With the holidays behind us, many are putting their energy and efforts into New Year’s resolutions. For many, this means going to the gym to drop a few holiday pounds or finally finishing that home improvement project they put off all year.

But for the more than 600,000 individuals leaving the criminal justice system who have paid their debt to society, they must resolve to do something even more daunting: make the most out of their second chance, create a successful life and avoid returning to the criminal justice system.