NCJ Number
219177
Journal
Corrections Compendium Volume: 32 Issue: 2 Dated: March/April 2007 Pages: 9-29
Editor(s)
Susan L. Clayton M.S.
Date Published
April 2007
Length
21 pages
Annotation
This article presents State-by-State responses to a recent survey of 41 U.S. correctional systems and 3 Canadian correctional systems regarding their reentry programming for inmates.
Abstract
Forty of the U.S. correctional systems that responded conducted a variety of planned reentry programs. Participation was required in 15 of those systems. In a similar survey conducted by Corrections Compendium in 2000, only 12 of 40 reporting U.S. systems included reentry programming. The length of planned programs and the timeframe prior to release varied significantly among the systems. Formal classes were conducted in a variety of subjects. Most of the systems covered the subjects of education, job readiness, community resources, housing, substance abuse, rules of supervision, family reunification, cognitive behavior, health care, mental health, and personal identification. Internal staff was assigned to teach the classes in 85 percent of the reporting systems. Although 71 percent of the reporting systems stated they used options regarding transitional detention, only approximately 25 percent maintained separate housing within their facilities for reentering inmates. The survey also obtained information on the handling of inmate personal accounts upon release, the provision of "gate" money, transportation, clothing, and medications and/or prescriptions. Twenty-eight of the reporting systems conducted some type of formal followup of their released inmates, primarily by parole or probation officials. Fifty-one percent of the reporting systems indicated that all voting restrictions for ex-offenders had been previously removed. 7 tables