NCJ Number
222744
Date Published
September 2005
Length
16 pages
Annotation
This paper briefly describes the community context facing persons released from prisons using data gathered in a study of prisoner reentry in Chicago, IL in 2002.
Abstract
Highlights of key findings include: (1) over half (54 percent) of former male prisoners released to Chicago returned to just 7 of Chicago’s 77 community areas; (2) 45 percent of ex-prisoners said that they did not return to the neighborhood they lived in before they were sent to prison, mainly because they wanted to avoid problems in their old neighborhood or their family had moved; (3) it is believed by community residents, reentry policymakers and practitioners, and ex-prisoners that Chicago communities are unprepared for and lack needed services for prisoners released from prison; and (4) Chicago neighborhoods receiving former prisoners could benefit from some community development assistance, including building coalitions of local organizations, securing additional resources, and engaging local residents in the process. When men and women leave prison and return home, they are confronted with an array of challenges, such as securing stable living arrangements, finding employment, and avoiding criminal activity. On the other hand, residents and stakeholders in the communities to which these former prisoners return experience various concerns, from fear of increased crime to the challenges of providing sufficient jobs, housing, and more. This paper brings together the perspectives of former prisoners, community residents, and reentry policymakers and practitioners to describe the community’s role in the reintegration process for released prisoners, as well as the impact of prisoner reentry on the community. Table, figures, and endnotes