Barriers to Reentry: A Comparison of Individual Perceptions and Social Service Availability and Utilization

• In Event: Elucidating the Mechanisms of Reentry

Abstract

Every year approximately 600,000 to 700,000 individuals are released from state and federal prisons, and about seven million from local jails for reentry into society (Carson, 2015). The transition from incarceration back into the community is a challenging process that plays a vital role in determining whether an individual will successfully reintegrate into society. Existing research demonstrates a wide range of barriers returning individuals face throughout this process, such as housing, employment, and familial challenges that complicate the reentry process. Using survey and interview data collected as part of a larger project, the current paper explores how returning individuals perceive reentry barriers and the extent to which their perceptions align with actual reentry barriers. Findings suggest important implications for understanding the concordance between perceived and actual reentry barriers as a means to better understand how to facilitate successful reintegration into the community.

Authors

• Jill Viglione, University of Central Florida

• Micaela Alvarado, University of Texas at San Antonio

• Michael S Caudy, University of Central Florida

• James V. Ray, University of Central Florida

• Rebecca J Walter, University of Texas at San Antonio