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Prisoner Reentry

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The transition from incarceration to life in the community has implications for public safety at large and for the communities into which the former prisoners are introduced. RAND research has explored how to prevent recidivism through correctional education, the public health issues of prisoner reentry, and the question of prisoner rehabilitation.

Essay

A Novel Approach to Helping People Returning from Prison

Oct 30, 2019

Many services try to address the needs of individuals returning from prison, but they're often designed without much input from the very people who need the services. A group of county agencies, service providers, and former prisoners collaborated to identify ways to improve reentry services in Los Angeles.
Report

How to Incentivize Employers to Hire Ex-Offenders

Jan 15, 2018

People with criminal records are marginalized in the labor market. What policies might incentivize employers to hire them? Some options include tax credits and replacement guarantees if an ex-offender proves to be unsuitable once hired.

Explore Prisoner Reentry

Report

Final Evaluation of LA DOOR: Proposition 47 Grant Program

In this report, the authors summarize their findings from an evaluation of Cohort 1 of the Los Angeles Diversion, Outreach, and Opportunities for Recovery program.

Sep 30, 2021
Blog

Criminal Justice in the Pandemic Era and Beyond

The pandemic forced the entire criminal justice system to adapt and innovate in ways it never had before. How can the lessons of COVID-19 improve the future of criminal justice?

Sep 7, 2021
Journal Article

A Better Path Forward for Criminal Justice: A Report by the Brookings-AEI Working Group on Criminal Justice Reform

In this volume, experts offer policymakers with analysis and recommendations to support sustained, bipartisan reforms to move the criminal justice system toward a more humane and effective footing.

Sep 1, 2021
Journal Article

Reentry, Desistance, and Identity Achievement

This report is based on two foundational beliefs: Reentry policy needs to be based on a theoretical desistance model, and the empirical evidence supports a desistance model that involves movement toward a positive pro-social identity.

Aug 31, 2021
Report

Project imPACT Cohort 1 Final Local Evaluation Report

The authors summarize findings from a process and outcome evaluation of Cohort 1 of Project imPACT, an employment program for individuals who have been involved in the criminal justice system, which provided services from July 2018 to December 2020.

Aug 16, 2021
Research Brief

Helping Los Angelenos Involved in the Criminal Justice System Get and Keep Jobs

Project imPACT is a City of Los Angeles program that helps individuals find employment after they are released from prison. Participants may also receive behavioral health and legal services. An evaluation of the program offers important lessons about its successes and challenges.

Aug 16, 2021
Multimedia

Meeting the Needs of the Mental Health Population in the LA County Jail System

Behavioral scientist Stephanie Holliday discusses her study that aimed to estimate the size of the mental health population in the Los Angeles County jail system that might be appropriate for diversion to community-based treatment rather than remaining and receiving treatments while incarcerated.

Jul 26, 2021
Report

Community Supervision in a Digital World: Challenges and Opportunities

Increased access to technology and corresponding increases in computer-facilitated crime have resulted in a greater number of tech-savvy individuals under supervision. Experts identified strategies to help officers manage their online activity.

Jul 26, 2021
Commentary

Investing in Social Change: Lessons Learned from Foundation-Funded Criminal Justice Research

Investing in policy-focused research can be among the ways foundations catalyze change. Impactful work may involve strong collaborations across funders, researchers, and community partners. And it may require flexibility in design and execution as well as a commitment to getting the findings into the hands of decisionmakers who can use the findings to create change.

Jul 20, 2021
Blog

Pandemic-Era Parties, China's Global Influence, Reducing Infant Mortality: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on assessing the risk of small gatherings during the pandemic, China's ability to exert influence around the world, using big data to help reduce infant mortality, and more.

Jul 2, 2021
News Release

Guide to Help Prison Officials Create College-Level Educational Programs Created by RAND Corporation

A guide to help prison officials create high-quality college educational programs for inmates has been created by the nonprofit RAND Corporation. The toolkit—available online for free—is intended as a starting point for corrections officials who are considering whether to have a college program within their prison system or who may seek additional information to ensure the success of an existing program. The guide is relevant for both two-year and four-year college programs.

Jun 29, 2021
Tool

New Guide to Help Implement College Programs in Prisons

Education services can improve the lives and conditions of people in prison and help them compete for jobs when they are released. A new tool aims to guide corrections officials who are considering whether to start a college program or are looking for information to ensure the success of an existing program.

Jun 29, 2021
Journal Article

Confinement as a Two-Stage Turning Point: Do Changes in Identity or Social Structure Predict Subsequent Changes in Criminal Activity?

We build from prior work on desistance and reentry, contrasting our findings and highlighting the unique insight gained from, as well as challenges of, measuring individual change within our two-stage turning point model.

Feb 2, 2021
Journal Article

A Policy Review of Employers' Open Access to Conviction Records

In this review, we find that (a) US employers' use of conviction information is not clearly aligned with the risk of future criminal behavior or employer costs, and (b) using such information leads to hiring errors that pose costs to society.

Sep 30, 2020
Report

Risk and Needs Assessments in Prisons: Identifying High-Priority Needs for Using Evidence-Based Practices

Prison systems are underresourced and might lack the capacity to implement risk and needs assessments that reduce recidivism. A panel of experts identified ways to address and improve the use of these tools in prisons.

Sep 9, 2020
Multimedia

From the Community Corrections Lens

In this Events @ RAND podcast based on the Career Prospects for People with Criminal Records Symposium held at RAND in 2019, Veronica Cunningham and Nicole Jarrett offer their perspectives on the next steps that policymakers, practitioners, and employers can take to equalize employment opportunities for individuals with criminal records. RAND's Dionne Barnes-Proby hosts.

Jul 29, 2020
Multimedia

Practitioners’ Views on Barriers and Opportunities

In this Events @ RAND podcast based on the Career Prospects for People with Criminal Records Symposium held at RAND in 2019, Joshua Miller, Toney L. Earl Jr., Tony Lewis Jr., and Andrew Morton discuss strategies for overcoming barriers and improving employment outcomes through reentry, community supervision, and employer-driven programs.

Jul 22, 2020
Multimedia

Certification, Background Checks, and Stigma

In this Events @ RAND podcast based on the Career Prospects for People with Criminal Records Symposium held at RAND in 2019, Peter Leasure, Michael Vuolo, and Naomi F. Sugie present evidence from employer and job-seeker studies on Ban-the-Box, Certificates of Relief, and background checks.

Jul 15, 2020
Multimedia

How Do People Stop Committing Crimes?

In this Events @ RAND podcast based on the Career Prospects for People with Criminal Records Symposium held at RAND in 2019, senior policy researcher Shawn D. Bushway explains the concept of desistance, or how and when people with criminal records stop offending.

Jul 8, 2020
Report

Breaking Barriers: A Rapid Rehousing and Employment Pilot Program for Adults on Probation in Los Angeles County: Evaluation Report

This report presents early findings on the progress of the Breaking Barriers program, which provides Los Angeles County adults on probation with a time-limited housing subsidy, case management, and employment supports.

Mar 31, 2020

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RAND Topic:
Prisoner Reentry

Topic Synonyms:
Re-Entry Services

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