Corrections_Today_May_June_2019

istock/asiseeit

their neighborhood, communities with a concentrated disadvantage develop a sense of collective efficacy as a method of achieving public order. 16 Lack of positive social factors, including community and family, have a significant role in the process of returning home from prison. According to the Urban Institute Justice Policy Center, lack of support and unrealistic expectations from family and community may stifle the successful transition from prison to the community. Communities, in which formerly incarcerated persons reside, must develop and maintain a willingness to ac- cept these individuals and become involved in building necessary social bonds during the transition process. 17,18 Satisfying daily needs through informal support networks is essential for persons transitioning from prison to the community. 19 Insufficient community support for formerly incarcerated persons transitioning out of prison often contributes to rates of recidivism. In addition, researchers have examined the association between community char- acteristics and criminal behavior. 20, 21 Community residents who resided in areas with a propensity for sending more individuals to prison allowed for different perspectives on

interactions with formerly incarcerated persons. Therefore, it is assumed that these community residents can provide unique information that others may not possess. Although incarceration may be seen as a final response to controlling crime, the length of an incarceration stay is limited and, for most, not final. In fact, approximately 95 percent of the incarcerated population will eventually be released. Recent prisoner re-entry data from the U.S. Bureau of Justice indicates that in 2012, approximately 637,400 people were released from U.S. prisons. As a result, family, friends and communities are likely to be affected by the transitioning process of formerly incarcerated community members returning to the com- munity. Without successful social reintegration and adjustment, the formerly incarcerated will recidivate. Hardcastle, Bartholomew and Graffam suggested that the most significant aspect of the reintegration process is the ability to rely on community support. Although the corrections system has some responsi- bility for implementing re-entry strategies on behalf of offenders, community members expressed the expecta- tion that persons being released from prison would be

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