One Year Out: Experiences of Prisoners Returning to Cleveland

• NCJ Number: 222732
• Author(s): Christy A. Visher; Shannon M. E. Courtney
• Date Published: April 2007
• Length: 16 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: Ohio Dept of Rehabilitation and Correction; George Gund Foundation; Cleveland Foundation; Annie E. Casey Foundation; Ohio Office of Criminal Justice Services; Smith Richardson Foundation; Health Foundation of Greater Cincinnati
• Sale Source: The Urban Institute
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: This report is part of the Returning Home Policy Brief; downloaded May 15, 2008.

Annotation

This paper presents the final results of the Returning Home study in Ohio, describing the lives of men during their first year out of prison and returning to the Cleveland area along with implications and recommendations.

Abstract

Highlights of study findings include: (1) 1-year out, many men were living with family, yet in somewhat unstable housing situations and less-than-desirable neighborhoods; (2) only 37 percent had a fulltime job and another 11 percent were working part-time; employed men had close partner relationships and helpful families, and were in good mental and physical health; (3) after release, most men reported high-quality relationships with their families and intimate partners; (4) participation in certain programs and services improved prisoners’ chances for reentry success; about two-thirds of men participated in programs and services after release; (5) over half of the men reported suffering from a chronic physical health condition after release, such as depression and posttraumatic stress disorder; (6) drugs and alcohol were a problem for many men during the first year after release; and (7) over half of the men on supervision reported violating a condition of release, typically by associating with other parolees or by visiting places where drugs were used. In 2001, the Urban Institute launched a four-State, longitudinal study entitled Returning Home: Understanding the Challenges of Prisoner Reentry. The study explored the experiences of released men and women returning to communities in Maryland, Illinois, Ohio, and Texas, and the factors influencing their success or failure. This paper presents the final results from the Returning Home study in Ohio, based on the third and final followup interviews conducted with nearly 300 former prisoners at least 12 months after release who were living in Cleveland and the surrounding area. The research is intended to serve as a foundation for policy discussions about how released prisoners can successfully reintegrate into their communities. Figures, tables, and references