When Prisoners Come Home: Parole and Prisoner Reentry

• NCJ Number: 200348
• Author(s): Joan Petersilia
• Date Published: 2003
• Length: 278 pages
• Sale Source: Oxford University Press, Inc
• Publication Format: Book (Hardbound)
• Publication Type: Issue Overview
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This article discusses relevant information pertaining to prisoner reentry into society.

Abstract

Prisoner reentry is a complex and multifaceted problem involving some of the central issues in contemporary crime policy: sentencing, prisons, and prison release practices. Recommendations, listed in chapter 1, are to reinvest in prison work, education, and substance abuse programs; re-institute discretionary parole in the 16 States that have abolished it; front-load post-prison services during the first 6 months after release; and establish procedures by which some convicts can put their criminal offending in the past. A profile of returning prisoners is presented in chapter 2, as well as data on the demographic and crime profiles of returning prisoners. Race and gender, literacy and education, physical and mental illness, marital and parenting relationships, and substance abuse are some of the items discussed. The early evolution of parole in the United States and its use in modern sentencing practices are discussed in chapter 3. Chapter 4 focuses on the changing nature of parole supervision and services. Chapter 5 discusses the decline of inmate participation in prison work, treatment, and education programs and ways of preparing inmates for release. In chapter 6, legal and practical barriers to reintegration are detailed, including evidence on how a criminal record affects an offender’s right to vote, qualify for public assistance, find work, or retain parental rights. Chapter 7 discusses inmate release and identifies the demographic crime factors that are significant predictors of recidivism. The victim’s role in prisoner reentry is described in chapter 8. The legal rights of victims to be notified of a parolee’s release and to testify at parole hearings, and the crucial role this plays in enhancing community safety and offender rehabilitation are also discussed. Chapter 9 offers 12 policy suggestions for reforming parole and enhancing prisoner reintegration. Chapter 10 reflects on the political and practical challenges and payoffs of enhancing reentry strategies. Bibliography, index