Re-Entry Policy
Opportunities for Systemic Change:
According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, there are 2.3 million individuals in the United States who are in prison or jail. This is the highest total in any country in the world both in absolute numbers and per capita. 95% of those individuals will return home to their community at the end of their sentence. Of that 95%, approximately two thirds will recidivate without good re-entry preparation.
Leaving prison or jail is filled with challenges. The reintegration process is made more difficult by lack of identification, lack of health care services, lack of employment opportunities, and lack of housing. Each of these difficulties presents an opportunity for an improved policy response to save money, improve lives and make communities safer:
- Lack of Employment Opportunities