Institute for Criminal Justice Studies

1. Crime Prevention Part II PRISIONERS REENTRY Institute for Criminal Justice Studies • TCLEOSE Course #2102 Crime Prevention Curriculum Part II is the intellectual property of ICJS (2009)

2. Prisoner Reentry: Coming to a Community Near You National Crime Prevention Council 2009

3. The Goal of This Presentation To inform citizens about the impact that reentry of ex-offenders has on their communities and present them with information on available strategies, resources, and effective community responses

4. Learning Objectives • Learning Objective: The student will examine the issue of ex-offender reentry in the United States • Learning Objective: The student will identify practices and programs that work to reduce ex-offender recidivism • Learning Objective: The student will look at ways to reduce crime through focused activities on ex-offender reentry • Learning Objective: The student will examine several national models of Prisoner Re-entry Programs throughout the United States to benefit from lessons learned from successful programs to date • Learning Objective: The student will look at resources that could aid reentry and be replicated in other communities across the country • TCLEOSE Course #2102 Crime Prevention Curriculum Part II is the intellectual property of ICJS (2009)

5. Reentry: A Definition Reentry (n.): A broad term that refers to the issues related to the transition of ex-offenders from incarceration to community. • TCLEOSE Course #2102 Crime Prevention Curriculum Part II is the intellectual property of ICJS (2009)

6. Reentry: A Definition (continued) Reentry specifically involves using programs that promote the effective reintegration of ex-offenders into communities when they are released from prison and jail. • TCLEOSE Course #2102 Crime Prevention Curriculum Part II is the intellectual property of ICJS (2009)

7. Reentry by the Numbers • TCLEOSE Course #2102 Crime Prevention Curriculum Part II is the intellectual property of ICJS (2009)

8. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2006 • In the past 30 years, the U.S. prison population grew from 190,000 to 2.2 million. • By June 30, 2006, the number of inmates in the custody of state and federal prisons and local jails reached 2,245,189. • TCLEOSE Course #2102 Crime Prevention Curriculum Part II is the intellectual property of ICJS (2009)

9. How are communities affected by reentry? • TCLEOSE Course #2102 Crime Prevention Curriculum Part II is the intellectual property of ICJS (2009)

10. Initial Impact of Reentry on Ex-Offenders • Outside world is chaotic & stressful • Initial experiences can be disappointing and ex-offenders may take impulsive actions that derail their progress.

11. Initial Impact of Reentry on Ex-Offenders • The longer the time they spent in prison, the worse their disorientation will be. • TCLEOSE Course #2102 Crime Prevention Curriculum Part II is the intellectual property of ICJS (2009)

12. Adjustments After Prison • Many of released prisoners return to prison. • A few released prisoners “make it” and do well. • Most parolees fall into a life of dependency. Source: John Irwin (2005) The Warehouse Prison • TCLEOSE Course #2102 Crime Prevention Curriculum Part II is the intellectual property of ICJS (2009)

13. Adjustments After Prison • Many cross back and forth, outside and inside the law and the parole rules. • Many parolees fail to achieve minimum stability, even in dependent situations. Source: John Irwin (2005) The Warehouse Prison • TCLEOSE Course #2102 Crime Prevention Curriculum Part II is the intellectual property of ICJS (2009)

14. Quote “I think the goal of everyone involved in the reentry process—the individual prisoner, his family, his community, and the agencies of government—should be to improve the chances of successful reintegration for each returning prisoner. This means re-establishing (or, as the case may be, establishing) positive connections between the returning prisoner and his family, the world of work, and the institutions of community.” Jeremy Travis, John Jay College of Criminal Justice

15. Prisoner Reentry in One Baltimore Community

16. TCLEOSE Course #2102 Crime Prevention Curriculum Part II is the intellectual property of ICJS (2009)

17. TCLEOSE Course #2102 Crime Prevention Curriculum Part II is the intellectual property of ICJS (2009)

18. ReentryChallengesHousingPublic SafetyEmploymentHealthFamilies • TCLEOSE Course #2102 Crime Prevention Curriculum Part II is the intellectual property of ICJS (2009)

19. Challenges to Reentry • Family relationships, if not already problematic, are often weakened by incarceration. • Convicted felons have difficulty finding employment and this can be aggravated by prison experiences. • TCLEOSE Course #2102 Crime Prevention Curriculum Part II is the intellectual property of ICJS (2009)

20. Challenges to Reentry • Ex-prisoners often have a lower rate of literacy than individuals in the general population. • Unmet health and mental health needs • TCLEOSE Course #2102 Crime Prevention Curriculum Part II is the intellectual property of ICJS (2009)

21. Challenges to Reentry • Housing issues • Collateral barriers related to civic participation • TCLEOSE Course #2102 Crime Prevention Curriculum Part II is the intellectual property of ICJS (2009)

22. What Does Your Jurisdiction Do? • Are criminal records made publicly available? • Are there legal restrictions related to certain careers? • Are there restrictions on hiring, bonding, and licensing ex-prisoners? • TCLEOSE Course #2102 Crime Prevention Curriculum Part II is the intellectual property of ICJS (2009)

23. What Does Your Jurisdiction Do? • Do employers have access to criminal records? • Are there restrictions on public assistance and welfare? • TCLEOSE Course #2102 Crime Prevention Curriculum Part II is the intellectual property of ICJS (2009)

24. What Does Your Jurisdiction Do? • Are there restrictions on public housing or rentals? • Are there restrictions on parental rights? NO EX CONS • TCLEOSE Course #2102 Crime Prevention Curriculum Part II is the intellectual property of ICJS (2009)

25. Housing Challenges • TCLEOSE Course #2102 Crime Prevention Curriculum Part II is the intellectual property of ICJS (2009)

26. In the last 20 years, the number of people who are homeless has swelled from more than 440,000 to 840,000 nationwide. Ten to 20 percent of those released from prison or jail were homeless before incarceration. Housing Challenges Source: The Re-entry Policy Council

27. Housing Challenges (continued) • Programs that help ex-offenders find housing often face the same challenges. • Finding affordable rental housing • Maximizing the use of existing housing resources • Identifying and eliminating the barrier or stigma of ex-offenders in order to receive housing • TCLEOSE Course #2102 Crime Prevention Curriculum Part II is the intellectual property of ICJS (2009)

28. Most Ex-offenders Return to Just a Few Neighborhoods • TCLEOSE Course #2102 Crime Prevention Curriculum Part II is the intellectual property of ICJS (2009)

29. Public Safety Challenges • TCLEOSE Course #2102 Crime Prevention Curriculum Part II is the intellectual property of ICJS (2009)

30. Public Safety Challenges • Many returning prisoners have extensive criminal histories. • A substantial number of released prisoners are reconvicted or rearrested for new crimes, many within the first year after release. • Those with substance abuse histories and those who engage in substance abuse after release are at high risk for recidivism. • TCLEOSE Course #2102 Crime Prevention Curriculum Part II is the intellectual property of ICJS (2009)

31. Two of three people released from state prison are rearrested within three years. American taxpayers spent approximately $9 billion per year on corrections in 1982 to $60 billion in 2002. Investment in corrections has greatly increased, recidivism rates have remained virtually unchanged in over the past 30 years. Public Safety Challenges(continued)

32. Employment Challenges • TCLEOSE Course #2102 Crime Prevention Curriculum Part II is the intellectual property of ICJS (2009)

33. Employment Challenges • While prisoners believe that having a job is an important factor in staying out of prison, few have a job lined up after release. • Few prisoners receive employmentrelated training in prison. • TCLEOSE Course #2102 Crime Prevention Curriculum Part II is the intellectual property of ICJS (2009)

34. Employment Challenges • Participation in work-release jobs in prison may have a positive impact on the likelihood of finding full-time employment after release. • TCLEOSE Course #2102 Crime Prevention Curriculum Part II is the intellectual property of ICJS (2009)

35. Employment Challenges: Incarceration • Dissuades employers from hiring someone with a criminal history • Disqualifies some ex-offenders for specific occupations that require ongoing training and education Source: www.vera.org • TCLEOSE Course #2102 Crime Prevention Curriculum Part II is the intellectual property of ICJS (2009)

36. Employment Challenges: Incarceration • Makes it difficult to keep skills up-to-date • Limits work experience • Abets behaviors that may be unacceptable in the workplace • Source: www.vera.org • TCLEOSE Course #2102 Crime Prevention Curriculum Part II is the intellectual property of ICJS (2009)

37. Employment Challenges(continued) • Prisoners who dofind work after release may not have full-time or consistent employment. • Lack of transportation is a significant barrier to employment. • TCLEOSE Course #2102 Crime Prevention Curriculum Part II is the intellectual property of ICJS (2009)

38. Health Challenges • TCLEOSE Course #2102 Crime Prevention Curriculum Part II is the intellectual property of ICJS (2009)

39. Health Challenges • A substantial number of prisoners have been diagnosed with a physical or mentalhealth condition. • More prisoners report being diagnosed with a medical condition than report receiving medication or treatment for their condition while incarcerated. • TCLEOSE Course #2102 Crime Prevention Curriculum Part II is the intellectual property of ICJS (2009)

40. Health Challenges(continued) • Securing health care is a major concern for many released prisoners. • The vast majority of returning prisoners do not have anyform of medical insurance. • TCLEOSE Course #2102 Crime Prevention Curriculum Part II is the intellectual property of ICJS (2009)

41. Substance Abuse and Reentry • A majority of prisoners have extensive substance abuse histories. • Prisoners identify drug abuse as the primary cause of many of their past and current problems. • TCLEOSE Course #2102 Crime Prevention Curriculum Part II is the intellectual property of ICJS (2009)

42. Substance Abuse and Reentry(continued) • Consensus in the field holds that individualized in-prison treatment, in concert with community-based aftercare, can reduce substance use and dependency. • Ex-offenders with a history of substance use and those who engage in substance use after release are at high risk to recidivate.

43. FamilyChallenges • TCLEOSE Course #2102 Crime Prevention Curriculum Part II is the intellectual property of ICJS (2009)

44. Family Challenges • Most prisoners believe that family support is an important factor in helping them stay out of prison. • While most prisoners have some regular contact with family members during their prison term, relatively few receive family visits. • TCLEOSE Course #2102 Crime Prevention Curriculum Part II is the intellectual property of ICJS (2009)

45. Family Challenges • More than seven million children under the age of 18 (approximately 10 percent of the U.S. population) have a parent in state or federal prison, jail, on probation or parole, or reentering society after a period of imprisonment. • TCLEOSE Course #2102 Crime Prevention Curriculum Part II is the intellectual property of ICJS (2009)

46. Family Challenges(continued) • A parent’s incarceration can have mixed effects on a child. • One of the greatest challenges of keeping families connected is the distance between home and prison. • TCLEOSE Course #2102 Crime Prevention Curriculum Part II is the intellectual property of ICJS (2009)

47. What Really Works To Help Ex-offenders and Ultimately To Reduce Crime • TCLEOSE Course #2102 Crime Prevention Curriculum Part II is the intellectual property of ICJS (2009)

48. Seven Domain Areas 1.Employment—work, training, vocation, education 2.Family/marital—support from family 3.Associates/social interaction—positive interaction with noncriminal associates • TCLEOSE Course #2102 Crime Prevention Curriculum Part II is the intellectual property of ICJS (2009)

49. Seven Domain Areas – Cont’d: 4.Substance abuse—intensive, outpatient, AA/NA, sponsor 5. Adjusting to a new environment—home, budgeting, social services, leisure, health 6.Personal & emotional—mental health, coping skills, decision-making 7.Attitudes and beliefs—religion, law-abiding behavior

50. TAKE A 10-MINUTE BREAK