In 2016, after experiencing her own journey through the Criminal Justice System, Jacqueline founded Evolution Reentry Services, LLC. Evolution Reentry Services is the first and only reentry organization in the country that focuses on the needs of justice-impacted women who have committed a white-collar crime. Her research and collaboration with federal and state agencies for justice involved women has helped create new programs throughout the country. Evolution Reentry Services, located in Branford CT works with criminal defense attorneys and their women clients to prepare them for their journey of incarceration. She is a motivational speaker empowering justice involved women through accountability, transparency and authenticity significantly improving their day-to-day living and relationships. Jacqueline speaks at conferences and symposiums throughout the country motivating and empowering justice impacted women and their families helping them move forward in their lives through truth while educating communities through her research surrounding the stigma of incarceration.
Evolution Reentry Services offers weekly online support groups for Spanish speaking justice-impacted women on Mondays, justice-impacted women on Wednesdays and family members who have a loved one incarcerated on Thursdays. These groups are focused on lifting and empowering justice involved women and their families as they help rebuild their lives before and after incarceration. Currently over 216 women and families throughout the country have joined giving support to one another removing the isolation that often comes with being justice impacted. Evolution Reentry Services also hosts the country’s first free of charge yearly justice impacted retreat for women, focusing on success after incarceration.
Jacqueline hosts a monthly podcast, Criminal Justice Café, educating communities on the realities of the criminal justice system and working with law enforcement agencies to help change the stigma of justice impacted individuals and their families.
Ms. Purcell holds master’s degrees in Business Administration (MBA) and Social Work (MSW). Most Recently she graduated from Albertus Magnus College where she earned her master’s degree in Criminal Justice with a Concentration in Correctional Administration with honors (MSCJ). She is currently working on her PhD in Criminal Justice with a concentration on the Law.
Ms. Purcell is active in various organizations:
- Connecticut Licensed Realtor
- 2023 Inductee into the CT Hall of Fame
- 2022-2023 Yale University Access to Law School Fellow
- 2022 JustLeadershipUSA’s Leading with Conviction Fellow
- Ordained Deacon, Saint Joseph's Mission Progressive Catholic Church (2022 - current)
- Member of the National Association of Social Workers (2020-2022)
- Member of The American Sociological Association (2021, 2022)
- Member of Alpha Sigma Beta, The Gamma Beta Chapter of Albertus Magnus College (2022)
- Member Kappa Gamma Pi, Honors Program Chapter of Albertus Magnus College (2021)
- Consulting Member of the Connecticut Bar Association (2021-current)
- Member of the Connecticut Community Nonprofit Alliance (2022)
- Member of the Connecticut Business and Industry Association (CBIA, 2020-2022)
- Member of the New York City Justice Ombudsman Advisory Board (2022)
- Member of the American Land Title Association (2006 – current
- Member of The International Alliance of Theatrical Employees (I.A.T.S.E Local 74, 1997-current)