The Sentencing Project is highlighting the experiences and challenges of formerly incarcerated people released after decades of imprisonment, as they attempt to rebuild their lives in a dramatically changed social, economic, and technological landscape.
A new report, “Learning Life All Over Again: Reentry After Long-Term Imprisonment,” finds that the reentry experience after long-term imprisonment is driven less by individual choices and more by how prisons prepare—or fail to prepare—people to return home.
The research team interviewed 33 formerly incarcerated people living in California, Colorado, Louisiana, Nevada, New York, Oregon and Washington, DC.
Based on a self-reported measurement of well-being, 45% of respondents were thriving, 33% were surviving and 21% were suffering.
Based on the interviews, the report details systemic barriers that shape the reentry experience:
People with long sentences are often blocked from programming that could help them succeed later.
Many participants said they were denied or delayed access to rehabilitative programming, certain job and educational opportunities and trade programs due to their sentence length.
Prisons largely fail to prepare people for life on the outside. People released after 20+ years received little meaningful assistance with things like getting a state ID and social security card, and other important documents, learning new technology, planning for employment, or understanding available services.
Most participants returned home with housing and jobs – but they still experienced strain. While most of the interview participants were employed and had a place to live, many described ongoing challenges including lower wages, limited job and housing mobility and financial pressure, especially right after release.
Leaving prison with little to no money makes reentry harder than it needs to be.
More than half of those interviewed received no “gate money” upon release, and combined with extremely low prison wages, many people relied on family, friends, or community organizations when they first returned home to help with immediate needs.
Parole and felony probation rules can interfere with work and family life.
Travel restrictions and approval delays made it harder for people to travel for work, seek promotions or even visit family – factors that research notes are critical to rebuilding lives after prison.
Navigating today’s digital world is challenging – especially without access or training. Technology – from smartphones to digital banking and healthcare portals to online job applications – was one of the most commonly cited hurdles to successful reentry after decades in prison.
Despite these barriers, the report highlights how individuals returning from long-term imprisonment are resilient and have a strong desire to contribute to their communities regardless of obstacles and potential setbacks. To build prosperous and safe communities, every person who returns home from incarceration should be afforded the transitional support they need to reacclimate. Investing in the future of our returning community members and neighbors means a brighter future for everyone.
A new report, “Learning Life All Over Again: Reentry After Long-Term Imprisonment,” finds that the reentry experience after long-term imprisonment is driven less by individual choices and more by how prisons prepare—or fail to prepare—people to return home.
The research team interviewed 33 formerly incarcerated people living in California, Colorado, Louisiana, Nevada, New York, Oregon and Washington, DC.
Based on a self-reported measurement of well-being, 45% of respondents were thriving, 33% were surviving and 21% were suffering.
Based on the interviews, the report details systemic barriers that shape the reentry experience:
People with long sentences are often blocked from programming that could help them succeed later.
Many participants said they were denied or delayed access to rehabilitative programming, certain job and educational opportunities and trade programs due to their sentence length.
Prisons largely fail to prepare people for life on the outside. People released after 20+ years received little meaningful assistance with things like getting a state ID and social security card, and other important documents, learning new technology, planning for employment, or understanding available services.
Most participants returned home with housing and jobs – but they still experienced strain. While most of the interview participants were employed and had a place to live, many described ongoing challenges including lower wages, limited job and housing mobility and financial pressure, especially right after release.
Leaving prison with little to no money makes reentry harder than it needs to be.
More than half of those interviewed received no “gate money” upon release, and combined with extremely low prison wages, many people relied on family, friends, or community organizations when they first returned home to help with immediate needs.
Parole and felony probation rules can interfere with work and family life.
Travel restrictions and approval delays made it harder for people to travel for work, seek promotions or even visit family – factors that research notes are critical to rebuilding lives after prison.
Navigating today’s digital world is challenging – especially without access or training. Technology – from smartphones to digital banking and healthcare portals to online job applications – was one of the most commonly cited hurdles to successful reentry after decades in prison.
Despite these barriers, the report highlights how individuals returning from long-term imprisonment are resilient and have a strong desire to contribute to their communities regardless of obstacles and potential setbacks. To build prosperous and safe communities, every person who returns home from incarceration should be afforded the transitional support they need to reacclimate. Investing in the future of our returning community members and neighbors means a brighter future for everyone.
