Within five years of their release, almost 75 percent of people who are freed from jail each year are imprisoned again.
Men and women who are released from correctional facilities have insufficient training, support, and resources, which makes it difficult for them to reintegrate into society.
It is unwise to believe that reintegrating into society will be a simple task. Ex-offenders face significant challenges as they try to reconstruct their lives. This is especially true for parolees who served lengthy jail terms.
Once ex-offenders are freed, they have a harder time than the general population does finding gainful jobs, securing reliable housing, and generally functioning in society because of systematic legal and social impediments.
Ex-offenders are permanently penalized for their misdeeds, no matter how insignificant, and frequently seen as sub-citizens. These limitations have systemic origins that have an impact on ex-offenders at all societal levels.
Therefore, the criminal justice system requires additional funding to strengthen reintegration efforts and assist ex-offenders in finding jobs and housing and leading a normal life so they are less likely to commit crimes again.
Reducing expensive recidivism rates and, in many circumstances, breaking the intergenerational cycle of criminality are both achieved by assisting ex-offenders in successfully reintegrating into society.
Related Posts:
benefits of reducing recidivism
What makes Re-Entry a Grueling Process
Successful recidivism programs
Successful reentry programs
The Challenges of Social Reintegration
Former inmates have difficulties on all fronts. These obstacles take many different shapes. How well a person is able to meet their six essential needs—a living, a place to live, a family, a healthy lifestyle, compliance with the criminal justice system, and social connections—will determine how successfully they integrate back into society.
Each necessity in life has its own set of difficulties, many of which are connected. Let’s look at each of these problems individually.
- Direction
Once released, former inmates might not know where to start. Getting back in touch with friends and family, locating a place to live, and obtaining employment are just a few of the many moving components of prisoner reintegration.
Navigating it can be a daunting process. This is especially true for former offenders who were incarcerated as children. - Family Strain
One of the main challenges facing families trying to assist a recently released loved one is financial pressure. But money is only the beginning.
Family members frequently find it difficult to comprehend the “rules” that their loved ones must follow. Additionally, if a loved one struggles with addiction, mental health challenges, or job search difficulties, they may feel more stress. - Housing
Finding and securing accommodation can be challenging for people who are reentering society. Homelessness after release is a possibility for individuals because of the increased probability of residential instability.
Most inmates are released with little money to rent an apartment. Furthermore, it is more difficult for these people to be viewed as legitimate housing applicants because of rigorous housing laws. - Employment
Re-entering the workforce is a big obstacle that people with prior convictions must overcome. Since companies are wary of hiring someone with a criminal history, recently released inmates have trouble finding and keeping jobs after reentering society.
Limited employment options are caused by a lack of education, the stigma associated with incarceration, and a lack of work experience. - Government Assistance
Additionally, returning citizens encounter difficulties receiving public aid. Most states prohibit people with drug-related felonies from receiving food stamps or other federally-sponsored public assistance.
Federally financed food stamps and cash aid are not available to people who have been convicted of a drug-related felony, according to the Federal Welfare Law of 1996. - Mental Health
The process of prisoner reintegration is difficult enough as it is, but for former inmates who are struggling with their mental health, it may be even more difficult.
Finding a safe place to live, stable employment, and otherwise reintegrating into society can seem like an impossible undertaking for an ex-offender who is struggling with anxiety, despair, psychosis, drug addiction, or other mental health concerns.
How Reentry Programs for Inmates Help
People with criminal records frequently encounter discrimination that makes it difficult for them to find a place to live and steady work, leaving homelessness as their only option.
Giving prisoners access to education programs, mental health counseling, and addiction therapy may help them overcome some of the difficulties they have when they reenter society.
No matter how minor the offense is, having a criminal record burdens people and makes it difficult for them to integrate back into society. There are many reintegration programs available to make it easier for ex-offenders to reintegrate into society.
The goal of reentry programs and courts in the US is to assist ex-offenders in effectively “reentering” society after their incarceration in order to lower recidivism, increase public safety, and save money.
Our reintegration initiatives place a major emphasis on removing or minimizing obstacles to effective reentry, enabling determined people who have served their sentence and paid their responsibility to society to compete for employment, find stable housing, care for their families, and give back to their communities.
But for these programs to yield good results, the following considerations must be made:
- Begin Early
As you’ll see, effective reintegration programs for prisoners need more than just assisting ex-offenders to find employment; they also call for addressing mental health issues, offering mentoring, providing educational and employment possibilities, and linking them with community services.
The majority of these activities, if not all of them, should start far before a person’s scheduled release date. - Customized Approach
Government entities and social care providers frequently serve up a one-size-fits-all strategy that ends up working for nobody when they only see “offenders.”
Instead, they must address people’s ingrained beliefs about crime and employment, which will increase their chances of finding and keeping employment and decrease their propensity to commit crimes again.
It’s crucial to develop the ability to effectively analyze these characteristics and provide individualized assistance because not all offenders have the same risk factors or needs. - Insistence on Proof
Prior to now, there was a dearth of data that could be used to understand what made prisoner reintegration programs effective. Most businesses and government agencies were operating in the dark.
However, with the development of tracking systems and sophisticated software solutions, governmental organizations may now demand more reporting and better results from their community partners and initiatives.
Preparing for a Loved One’s Reentry
It can help with both your family’s adjustment and your loved one’s reintegration if you and your family are ready for their homecoming after serving time in prison. Here are some ideas for getting ready for a loved one’s return.
Here are some ways you can prepare yourself and your family for a loved one’s social reintegration after they complete a jail term.
- Understand Probation and Parole
Most likely, your loved one will have parole requirements when they are released from prison. Curfews, geographic restrictions, required job searches, drug or alcohol testing, attendance at community treatment centers, electronic monitoring, and many more options are just a few examples of these conditions.
The best method to assist your loved one in adhering to their restrictions is if at all possible, to get to know their probation officer and make sure you are informed of all the specifics of their parole. - Take Kids into Confidence
You should prepare your kids before your loved one goes back home by talking to them. Your children will require some time to adapt to the abrupt change in family dynamics and home life, just like they did when your spouse or wife was first incarcerated.
When your loved one is originally freed and returns home, they can feel that their space has been invaded or they might be upset that their parents have suddenly abandoned them. Before they manifest, these possible emotions need to be discussed. - Start Saving
Your loved one will require some time to recover when they return home. It will take time for them to obtain employment, retrain themselves in time management, and acclimate to society outside of prison.
They will probably require financial assistance for their accommodation, clothing, and food during this procedure. If you are able to help your loved one, be clear that your assistance is temporary and reliant on their attempts to secure employment and financial independence. - Think About Your Future Needs
Find resources that you or your family might require in the future before your loved one is released. Even if you don’t currently think you’ll require them, it’s always best to be ready for everything.
Nonprofits and other groups offer options for monetary assistance, nourishing food, and safe housing. Resources for clothing, transportation, and health care are also available. - Make a Relationship Plan
It’s exhilarating in the days leading up to your loved one’s release. You are looking forward to finally spending time with your loved one again and remembering how your life used to be in the past. But difficulties will appear after the first few days or weeks.
You’ll need a strategy once the thrill of the moment wears off. You should discuss your relationship’s post-excitement structure face-to-face with your significant other, including your emotional and physical boundaries. - Look for Potential Support Groups
Your family will need to get used to the fact that your loved one is now at home as well as any probable behavioral changes brought on by imprisonment.
When things go bad, church and support groups with other like-minded people will be a source of camaraderie, stability, trust, and counsel.