This study examines 122 ex-offenders who participated in Project ReConnect, a 6-month, voluntary, prisoner-reentry program for inmates who served their maximum prison sentence. The needs most frequently self-identified by program participants prior to their return into the community included transportation, clothing, food, housing, and employment or vocational training. To help address these needs, program participants had access to US$3,000. These funds were largely directed toward the self-identified needs, with the greatest portion of expenditures applied to housing. Social outcomes, including employment, housing, and substance abuse, are examined for program participants. The study found that many ex-offenders will seek assistance through reentry programs, even when participation is voluntary, and that they are capable of self-identifying their service needs.

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0032885511409896

A Description of the Self-Identified Needs, Service Expenditures, and Social Outcomes of Participants of a Prisoner-Reentry Program

This article describes the development of a practice model for assessing formerly incarcerated women in a one-stop, holistic approach. The gender-specific theoretical framework that enables the women to prioritize steps of reentry is discussed in light of the survival, relational, educational, vocational, treatment, health and mental health needs of recently released women.

Challenges for Formerly Incarcerated Women: A Holistic Approach to Assessment:

The need for re-entry assistance is widely acknowledged, but specifics about what services actually lead to reduced recidivism are hard to find—at least among rigorous studies. This is a critical issue: at a time when there appears to be unprecedented support for expanding rehabilitative programs for offenders, there is a dearth of rigorously vetted program options from which to choose. Collaborating with a nationally known employment-focused reentry program in Southern California, the authors compared employment, housing, and recidivism outcomes of reentering offenders (n = 217) who were either randomized into the program or simply provided with a list of community resources. This approach was possible because the number of applicants at the time exceeded program capacity. Outcomes were based on self-report interviews conducted 1-year post-randomization and arrest records reflecting a 2-year follow-up period. The follow-up rate for interviews was 87 %. No significant differences were found for any of the between-group comparisons on any of the major intervention outcomes. Findings from the study suggest a greater need to apply randomized designs to more carefully evaluate current reentry efforts. Methodological challenges of field experiments are also discussed.

An experimental evaluation of a nationally recognized employment-focused offender reentry program

In the past 30 years, the number of incarcerated women in the United States has increased at a faster rate than that of men. This article outlines the ideologies and mechanisms of the “Prison Natio...

A Feminist Call for Transforming the Criminal Justice System

Programs for women with substance abuse and criminal justice histories often incorporate empowerment and social support into service delivery systems. Women's empowerment research has focused on the relationship between women's personal identities and the larger sociopolitical context, with an emphasis on how community-based resources are critical for promoting well-being. Social support often protects against negative outcomes for individuals who live with chronic stress. However, few studies have evaluated community resource knowledge and empowerment among marginalized women or how social support might strengthen or weaken this relationship. This study investigated resource knowledge, social support, and empowerment among 200 minority women in substance abuse recovery who had recent criminal justice involvement. Results indicated that resource knowledge was related to empowerment and belonging social support marginally moderated this relationship. In addition, education level increased and current involvement in the criminal justice system decreased empowerment. Implications for research, practice, and policy are discussed.

Empowerment and Social Support: Implications for Practice and Programming Among Minority Women with Substance Abuse and Criminal Justice Histories.

SUMMARY One hundred women participated in a needs assessment and goal-planning process at a community-based agency soon after release from prison. The assessment indicated some fit between women's identified needs and how they placed themselves on “contemplation” ladders that facilitated their planning for reentry. Follow-up interviews with 14 women found a high level of satisfaction with the process, though they struggled with unmet goals. Participants and social service providers made programmatic recommendations that go beyond social services to address economic and self sustainability in the transition from prison to community.

Nancy Leem

Papers

Moving from Needs to Self-Efficacy