Corrections_Today_May_June_2019

M any people believe that once a person goes to prison, it is unlikely that they will ever see that person again. Many believe that knowing the offender who has been sent to prison for the crime he or she has committed brings closure to the victim. However, many victims still have unresolved issues. In many cases, the offender is last seen in court and the next time upon release. As a result of this inaccurate belief, persons affected by the crime are not prepared for the offender’s release. Victims, families and/or survivors of crimes have very limited access to a restorative justice model, which al- lows both the victim and those affected by the crime to confront the offender in a controlled and mediated envi- ronment. A restorative justice approach allows all parties involved to discuss the effect of the crime. Throughout the contemporary prisoner re-entry move- ment, research has focused on examining those factors that demonstrate fostering a successful acclimation into society. 1,2,3,4 This article will show that, in addition to employment, treatment services, suitable housing and mentoring, that community acceptance and fam- ily reunification have demonstrated a significant impact on successful re-entry. Despite its popularity, prisoner re-entry and the community’s willingness to engage its formerly incarcerated neighbors remains one of the most widely underexamined topics. Re-entry planning Community involvement is essential to the transi- tioning process from prison back to the community for the criminal justice system and criminology. The extant literature on prisoner re-entry indicates that the majority of persons released from state and federal prisons return to their community of origin. Despite the lack of related studies on the issue of community involvement and prisoner re-entry, Radice (2017) and Wikoff et al., (2012) noted that the transition from prison to the community for formerly incarcer- ated persons has generated concerns about public safety (increased crime and victimization). The 2007 Second Chance Act provided federal funding for treatment, education and employment services for the formerly incarcerated, and it generated an increased interest in the impact the community has on the formerly incarcerated

and vice versa. Prior to the Second Chance Act, limited attention was given to the volume of persons returning from prison, and limited focus was given to the challeng- es in monitoring large numbers of formerly incarcerated persons under community supervision (parole/probation). The consequences associated with a lack of prisoner re-entry planning have been linked to increased recidi- vism. 5 According to the Pew Center on the States in 2011, 70 percent of the formerly incarcerated were rearrested, and 50 percent had violated their conditions of parole and/or probation within three years following release from governmental supervision. While persons return- ing from prison are not responsible for all crime; it is well documented that the majority of those released from incarceration can be expected to reoffend and contribute to a substantial share of crime. 6 According to a study conducted in 2005 by Rosenfeld, Wallman and Fornango, recent prison releases account for about one fifth of all adult arrests by police. Released prisoners’ experiences when transitioning and returning home to their families and communities are a fundamentally dynamic and social process. Obtaining employment, housing, reuniting with family and estab- lishing positive social networks can all influence their tendencies to reoffend. The acceptance of formerly incar- cerated persons by community residents is critical to their success in transitioning from prison to the community. 7,8 Existing research has examined prisoner re-entry through the lens of employment, housing, substance abuse and mental health needs. 9,10,11 However, the research is limited Community involvement is essential to the transitioning process from prison back to the community for the criminal justice system and criminology. The extant literature on prisoner re-entry indicates that the majority of persons released from state and federal prisons return to their community of origin.

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