Mission
OAR is a community-based nonprofit organization that envisions a safe & thriving community where those impacted by the legal system enjoy equal civil & human rights.
OAR of Arlington, Alexandria and Falls Church was established in 1974 by individuals from local faith communities who were volunteering in the local jail. In recent years, OAR and others have recognized and started to challenge the systemic racism responsible for mass incarceration and other structural inequalities in our community and country. They now address incarceration, the legal system, and all systems “upstream” (calling out the racism that permeates these systems and seeking social justice) and “downstream” (providing services to specific individuals). OAR journeys with individuals who have been affected by mass incarceration and works to end the systemic injustices created by racism across all systems.