Reentry Process Research Articles

Rapid initiation of cell cycle reentry processes protects neurons from amyloid-β toxicity

Neurons are postmitotic cells. Reactivation of the cell cycle by neurons has been reported in Alzheimer's disease (AD) brains and models. This gave rise to the hypothesis that reentering the cell cycle renders neurons vulnerable and thus contributes to AD pathogenesis. Here, we use the fluorescent ubiquitination-based cell cycle indicator (FUCCI) technology to monitor the cell cycle in live neurons. We found transient, self-limited cell cycle reentry activity in naive neurons, suggesting that their postmitotic state is a dynamic process. Furthermore, we observed a diverse response to oligomeric amyloid-β (oAβ) challenge; neurons without cell cycle reentry activity would undergo cell death without activating the FUCCI reporter, while neurons undergoing cell cycle reentry activity at the time of the oAβ challenge could maintain and increase FUCCI reporter signal and evade cell death. Accordingly, we observed marked neuronal FUCCI positivity in the brains of human mutant Aβ precursor protein transgenic (APP23) mice together with increased neuronal expression of the endogenous cell cycle control protein geminin in the brains of 3-mo-old APP23 mice and human AD brains. Taken together, our data challenge the current view on cell cycle in neurons and AD, suggesting that pathways active during early cell cycle reentry in neurons protect from Aβ toxicity.

Identity in transition: an interpretative phenomenological analysis of international humanitarian workers\u2019 experiences of returning home

This interpretative phenomenological analysis explores aid workers’ understanding of identity and belonging through the transition from working in humanitarian aid to returning home. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 participants who had returned to the UK after working in recently founded non-governmental organisations in Northern France between 2016 and 2019. Analysis of interview data identified four superordinate themes: (1) shared humanitarian identity, (2) limits and borders, (3) holding on to humanitarian identity and (4) redefining belonging and identity. Aid workers’ belonging in humanitarian work settings is rooted in shared moral values and being able to fulfil a clearly defined role. Upon returning, aid workers struggled to reintegrate, manifesting as denial of having left humanitarian work, re-creation of the social setting and moral demarcation. Participants formed a new sense of belonging through redefining their social in-group. The study sheds light on a previously unexplored area of research, specifically characterised through the closeness of the international humanitarian setting and participants’ homes. Findings suggest organisations can assist aid workers’ re-entry by supporting professional distance in the field, and through opportunities that allow to sustain moral values post-mission. Future research should focus on the role of peer support in the re-entry process and the re-entry experiences of aid workers returning from comparable settings further afield (e.g. Greece).

Societal Reentry of Prison Inmates With Mental Illness: Obstacles, Programs, and Best Practices.

Societal reentry from prison presents a wide array of extreme challenges to inmates attempting to reintegrate with society. This process is significantly more daunting for inmates suffering from mental illness for several reasons. This paper examines the reentry process for inmates with mental illness. Three sample reentry programs (Forensic Assertive Community Treatment, Critical Time Intervention, and Thresholds' Prison Aftercare Program) that were developed for inmates with mental illness are discussed along with research testifying to the effectiveness of these programs. Finally, components that would comprise an ideal prison reentry program for mentally ill inmates are outlined, which include a three-phase structure and a focus on preparing both inmates and communities for the reentry process.

“Stuck in their Ways”: Examining Parole Officers’ Perceptions on Guiding Older Offenders through the Reentry Process

Parole officers serve a critical role for inmates who are reentering society by monitoring the transitional and rehabilitation process post incarceration. Recently, there has been increased concern among correctional professionals in regard to addressing economic and management barriers of aging inmates. Elderly offenders require unique resources with regard to their health and housing and parole officers represent the initial contact for this population when providing the assistance; however, little is known about the role parole officers play in the reintegration process for older inmates. Therefore, the current study examined the perceptions of 19 parole officers who work with older parolees in a southern state. Through semi-structured, qualitative interviews, we explored parole officers’ primary role in the reintegration process to gain better understanding of demographics, management, and established goals when assisting older parolees.

Returning to School Following Hospitalization for Suicide-Related Behaviors: Recognizing Student Voices for Improving Practice

Adolescent hospitalizations for suicide-related behaviors have increased in recent years, with the highest rates occurring during the academic school year. Schools are a primary environment that adolescents return to following hospitalization, making them an important context for understanding recovery following a suicidal crisis. Although previous research highlights provider perceptions for improving this transition, limited research has focused on adolescent views. This qualitative study presents findings from interviews with 19 adolescents previously hospitalized for a suicide-related crisis. Results highlight the need to strengthen social supports for returning youth. Specifically, findings suggest the importance of emotional supports (e.g., positive school relationships and a safer psychosocial school climate), instrumental supports (e.g., collaborations and communication around reentry), informational supports (clearer procedures for academics and reentry processes), and appraisal supports that acknowledge the complexity of adolescent functioning upon return. Findings reinforce the importance of the school psychologist’s role in partnering with returning youth and their families and providing consultation to other school professionals about supporting their recovery. Impact Statement This study elevates adolescent voices by describing their experiences and viewpoints regarding school reintegration following psychiatric hospitalization for suicide-related behaviors. School psychologists and other school professionals should partner with returning students and families in supporting reintegration, and collaborate to strengthen student–adult relationships upon their return. While standard protocols for supporting returning adolescents may help improve reentry processes overall, it remains of critical importance to tailor safety plans and reentry plans based on individual adolescent experiences.

Gender-Responsive Services for Women Leaving Prison: The IF Project’s Seattle Women’s Reentry Initiative

ABSTRACT With increasing numbers of women entering and exiting prison, gender-responsive services are needed to address unique challenges women face when reentering society. Seattle Women’s Reentry (SWR), a gender-responsive reentry initiative, was implemented in 2017–2018 in King County, Washington. SWR is a collaborative partnership between the Seattle Police Department’s IF Project, the Washington State Department of Corrections, and community social service agencies to address the needs of women leaving the Washington Corrections Center for Women. Using a quasi-experimental design, this study examined 85 women (60 in the experimental group and 25 in the comparison group) released from the Washington Corrections Center for Women in 2017 and 2018. Results show a significant difference between groups with respect to violations and arrests. Factors associated with rearrest/violations were the number of post-release SWR contacts, age, and LS/CMI scores. Qualitative findings reveal program satisfaction among participants and themes that tell a story about how women navigate the reentry process showing distinct stages in the reentry process characterized by support stability, and responsibility. Research and policy implications for gender-responsive services for women leaving prison are discussed.

Study of Terahertz Wave Propagation in Realistic Plasma Sheath for the Whole Reentry Process

Terahertz (THz) communication has always been considered as a potential solution for “communication blackout” during aircraft reentry. In this article, the propagation characteristics of the THz wave in the realistic plasma sheath during the whole reentry process are studied by solving the fluid model and the THz transmission model. As a result, the electron number density and collision frequency decrease with the increase of reentry height and antenna position. And the attenuation of the THz wave decreases with the increase of the electromagnetic (EM) wave frequency, reentry height, and antenna position. Finally, two THz communication schemes to mitigate or avoid the “communication blackout” problem for the whole reentry process were discussed. One is for uncertain antenna position and reentry height, selecting EM waves with a frequency above 0.35 THz for communication. The other is to install the antenna near the bottom of the vehicle (L = - 1.0 m in this article) with a wave frequency above 0.12 THz.

Impact Characteristics and Fatigue Life Analysis of Multi-Wire Recoil Spring for Guns

Recoil spring is a key part in automatic or semi-automatic weapons re-entry mechanism. Because the stranded wire helical spring (SWHS) has longer fatigue life than an ordinary single-wire cylindrically helical spring, it is often used as a recoil spring in various weapons. Due to the lack of in-depth research on the dynamic characteristics of the current multi-wire recoil spring in recoil and re-entry processes, the fatigue life analysis of the current multi-wire recoil spring usually only considers uniform loading and does not consider dynamic impact loads, which cannot meet modern design requirements. Therefore, this paper proposes a research method for fatigue life prediction analysis of multi-wire recoil spring. Firstly, based on the secondary development of UG, a three-wire recoil spring parameterized model for a gun is established. Secondly, ABAQUS is used to carry out a finite element analysis of its dynamic response characteristics under impact, and experimental verification is performed. Then, based on the stress-time history curve of the dangerous position obtained by finite element analysis, the rain flow counting method is used to obtain the fatigue stress spectrum of recoil spring. Finally, according to the Miner fatigue cumulative damage theory, the fatigue life prediction of the recoil spring based on the S-N curve of the material is compared with experimental results. The research results show that the recoil spring has obvious transient characteristics during the impact of the bolt carrier. The impact velocity is far greater than the propagation speed of the stress wave in the recoil spring, which easily causes the spring coils to squeeze each other. The maximum stress occurs at the fixed end of the spring. And the mean fatigue curve (50% survival rate) is used to predict the life of the recoil spring. The calculation result is 8.6% different from the experiment value, which proves that the method has certain reliability.

Introducing Restorative Practices at Leading Into New Communities (LINC)

Restorative values such as collaboration, community, and resiliency are not new, but they are new in their relationship to the criminal justice system. Within recent decades, restorative justice practices have grown in popularity as they provide a number of solution-focused strategies to address crime. Restorative practices also have the potential to positively transform reentry-specific processes. In Wilmington, North Carolina, Leading Into New Communities (LINC) is an organization that assists its residents in their return from prison, recognizing that restorative values are essential to a successful transition. However, while LINC is restorative in its overall mission, most staff members do not possess concrete understandings of restorative justice.
 In this study, in order to improve staff understandings of these topics, two voluntary training workshops were held to provide LINC staff members with more information on restorative justice, including its many programs and practices, as well as the unique ways in which it relates to reentry. Workshop observations and anonymous feedback forms provide insight into how these workshops benefitted LINC staff. This paper highlights the importance of restorative workshops in similar organizations as a way to improve understandings of restorative justice practices and how they can be utilized throughout reentry processes. With a broader understanding of restorative justice, organizations such as LINC will be in a better position to assist individuals with reentry in more meaningful ways.

Impact of Half-Angles on the Transmission of Terahertz Wave in Inhomogeneous Plasma Sheath

Terahertz communication is considered as a potential solution to alleviate the communication blackout. However, it is not clear how the shape parameters of the vehicle affect the propagation of terahertz communications in the plasma sheath. In this article, the influence of half-angle on the plasma flow and terahertz propagation characteristics around blunt cone vehicle was investigated using the numerical hypersonic hydrodynamic model and multilayer transmission model. The maximum electron number density in the plasma sheath near the antenna decreases with the decreasing half-angle. The thickness of the high-density section in the plasma sheath is almost unaffected by the half-angle. As a result, the terahertz wave attenuation decreases with the decreasing half-angle. The half-angle is reduced from 20° to 5°, and the attenuation of electromagnetic waves is reduced by about 25 dB. Therefore, reducing the half-angle of blunt cone vehicle can effectively reduce the attenuation of electromagnetic waves. Finally, the feasibility of lowering the half-angle to solve the blackout problem during the whole reentry process was discussed; the results show the operating frequency of terahertz wave that maintains normal communication when the half-angle is 1° is reduced by 0.1 THz compared with the half-angle of 9°. Based on the study, a new scheme combining the reduction of half-angle of blunt cone vehicle and terahertz communication was proposed in this article to mitigate the RF blackout.

Blackout analysis of Mars entry missions

Abstract

Use of Critical Time Intervention (CTI) to Promote Continuity of Reintegration After Incarceration

Critical time intervention (CTI) is a time-limited intervention originally designed to provide the continuity of support for homeless and mentally ill people released from an institution to community living. This study offers theoretical foundations for adopting CTI in the field of criminal justice. Through the lens of CTI, this study examines the needs of prisoners returning to the community, discusses the challenges faced by reentry practitioners in offering support and assistance to ex-prisoners in the community, and provides specific suggestions. This study uses focus groups and individual interviews to assess the needs, obstacles, and opportunities ex-prisoners have or face in the community, as perceived by returning prisoners and practitioners, which leads to a more in-depth understanding of the prisoner reentry process.

Designing a Cardiovascular Health App for Citizens Returning from Incarceration: Where You Start May Not Be Where You End Up

A mobile health (mHealth) smartphone app can help persons returning from incarceration better manage cardiovascular disease (CVD) and CVD risk factors during their re-entry period. A successful intervention to educate and increase self-efficacy in this population around cardiovascular health has potential to produce broad population health benefits. A participatory design (PD) approach was used to define the features and functionality of such an intervention in the form of a smart phone app. The PD process forced the research team to view CV health in the broader context of other challenges that RCs face day to day. It also led to a broadening of the process to include other stakeholders that work closely with RCs, and to explore how these challenges affect the re-entry process. Ultimately, PD led to an app design that emphasized a common problem-solving approach that can be applied to a broad range of problems. An interactive prototype of the app’s interface was assessed by a sample of RCs, users, with consensus that the problem-areas were appropriate and that the app was easy to use and to navigate. A quantitative assessment with the System Usability Survey instrument, yielded an average score of 81.5, placing it in the 90th percentile.

Barriers to the Adoption of Technological Innovations in Corrections: A Review and Case Study.

Over 600,000 criminal justice involved individuals are released from state and federal prisons each year, and close to 5,000,000 former offenders are placed under some form of community-based supervision. Access to services that may facilitate the reentry process is complicated and more often than not, returning citizens have significant and wide-ranging needs left unaddressed that require a comprehensive approach. In the current paper, we discuss the adoption and implementation processes of technological innovations noted in the criminal justice and correctional literature, as well as other disciplines, while using examples and lessons learned from a pilot project evaluating a new technology known as Pokket, which is a cloud-based service aimed at improving the re-entry process for returning citizens, service providers, and criminal justice agencies.

A 3-D Total-Field/Scattered-Field Plane-Wave Source for the FDTD Analysis of Reentry Plasma Sheath

A 3-D total-field/scattered-field (TF/SF) plane-wave source was developed for the analysis of the plane wave propagation characteristics in the reentry plasma sheath. Owing to the dynamic variation in the surrounding flow field, the plasma sheath during the reentry process presents various 3-D inhomogeneous structures, such as dynamic plasma turbulence and considerable metal ablation particles. The proposed 3-D model can be efficiently applied to simulate the scattering effects of the 3-D inhomogeneous structures on the electro-magnetic (EM) signals. The proposed model utilizes a 3-D TF/SF boundary to introduce the plane wave source into the simulation domain, and six pairs of 2-D auxiliary propagators are created to generate the incident field on the TF/SF boundary based on the phase matching and the current density convolution finite-difference time-domain (JEC-FDTD) method. The uniaxial anisotropy perfectly matched layer (UPML) is modified as the absorbing boundary condition of the 2-D propagators. Implementation issues such as stability and dispersion are also discussed. The accuracy and efficiency of the proposed scheme are validated by admirable numerical simulation results and excellent agreement with the transmission line analogy method.

Aerodynamic Performance Analysis of a Curved-channel ABLE Airfoil in Supersonic Continuous and Hypersonic Rarefied Flows

An airfoil, equipped with a curved-channel ABLE, is a good alternative to increase the lift-to-drag ratio. For this purpose, a curved-channel artificial blunted leading edge (ABLE) was applied to several supersonic/hypersonic symmetrical airfoils to analyse the aerodynamic performance in low-altitude supersonic continuous flow and high-altitude hypersonic rarefied flow during the process of re-entry into the atmosphere. The compressible Navier–Stokes equations were solved using the finite volume method to analyse the aerodynamic performance and determine the optimal curved-channel ABLE airfoil for supersonic continuous flow. Thereafter, the drag reduction and lift increment efficiency of the optimal ABLE airfoil were analysed in the hypersonic rarefied flow. The variation in the aerodynamic performance of the ABLE airfoil with the Knudsen number and freestream Mach number was determined using the direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method. The results showed that with suitable ABLE configuration and parameter values, the concept of ABLE can help reduce the drag coefficient, improve the lift coefficient, and obtain a better lift-to-drag ratio in both continuous and rarefied flows without considerable aerothermal penalty. However, the drag reduction effect of the curved-channel airfoil in the rarefied flow is much lower than that in the continuous flow, because of the lower proportion of the wave drag in the total drag, and the overall aerodynamic performance is significantly deteriorated because of the rarefaction effect of the atmosphere.

Carbon Capture, Employment, and Coming Home from Prison

ABSTRACT Finding and securing employment is a huge challenge for those who have been released from prison. In this paper, we argue that carbon capture technology carries the unique potential to positively impact employment opportunities for those who are undergoing the reentry process. Notably, these careers exist nearly entirely in industries which already employ ex-felons. If carbon capture technology were implemented throughout the United States, our estimates suggest that ex-felons would be eligible for nearly 3.6 million careers. Many of these jobs would be created in industries which directly or indirectly support natural resource extraction, ethanol production, electricity generation, and iron, steel, and cement production. In addition to benefiting the economy, these careers would provide returning individuals with financial security and supportive, prosocial peer relationships. Accordingly, carbon capture carries the unique ability to promote environmental justice while simultaneously providing relief to a tremendously overburdened criminal justice system.

Making Good: On Parole in Early Twentieth-Century Illinois

AbstractParole laws, passed by most state legislatures at the turn of the century, provide for the release of prisoners before the expiration of their maximum sentence and for their supervision during their transition to free society. This article explores the early years of the parole system in Illinois. While the Illinois parole law indicated that parole agents would watch over ex-prisoners and aid in their rehabilitation, the state instead relied on private individuals, businesses, and voluntary organizations to supervise parolees. Agreements forged between prison officials and these supervisors illustrate the extent to which the private sector took on the functions of the state during the Progressive Era. As a result, employers and voluntary organizations developed a range of surveillance practices to maintain control over former prisoners, using informal systems of assessment and notions of success to evaluate the parolees in their charge. Though the parole system represented innovation on the part of the Illinois state government—a nod to emergent rehabilitative frameworks in penology—the reliance on voluntary organizations and businesses wove older class and gender ideals into this newer, purportedly more scientific and objective institution. This essay illuminates the everyday challenges of life on parole, tracing the experiences of ex-prisoners during the process of reentry and exposing the constant negotiations between employers, voluntary organizations, prisons, and parolees.

French Prison Day Leave and the Rationale Behind It: Resocialisation or Prison Management?

In France, prison leave (permission) is awarded to prisoners by a reentry judge (juge de l’application des peines, JAP) as part of a multi-agency commission, a process that takes place in prison and comprises the governor, prison and probation officers, and the prosecutor. Numerous rules govern this measure. This paper draws upon a number of previous research studies conducted by the author on the following topics: the legal theorisation of a sentence’s implementation (Author 1994 , 2017a); a quantitative-qualitative study of JAPs’ practices, hearings and rulings (Author 2014); and a mixed method study of a so-called swift release procedure (Author 2017b). Consequently, two series of issues are identified: The first issue pertains to the lack of due process principles governing the decision-making process. Prisoners who apply for permissions have no ‘voice’, according to Tyler’s (2012) definition of the term. The second issue is connected to the very rationale behind permissions. Before an Act of 26 March 2019, permissions were primarily concerned with ensuring that prisoners’ reentry process was prepared, that prisoners could complete the steps required to prepare for their release and that they could maintain contact with their loved ones and support systems. They also represented a form of test, used by JAPs to ensure that prisoners could be trusted in the outside world. In other words, they were focused on resettlement and rehabilitation. However, the 2019 Act transferred most of the decision-making process to prison governors. There is now a fear that because their main interest is on maintaining order, permission allocation will shift from an emphasis on reentry-rehabilitation to behavioural criteria and the local situation regarding overcrowding.

Relationship matters with citizens returning from prison: qualitative findings from a mentoring program

Qualitative findings from a reentry mentoring program evaluation demonstrate the importance of establishing and maintaining relationships with specific characteristics during the process of successful transition of returning citizens from prison to their communities. Significant gaps in knowledge of this process include understanding of the experience of the returning citizen as they navigate this extremely challenging transition, and their experiential knowledge of what they need to enhance successful reentry. The men who participated in group and individual mentoring activities during their stay in an adult transition center and after their release to supervision in the community, shared their experiences of the mentoring. Qualitative data collection and analysis, as a component of the evaluation, produced a thematic narrative describing and explaining, from the experiential perspective of the participants, how they perceived and valued the mentoring relationships. The findings suggest the importance and complexity of supportive relationships during the reentry transition, and how such relationships can potentially lead to crystallization of revised identity and an increased capacity to desist from behavior responsive to a negative or crime-saturated identity. Development and maintenance of such supportive relationships are recommended throughout the reentry process to enhance effective use of services and a successful transition.