Portrait of Prisoner Reentry in New Jersey

• NCJ Number: 205127
• Author(s): Jeremy Travis; Sinead Keegan; Eric Cadora; Amy Solomon; Charles Swartz
• Date Published: November 2003
• Length: 78 pages
• Corporate Author: The Urban Institute
• Sale Source: The Urban Institute; NCJRS Photocopy Services
• Publication Format: Document (Online)
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: Downloaded April 21, 2004.

Annotation

This document discusses the process of prisoner reentry in New Jersey.

Abstract

The report examines the policy context surrounding prisoner reentry in the State, the characteristics of the State’s returning inmates, the geographic distribution of returning prisoners, and the social and economic climates of the communities that are home to the highest concentrations of returning prisoners. The data used were derived from several sources, including the Bureau of Justice Statistics, New Jersey Department of Corrections, New Jersey State Parole Board, New Jersey State Police, Juvenile Justice Commission, and the United States Census Board. The results showed that New Jersey’s incarceration and reentry trends are similar to those observed at the national level. Between 1977 and 2002, the prison population more than quadrupled. Prison admissions increased because of the rise in arrests for drug offenses, the increased use of mandatory minimum sentences in New Jersey, and a rising number of individuals returned to prison as a result of parole revocations. The majority of released prisoners were male (91 percent) and Black (62 percent). The median age was 34 years. Over one-third had been serving time for drug offenses. One-third had been diagnosed with a physical or mental health condition. Educational skills were severely limited. A vast majority had a history of drug or alcohol abuse. The average time served for those released for the first time was just under 2 years. In-prison program availability was limited; 17 percent participated in academic programming, and 6 percent participated in vocational programming. A majority, two-thirds, of prisoners released were released to a period of supervision. The number and share of prisoners released without supervision increased over the 1990's. Almost one-third of prisoners released in 2002 came from two counties -- Essex and Camden -- that already face great economic and social disadvantage. 22 figures, 34 maps