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But They All Come Back: Facing the Challenges of Prisoner Reentry

12 Apr 2005-
TL;DR: Travis as mentioned in this paper proposes organizing the criminal justice system around five principles of reentry to encourage change and spur innovation, and argues that the impact of returning prisoners on families and communities has been largely overlooked.
Abstract: As our justice system has embarked upon one of our time's greatest social experiments?responding to crime by expanding prisons?we have forgotten the iron law of imprisonment: they all come back. In 2002, more than 630,000 individuals left federal and state prisons. Thirty years ago, only 150,000 did. In the intense political debate over America's punishment policies, the impact of these returning prisoners on families and communities has been largely overlooked. In But They All Come Back, Jeremy Travis continues his pioneering work on the new realities of punishment in America vis-a-vis public safety, families and children, work, housing, public health, civic identity, and community capacity. Travis proposes organizing the criminal justice system around five principles of reentry to encourage change and spur innovation.
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is suggested that NVC training may be a useful addition to substance abuse treatment programs for parolees, be effective in addressing problematic coping and communication styles resulting from incarceration and criminal behavior, and assist paroled individuals in building and sustaining positive social support networks.
Abstract: The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of a behavioral intervention, nonviolent communication (NVC), on the development of empathic coping and communication skills in a sample of male parolees enrolled in substance abuse treatment (SAT; N = 30). At the end of the 8-week intervention, results revealed a significant increase (p = .01) in participants' empathy levels. Findings also revealed the acceptability and utility of NVC training to men on parole. Results suggest that NVC training may (a) be a useful addition to substance abuse treatment programs for parolees, (b) be effective in addressing problematic coping and communication styles resulting from incarceration and criminal behavior, and (c) assist paroled individuals in building and sustaining positive social support networks.

46 citations


Cites background from "But They All Come Back: Facing the ..."

  • ...Individuals who respond to the stresses of free-world life with aggressive or exploitative behaviors find themselves, at best, alienated from positive social networks or, at worst, rearrested and reincarcerated (Harman et al., 2007; Marlow & Chesla, 2009; Mills & Kroner, 2003; Travis, 2005)....

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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined whether participation in reentry programming was associated with reduced recidivism among offenders who were no longer under criminal justice supervision and found that participants who completed their sentences in prison were invited to participate in Project ReConnect (PRC), a six-month, voluntary prisoner reentry program, which provided case management and direct monetary support to participants for up to six months.
Abstract: As higher numbers of individuals are released from prison and rejoin society, reentry programs can help former offenders reintegrate into society without continuing to engage in crime. This quasi-experimental study examined whether participation in reentry programming was associated with reduced recidivism among offenders who were no longer under criminal justice supervision. Offenders who completed their sentences in prison were invited to participate in Project Re-Connect (PRC), a six-month, voluntary prisoner reentry program. Following participants' release from prison, PRC provided case management and direct monetary support to participants for up to six months. Survival analysis was used to compare recidivism rates between 122 PRC participants and 158 eligible non-participants. Cox regression coefficients indicated that program participation and having a high school diploma or its equivalent were associated with reduced likelihood of new convictions, whereas substance abuse was associated with higher risk of subsequent convictions. The implications for social work policy and practice are discussed. KEY WORDS: case management; former offenders; prisoner reentry; program evaluation ********* The U.S. prison population has grown exponentially over the past 30 years, at great cost to taxpayers and offenders alike. Between 1980 and 2008, the prison population expanded by 475%, reaching 1,518,559 in 2008 (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2010). Policy changes fueled this rapid growth, as many states adopted mandatory and determinant sentencing guidelines that resulted in more individuals serving longer prison terms. Meanwhile, stricter parole requirements returned mote ex-offenders to prison on technical parole violations (Seiter & Kadela, 2003; Zhang, Roberts, & Callanan, 2006). Parole violators who complete their sentences in prison are no longer subject to supervision once released from prison, thereby restricting society's ability to monitor and assist these individuals during reentry (Braga, Piehl, & Hureau, 2009; O'Brien, 2009; Seiter & Kadela, 2003). The number and the rate of inmates released without parole supervision have increased even over the last decade, as the number of unsupervised releases grew from 118,886 in 2000 (20.4% of all released) to 165,568 in 2008 (24.2% of all releases) (Sabol, West, & Cooper, 2009; Seiter & Kadela, 2003). Former offenders commit crimes at higher rates than the general population, so in combination with technical parole violations, many ex-offenders recidivate and return to prison within the first few years of release (Brad et al., 2009). As of 1994, more than two-thirds of state prisoners were rearrested for one or more serious crimes within three years of release. Almost half of those released returned to prison during that time frame for parole violations or new convictions (Langan & Levin, 2002). Prisoner reentry has become a critical topic as communities prepare to absorb increasing numbers of returning former offenders; 683,106 inmates were released from state or federal prisons in 2008, an increase of nearly 20% over the number released in 2000 (Petersilia, 2003; Roman & Travis, 2006; Sabol et al., 2009; Seiter & Kadda, 2003; Wilson & Davis, 2006). Reentry programs have been developed nationwide to address offender needs and smooth the transition from prison into the community. RISK FACTORS FOR REENTRY, CURRENT PRACTICE, AND EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE Several risk factors increase the likelihood that ex-offenders will return to prison on new charges. These risk factors include age, gender, race, gang membership, substance abuse, antisocial behavior, low social achievement, negative peers, length of prior criminal history, and the number of years incarcerated before release (Braga et al., 2009; Gendreau, Little, & Goggin, 1996; Huebner, Varano, & Bynum, 2007; Langan & Levin, 2002; Listwan, 2009; O'Brien, 2009; Seiter & Kadela, 2003; Wheeler & Patterson, 2008; Wilson & Davis, 2006; Yahner & Visher, 2008). …

46 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The literature on mass incarceration has focused on the labor market consequence of imprisonment and the implications of those effects for r... as mentioned in this paper, where the authors focus on the impact of racially disproportionate imprisonment rates.
Abstract: Because of racially disproportionate imprisonment rates, the literature on mass incarceration has focused on the labor market consequence of imprisonment and the implications of those effects for r...

45 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This article used interviews with 26 female inmates to assess inductively their perceptions of life after prison and the self-enhancing schemas they draw from in this process and highlight the utility of examining incarcerated women's outlook about their future and have import for policy.
Abstract: Research reveals that most incarcerated adults are optimistic about their chances of success after release and believe they will be less likely to reoffend than other prisoners. Moreover, studies suggest that optimism shapes desistance. This raises the interesting question of how and why female inmates maintain an optimistic outlook about their postrelease. The current study uses in-depth interviews with 26 incarcerated women to assess inductively their perceptions of life after prison and the self-enhancing schemas they draw from in this process. Results highlight the utility of examining incarcerated women's outlook about their future and have import for policy.

44 citations


Cites background from "But They All Come Back: Facing the ..."

  • ...…research, reentry A substantial body of research has documented the reentry challenges of formerly incarcerated adults (Petersilia, 2003; Travis, 2005), the correlates of recidivism (Beck & Shipley, 1989; Bonta, Pang, & Wallace-Capretta, 1995), and the causes of desistance (Giordano,…...

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  • ...A substantial body of research has documented the reentry challenges of formerly incarcerated adults (Petersilia, 2003; Travis, 2005), the correlates of recidivism (Beck & Shipley, 1989; Bonta, Pang, & Wallace-Capretta, 1995), and the causes of desistance (Giordano, Cernkovich, & Rudolph, 2002; Laub & Sampson, 2003)....

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