On the outside : prisoner reentry and reintegration /

Recent scholarly research on mass incarceration focuses on police practices, prosecution, disparate racial and social impacts, and operations of so-called correctional facilities. But what about formerly incarcerated persons when they get out? In a hugely important work, Harding (Berkeley), Morenoff (Michigan), and Wyse (Oregon) concentrate on experiences of the recently released. Unlike conventional quantitative studies, the authors follow just 22 people from a month before their release through three years in the community. Their experiences are riveting. Using clinically focused questioning, the researchers conducted 154 interviews ($60 paid for each) from a sample derived from the Michigan Department of Corrections. Successful readjustment to the community doesn't come easily and not at all for many. Incarceration itself is a terrible waste of human capital. Parole officers have morphed into a culture of surveillance and rigid violations punishment. In contrast, community and religious groups provide critical help. The authors offer provocative, evidence-based findings about what returning citizens need for successful reentry: cognitive therapy while still incarcerated, opportunities for meaningful work, help locating adequate housing, and support for their families and loved ones. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty. --Robert D. McCrie, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, CUNY