Re-Entry

Re-entry programs support incarcereted people throughout their transition into a productive life after incarceration. They address their immediate and long-term needs including housing, employment and healthcare. A smooth reintegration experience helps them get back on their feet, not back in jail.


The Cycle

 

This year, California's prison system will admit six out of ten people who have been there before. 1 Returning parolees make up the majority of the overcrowded and still-growing prison population.

Trying to rebuild a life after prison is fraught with obstacles. They might have family to meet them on the other side, or they might have to start over alone at the nearest group shelter. Without social support, many of these individuals can wind up back in prison. California's three-year recidivism rate for the years 2008-09 was 61%, with the majority of these individuals returning to prison in the first year. 2

The consequences of having a criminal record extend far beyond the sentence, limiting employment and housing opportunities for years after release. Many people released from incarceration have a substance abuse problem for which they received little or no treatment during their sentence. The lack of a high school diploma is common and they are unprepared and under-supported for life outside the system.

What kinds of support are needed to elevate their chances of steering clear of crime, staying clean and starting fresh?


Our Approach

 

When people re-enter communities with a support network of essential services, they are less likely to fall into old patterns or risk going back to jail. They are prepared to the best of their abilities for a productive life after incarceration. Re-entry programs provide immediate and long-term rehabilitative services that help them rebuild their lives.

INSIDE

 

Some programs take place inside prisons, building skills and providing service-learning opportunities that range from literacy and writing workshops, to art and theater groups, to community gardening and volunteer firefighting.

 

UPON RELEASE

 

Programs focus on the narrow window of time leading up to and immediately after a person’s release. The physical and psychological shocks of re-entry can be overwhelming, especially as they transition out of a highly structured environment into a place of uncertainty, where they are expected to make dozens of important decisions about the future. Support in meeting probation deadlines and enrolling in post-release financial aid programs or temporary housing placements—all required within 72 hours of release—can ease this complicated transition.

 

OUTSIDE

 

Ongoing support is often required for people to enter into vocational training programs, substance abuse treatment or mental health services. These support services range from temporary placements to sustained mentoring programs that encourage long-term health, community service, and professional development.

 



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