Successful Community Reentry Research Articles

Health Conditions and Treatment Utilization Among Older Male Veterans Incarcerated in Prisons.

More than 50,000 older male veterans incarcerated in prisons are expected to return to their communities and utilize the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and community healthcare systems. To support the continuity of healthcare and overall successful community reentry of older incarcerated veterans, an understanding of their health profiles and treatment utilization while in correctional care is needed. To assess the health status of older male veterans incarcerated in state prisons and explore demographic, military, and VHA-related factors associated with medical conditions, disabilities, behavioral conditions, and medical and behavioral treatment utilization. Cross-sectional observational study of 880 male veterans aged 50 + incarcerated in state prisons using data from the 2016 Bureau of Justice Statistics Survey of Prison Inmates. Veteran status, self-report health status, and treatment utilization since prison admission. Prevalence rates for conditions and treatment utilization were calculated. Logistic regression models were used to examine the association of characteristics with conditions and treatment utilization. Among the 880 older male veterans in state prisons, the majority reported having a current medical condition (79.3%) or disability (61.6%), almost half had history of a mental health condition (44.5%), and more than a quarter (29%) had a substance use disorder. Compared to White veterans, Black veterans were less likely to report a disability or mental health condition. Few demographic, military, and VA-related characteristics were associated with medical or behavioral conditions or treatment utilization. Our results suggest that the VHA and community healthcare systems need to be prepared to address medical and disability conditions among the majority of older male veterans who will be leaving prison and returning to their communities. Integrated medical and behavioral healthcare delivery models may be especially important for these veterans as many did not receive behavioral health treatment while in prison.

Jail-based medication for opioid use disorder and patterns of reincarceration and acute care use after release: A sequence analysis

BackgroundTreatment with methadone and buprenorphine medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) during incarceration may lead to better community re-entry, but evidence on these relationships have been mixed. We aimed to identify community re-entry patterns and examine the association between in-jail MOUD and a pattern of successful reentry defined by rare occurrence of reincarceration and preventable healthcare utilization. MethodsData came from a retrospective, observational cohort study of 6066 adults with opioid use disorder who were incarcerated in New York City jails and released to the community during 2011–14. An outcome was community re-entry patterns identified by sequence analysis of 3-year post-release reincarceration, emergency department visits, and hospitalizations. An exposure was receipt of in-jail MOUD versus out-of-treatment (42 % vs. 58 %) for the last 3 days before discharge. The study accounted for differences in baseline demographic, clinical, behavioral, housing, and criminal legal characteristics between in-jail MOUD and out-of-treatment groups via propensity score matching. ResultsThis study identified five re-entry patterns: stability (64 %), hospitalization (23 %), delayed reincarceration (7 %), immediate reincarceration (4 %), and continuous incarceration (2 %). After addressing confounding, 64 % and 57 % followed the stability pattern among MOUD and out-of-treatment groups who were released from jail in 2011, respectively. In 2012–14, the prevalence of following the stability pattern increased year-by-year while a consistently higher prevalence was observed among those with in-jail MOUD. ConclusionsSequence analysis helped define post-release stability based on health and criminal legal system involvement. Receipt of in-jail MOUD was associated with a marker of successful community re-entry.

An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of Extratherapeutic Factors Leading Criminal Offenders to Successful Rehabilitation

As systems shift from punitive to rehabilitative measures, correctional departments aim to reduce recidivism; however, an overlooked consideration is the quality of systems and interactions to which the person returns to live. In this qualitative study, we examined if extratherapeutic factors were essential for recidivism reduction. We analyzed two interviews conducted with former offenders to examine their lived experiences surrounding incarceration, rehabilitation, and reintegration. Five themes (Loyalty, Situational Stressors, Community, Work/Livelihood, Support System) and one subtheme (Hope) emerged after analyzing the transcribed interviews. Although each participant's experience was vastly different, shared meanings emerged leading to common themes between participants ‘ lived experiences. Interestingly enough, hope emerged as essential for one participant. Results indicated factors influencing change can occur, promoting successful community reentry with assistance from personal support systems. Limitations are covered along with ideas for future research, as well as implications for clinical practice in psychology.

Providing peer navigation services to women with a history of opioid misuse pre- and post-release from jail: A program description.

Justice system-involved women with opioid use disorder (OUD) experience layered health risks and stigma, yet peer navigation services during reentry may support positive outcomes. This manuscript offers a program description of a women's peer navigation intervention delivered pre- and post-release from jail to remove barriers to women's access to OUD treatment, including medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD). All data were collected as part of a NIH/NIDA-funded national cooperative, the Justice Community Opioid Innovation Network (JCOIN) project. Through the larger study's intervention, women in jail with OUD are connected via videoconference to a peer navigator, who provides an initial reentry recovery assessment and 12+ weeks of recovery support sessions post-release. Qualitative analyses examined peers' notes from initial sessions with women (N = 50) and in-depth interviews with peers (N = 3). Peers' notes from initial sessions suggest that women anticipate challenges to successful recovery and community reentry. More than half of women (51.9%) chose OUD treatment as their primary goal, while others selected more basic needs (e.g. housing, transportation). In qualitative interviews, peers described women's transitions to the community as unpredictable, creating difficulties for reentry planning, particularly for rural women. Peers also described challenges with stigma against MOUD and establishing relationships via telehealth, but ultimately believed their role was valuable in providing resource referrals, support, and hope for recovery. For women with OUD, peer navigation can offer critical linkages to services at release from jail, in addition to hope, encouragement, and solidarity. Findings provide important insights for future peer-based interventions.

Social Relationships and Social Engagement Among African American Adults With a History of Incarceration

Strong social relationships and social engagement are crucial for both successful aging and successful community re-entry after incarceration. Here, we utilized a mixed methods approach to understand the impact of incarceration on social relationships and social engagement among formerly incarcerated community-dwelling African-American adults aged >50. Participants in the 2012 or 2014 waves of the Health and Retirement Study answered questions regarding prior incarceration, social relationships, and participation in social activities. Additionally, we utilized key informant interviews to further explore how incarceration might impact relationships and social engagement. This presentation will describe quantitative associations between prior incarceration and social relationship structure & function. Further, we will use our qualitative interview data to further explore possible explanations for our findings. Finally, we will describe how MCUAAAR Scientist/Faculty interactions facilitated this work.

Pathways to Successful Community Reentry and Drug Use Recovery Among Previously Incarcerated Women in Taiwan

Objective This study seeks to understand how twelve Taiwanese women that were incarcerated for illegal drug use were able to successfully reenter their home communities without relapsing. The aim of the study is to enhance our knowledge of how the Chinese culture impacts the recovery process for women coming out of the criminal justice system. Methodology In-depth interviews were conducted with twelve previously incarcerated women referred by workers from six municipal drug prevention centers in Taiwan. A thematic coding approach was used to identify main themes utilizing a “multi-level reentry” framework and a “personal recovery perspective.” Findings Because of their overwhelming fear of being discriminated against by the community, participants were reticent in seeking formal help. However, they achieved abstinence by tapping into personal strengths and use of personal networks to find stable jobs. Instrumental to their success was their ability and self-drive in developing new drug-free social circles and pursuing a sense of accomplishment in life. Conclusions Successful community reentry and drug use recovery for previously incarcerated women with a Chinese cultural background can happen if they can create a “safe and clean enclave” that permits them to use their personal and social resources without fear of discrimination. Service providers should take the influence of culture into consideration when designing services programs for this population.

Guide to Social Work Intervention for Community Re-entry of Offenders With a History of Violence Against Individuals

Objective: The re-entry of offenders to the community after their imprisonment is a sensitive and important stage and should always be considered by governmental and non-governmental organizations. The proper transition from prison to the community occurs when rehabilitation and social reintegration programs are developed and implemented based on the real needs of individuals. Social work is one of the professions that can help the judicial system with this issue. Many graduates of this profession provide social work services to prisoners and their families. Therefore, it is necessary to identify effective operational solutions in accordance with the conditions of the country and formulate a specific framework. This study aims to prepare a guideline for specialized social work intervention for community re-entry of offenders with a history of violence against individuals. Materials & Methods: In this study, a qualitative approach was used to prepare the specialized guideline. First, the initial barriers and facilitators of successful community re-entry for offenders with a history of violence against individuals were prepared using thematic analysis. Then, based on the protocols of the social work process, the initial draft was developed. Next, at a focus group discussion session with faculty members and experts, the draft was reviewed and improved. To assess its applicability, we used the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE) tool. Results: Intertwined concerns, protective shields, welfare/economic security, social support, and achieving relative independence were identified as the five dimensions of successful community re-entry. The specialized social work interventions were presented after approval in four main stages: preparation for the case plan, development of the case plan, interventions and actions, and monitoring and review of interventions. The results of evaluation by AGREE tool showed an overall acceptable average of 58.7% (82.9% for scope and purpose, 88.1% for stakeholder involvement, 85.6% for rigor of development, 83% for clarity of presentation, 84.9% for applicability, and 89.8% for editorial independence). The users of this guideline are social workers and other professions related to prisons and training and security organizations, especially after-release care centers. Conclusion: Investing in rehabilitation programs for prisoners is one of the best and most cost-effective ways to prevent the reoccurrence of violence, which not only has beneficial effects on those concerned but also promotes public safety. This issue becomes important when social reintegration and rehabilitation programs are developed based on scientific approaches and perspectives. Future studies on the effectiveness of the developed guideline, considering the local conditions, can help identify the effective factors of re-entry to the community in newly released prisoners. The skills and capabilities of social workers in presenting specialized interventions and establishing professional and inter-organizational communication, supporting rules and programs, motivation, and enthusiasm of the offender to change can all contribute to the success of this guideline in achieving the defined goals.

Hanging Out with the Usual Suspects

Social interactions within neighborhoods, schools and detention facilities are important determinants of criminal behavior. However, little is known about the degree to which neighborhood peers affect successful community re-entry following incarceration. This paper measures the influence of pre-incarceration social networks on recidivism by exploiting the fact that peers may be locked up when a prisoner returns home. Using detailed arrest and incarceration data that includes residential addresses for offenders, we find consistent and robust evidence that a former inmate is less likely to reoffend if more of his peers are held captive while he reintegrates into society.

30 Does Peer Support Facilitate Social Integration Following Burn Injury?

Abstract Introduction Facilitating access to one-to-one peer support is an important criterion in providing aftercare for individuals with a burn injury. Although there is an increase in understanding of the perceived benefits of peer support, there are not many studies examining peer support as an intervention to promote community re-entry. This comparative study aims to examine if there is a difference in physical and mental health outcomes, including social reintegration between a group that received one-to-one peer support (PS) and a group that did not receive the peer support (NPS). Methods Subjects include adults (>=18y) with a major burn injury who received treatment at a major burn center and consented to participate in a longitudinal national database at discharge from hospital, 6-, 12-, and 24-months post injury. The physical and mental health outcomes were measured using the SF-12 Health Questionnaire – Physical (PCS) and Mental (MCS) component (50 is the average score or norm); the Satisfaction with Life Scale, and Social Integration (SI) was measured by the Community Integration Questionnaire Social Component Scale (score range 0–12; 0 is no community integration and 12 is excellent community integration). The PS program offered at the burn center is a standardized program that includes an 8-hour peer volunteer training. Independent Samples t Tests were conducted to see if there were significant differences in health outcomes between the group that received PS and the group that did not receive PS (NPS). Results Over a period of 5 years, 228 subjects consented to participate in the database. Subjects were predominantly male (70%) and White (72%), with a mean age of 44 years and the mean total body surface area was 24.8%. Sixty-three (28%) subjects received peer visits during their stay in the hospital. Compared to the NPS group, the social integration score for the PS group was higher at all time points, although it was statistically significant only at 24 months (PS= 8.22, NPS=7.13, p< .01). The PS group scored significantly higher in satisfaction with life at 6 months (p< .01) and at 12 months (p< .05). There were significant differences found in TBSA %burn (PS = 31%, NPS = 22%; p< .001), average length of acute hospital stay (PS= 52 days, NPS = 31 days; p< .01), and average length of in-patient rehabilitation stay (PS= 12 days, NPS = 5 days; p< .05). Conclusions The social integration and satisfaction with life scores of the PS group was higher when compared to those of the NPS group. The study highlights the profile of patients who seek peer support visits and has implications for delivery and utilization of burn aftercare programs. Applicability of Research to Practice The study findings highlight the emerging need for providing burn survivors with resources such as peer support to facilitate successful community reentry, and examine the effects of such interventions on health outcomes.

Prison Arts and Future IDs: A Social Art Practice Personal Narrative

Prison art programs are essential to helping people with conviction histories develop prosocial behavior, enhancing self-esteem, and strengthening community ties. I know this because participation in prison arts programs helped move me from being a confused young man in prison to what I am today. Despite correctional administrators’ robust history of promoting rehabilitation for the incarcerated, statistics on recidivism are daunting with the vast majority of persons released from prison being re-arrested within five years. Traditional rehabilitation programs and legislative efforts to reduce barriers to employment for former inmates are focused on successful community re-entry. However, the quality and diversity of correctional programming beyond job skills training also has implications for community re-entry. Research has linked arts education with development of the right brain functions of focus, creativity, patience, and the ability to work with others. Prison arts programs increase preparation for community re-entry by building skills, positive attitudes toward self and higher learning, and community connections, benefiting returning citizens and contributing to public safety. In California, Arts in Corrections programs, begun in the 1970s but decreased because of funding in 2000, have been re-launched. Led by artist Gregory Sale and highlighted to visitors at Alcatraz, Future IDs is a multiyear, social art project examining individual transformation stories that help reframe the narrative of re-entry. The program allows incarcerated participants to conceive and develop a vision for a future self, reimagining themselves and their positions in society. It also raises public awareness, communicating the value of criminal justice reform, and helping generate the critical community support necessary to reframe the reintegration narrative. Although raised in a supportive environment, the author faced incarceration and the uncertainty that comes with the conflict between official rules and prison culture and with release and recidivism. The Future IDs program’s focus on artistic expression helped the author to heal the trauma of dehumanization experienced during incarceration and to regain a sense of self-worth and confidence. Creating his Future ID helped him to find greater clarity about his identity, to liberate himself, and to embrace a new life he walks today in service to others.

Helping and Hindering Factors for Inmates Meeting the Challenges for Successful Community Reentry

The purpose of this research study is to explore what helping and hindering factors may exist for an inmate living in a Transitional Housing Unit (THU) in a Pennsylvania state prison that is preparing for community reentry so that recommendations can be made for possible improvements to the reentry program. In January 2014, transitional housing units (THUs) began operating in six of the state correctional institutions. The THU was designed to provide reentry services to inmates who will be released to geographic areas near the institutions, thus allowing for contact with outside agencies that can provide ongoing support services for community reentry. The THU was chosen as the reentry program of study because this type of evaluative research has not been conducted in the THU in the past from the perspective of an inmate preparing for community reentry. An Enhanced Critical Incident Technique (ECIT) was used to examine what helps and hinders inmates that are living in the THU who are preparing for community reentry. A study group of 30 men living in the THU will be identified for interviewing to explore their lived experiences of community reentry preparedness. Each participant was asked how they define community reentry preparedness /what community reentry preparedness means to them, and what helps and hinders, and might help (wish list items) community reentry preparedness. ECIT analysis of participant responses result in the identification of critical incidents, helping incidents, hindering incidents, and wish list items (WL items). Keywords: Inmate, learning, community reentry, transitional housing unit

SMART Community Reentry: Creating and Attaining Reentry Goals for Incarcerated Individuals

Abstract Date Presented 4/20/2018 Living in correctional facilities for long periods may cause occupational deprivation and hinder development of appropriate community reentry goals. This study suggests that an occupational therapy program that incorporates specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-based (SMART) goal writing can help individuals in successful community reentry. Primary Author and Speaker: Kelsey Rosswurm Additional Authors and Speakers: Jeffrey Crabtree

Coming home from prison: Adapting military resilience training to enhance successful community reintegration for justice-involved Iraq-Afghanistan veterans.

We propose a veteran-centric justice model of resilience training developed by the military for assisting service members coming home from war and modify it to assist Iraq/Afghanistan veterans coming home from prison. Incarceration has been identified as a stress aftereffect of the prolonged Iraq and Afghanistan combat deployments. Notably, the rate of Iraq and Afghanistan-era incarcerated veterans increased from 4% to 13% between 2004 and 2012 for all incarcerated veterans. Successful reentry to the community from prison incarceration is difficult, with rearrest and reincarceration a frequent occurrence. Moreover, combat stress conditions may weaken the justice-involved Iraq/Afghanistan's veteran's ability to face challenges posed by the return home from prison. As in the war zone, the return home from prison may be idealized with unrealistic expectations and/or goals, thus setting up the returning veteran for disappointment, anger, deepening of alienation and disconnection from larger civilian society, and the risk of return to maladaptive mechanisms for coping. Resilience training can be provided in psychoeducational venues prior to prison release and with follow-up postrelease. Resilience building offers promise as an intervention to enhance the justice-involved veteran's successful community reentry. (PsycINFO Database Record

Hanging Out With the Usual Suspects: Neighborhood Peer Effects and Recidivism

Social interactions within neighborhoods, schools and detention facilities are important determinants of criminal behavior. However, little is known about the degree to which neighborhood peers affect successful community re-entry following incarceration. This paper measures the influence of pre-incarceration social networks on recidivism by exploiting the fact that peers may be locked up when a prisoner returns home. Using detailed arrest and incarceration data that includes residential addresses for offenders, we find consistent and robust evidence that a former inmate is less likely to reoffend if more of his peers are held captive while he reintegrates into society.

Do programs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people leaving prison meet their health and social support needs?

The objective of this review was to synthesise evidence on the health and social support needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people leaving prison and on programs which aid successful community re-entry. A systematic literature review was undertaken of peer-reviewed and grey literature published between 2001 and 2013, focusing on the post-release needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults and pre- and post-release programs. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have high health and social support needs on leaving prison. There is little literature evidence that re-entry programs commonly consider health needs, support linkages with primary care or Aboriginal Medical Services, or are designed in consideration of the particular needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. In the absence of evaluative evidence on re-entry programs in this group, we have synthesised the best practice recommendations. Re-entry programs must be culturally competent in design and delivery, holistic, take a long-term view, involve families and communities, demonstrate interagency coordination and promote linkages between prison and community-based services. There is an urgent need for accessible pre- and post-release programs which meet the particular needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, including their health needs. Programs must be flexible, comprehensive and accessible to those on remand or with short sentences. Stronger linkage with primary care and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community controlled health organisations is recommended.

Employment and Housing Challenges Experienced by Sex Offenders during Reentry on Parole

ABSTRACTAlthough the general offender populations are known to experience numerous barriers to successful community reentry from prison, existing research suggests that barriers for sex offenders may be particularly acute. This research qualitatively examines the barriers to two key reentry dimensions—employment and housing—experienced by a sample of sex offenders (n = 65) during reentry on parole, while also drawing on a comparison sample of nonsex offenders (n = 30) to contextualize the results. The findings suggest that social stigma and sex offender supervision compound reentry challenges experienced by general offender populations, increasing strain during the reentry process. For this sample, sex offender–specific conditions limiting access to computers and difficulties surrounding transitional housing facilities were cited as especially problematic. Implications for future research and reentry practice are discussed.

Sexual offenders, violent offenders, and community reentry: Challenges and treatment considerations

Abstract Sexual offenders and violent offenders compose two diverse subgroups of the United States' offender population, and individuals in these groups face unique challenges with respect to reentry and reintegration into the community upon release from controlled settings. Successful reintegration is typically defined by a lack of recidivism; however, an offender's quality of life may also be considered a critical consideration when defining success. Of the major challenges faced by sexual offenders and violent offenders, social stigma and barriers to housing and employment are among the most notable. These factors are often interrelated, such that difficulty in one domain may contribute to difficulties in other domains. As public perception of such offenders is largely driven by the media, stereotypes, and public policy, and less by research, offenders also face distinctive social barriers to successful community reentry and reintegration. Moreover, there is limited support for established policies and programs intended to maximize a violent/sexual offender's reentry success, in part due to the low base rate of reoffense. The present study reviews the literature examining factors associated with successful and unsuccessful community reintegration for sexual offenders and violent offenders released from controlled settings. Treatment of sexual offenders and violent offenders, and community-based support programs designed to facilitate reentry and reintegration, are also discussed.

Modifying a Risk Assessment Instrument for Youthful Offenders.

High rates of incarceration in the United States are compounded by high rates of recidivism and prison return. One solution is more accurate identification of individual prisoner risks and needs to promote offender rehabilitation and successful community re-entry; this is particularly important for youthful offenders who developmentally are in late adolescence or early adulthood, and who struggle to reengage in education and/or employment after release. Thus, this study examined the feasibility of administration and initial psychometric properties of a risk and needs assessment instrument originally created for a juvenile justice population (the Global Risk Assessment Device or GRAD) with 895 male youthful offenders in one adult correctional system. Initial feasibility of implementation within the correctional system was demonstrated; confirmatory factor analyses support the invariance of the modified GRAD factor structure across age and race. Future studies are needed to examine the predictive validity and the sensitivity of the instrument.

Connecting Mentally Ill Detainees in Large Urban Jails with Community Care.

Large urban jails have become a collection point for many persons with severe mental illness. Connections between jail and community mental health services are needed to assure in-jail care and to promote successful community living following release. This paper addresses this issue for 2855 individuals with severe mental illness who received community mental health services prior to jail detention in King County (Seattle), Washington over a 5-year time period using a unique linked administrative data source. Logistic regression was used to determine the probability that a detainee with severe mental illness received mental health services while in jail as a function of demographic and clinical characteristics. Overall, 70% of persons with severe mental illness did receive in-jail mental health treatment. Small, but statistically significant sex and race differences were observed in who received treatment in the jail psychiatric unit or from the jail infirmary. Findings confirm the jail's central role in mental health treatment and emphasize the need for greater information sharing and collaboration with community mental health agencies to minimize jail use and to facilitate successful community reentry for detainees with severe mental illness.

Multi-Tiered Systems of Support to Improve Outcomes for Youth in Juvenile Justice Settings: Guiding Principles for Future Research and Practice

In 2014, the joint Departments of Education and Justice released Guiding Principles for Providing High-Quality Education in Juvenile Justice Secure Care Settings, including I) creating a climate and conditions conducive to learning, II) providing necessary resources to support education opportunities, III) recruiting, training, and retaining qualified staff, IV) implementing rigorous and relevant curricula, and V) supporting successful community reentry. This article outlines these five guiding principles, including ways that each can be addressed by adopting positive behavioral interventions and supports frameworks, a type of multi-tiered system of support, facility-wide within secure care juvenile justice facilities. Illustrations of how to address each guiding principle are supported by articles from the special issue of Residential Treatment for Children and Youth on multi-tiered systems of support within secure residential juvenile facilities.