability, and successful reentry. Ultimately, this work helps us create more effective, evidence-informed approaches that improve outcomes for our Durham neighbors and the community as a whole.”