Community Works West engages youth and adults in arts, education and restorative justice programs that interrupt and heal the far-reaching impact of incarceration and violence by empowering individuals, families and communities. CW believes that the arts and education can serve as valuable platforms for achieving this goal, incorporating personal expression, alliance-building, and public engagement. CW is particularly concerned with the effects of soaring incarceration rates on communities, impacting not only the offending individuals but also families, neighbors, and survivors of crime. CW links up with the institutions that most affect our constituents’ lives, including the criminal and juvenile justice systems, the public school system, and other community-based organizations, in order to provide enriching, sustainable programs that work to bring communities together.