Reentry and the Community: Assessing Community-Based Responses to the Challenge of Prisoner Reentry

Released prison inmates face significant challenges in their return to society, which is compounded by the fact most settle in neighborhoods with high rates of poverty and joblessness, and few opportunities. This has led to a cycle of recidivism for many, and can have a detrimental impact on already troubled communities. But can the social capital and other assets in these communities be organized to help ease this transition for ex-inmates? Can community engagement be stimulated and structured to create a positive feedback loop where ex-offenders are welcomed and receive assistance while the community also benefits, with released inmates pursuing positive outlets rather than turning to crime and other anti-social behavior? This thesis attempts to answer these questions by evaluating several community-based responses to reentry in the United States. Research indicates that strategies such as mentorship, restorative justice and civic engagement can have a positive impact but it is doubtful they could have a widespread affect considering the scale of the challenge (more than 600,000 inmates released in the U.S. annually). This thesis recommends a focus on two other strategies, family reunification and community corrections centers, and the development of a programmatic model called Community Transition Panels. By adopting such measures, this thesis concludes that even the most troubled communities can help ex-inmates with this transition and also, therefore, help themselves.