Valerie A. Purry originally from Oakland, California has been residing in Brandon, Mississippi for eighteen years. She attended Cal State University Hayward for three years studied Criminal Justice Administration. She graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice concentration in Juvenile Justice and a Master of Arts degree in Criminology from Jackson State University. She is a doctoral candidate in Urban and Regional Planning with a concentration in Community Development and Housing. An advocate and mentor for formerly incarcerated females, she has served as a transitional home director for two years for formerly incarcerated citizens . An experienced research assistant with female juveniles upon their release and how they transition once they have returned home and school. This was a research project with Mississippi State University Social Science Research Center. She is interested in developing a program for formerly incarcerated females transitioning from prison to their community with employment opportunities as well as any social, psychological needs they may have to make their transition smooth.