The Promise and Practice of Care in Prisoner Reentry1,2

Abstract

Although the provision of care is a core project of prisoner reentry, we know little about how care is conceived and practiced in this context. In particular, the period between pre‐release, discharge into community corrections, and eventual release into the community is a critical juncture for ensuring important continuity of care linkages that can bolster the potential for reentry success. Nevertheless, what care means and entails in this context remains undefined. Drawing on a nationally representative sample of reentry planning, discharge/release, and community corrections policies and procedures in 45 U.S. State Departments of Correction, I examine how care is conceptualized, structured, and deployed during this transitional phase. Findings illuminate important considerations in the development of correctional policy focused on reentry and raise theoretical concerns regarding the provision of care for non‐traditional and carceral care populations.