Understanding and Improving Prisoner Reentry Outcomes  

"Mass imprisonment and mass prisoner reentry are two faces of the same coin.  In a comprehensive and penetrating analysis, Daniel Mears and Joshua Cochran unravel the causes of this pressing problem, detail the challenges confronting released prisoners, and provide an evidence-based blueprint for successfully reintegrating offenders into the community.  Scholarly yet accessible, this volume is essential reading—whether by academics or students—for anyone wishing to understand the chief policy issue facing American corrections."
Francis T. Cullen
Distinguished Research Professor, University of Cincinnati

Prisoner Reentry is an engaging and comprehensive examination of prisoner reentry and how to improve public safety, well-being, and justice in the "era of mass incarceration." Renowned authors Daniel P. Mears and Joshua C. Cochran investigate historical trends in incarceration and punishment policy, the salience of in-prison and post-prison contexts and experiences for reentry, and the importance of understanding group differences in offending, punishment, and social context. Using extensive reliance on both theory and empirical research, the authors identify how reentry reflects criminal justice policy in America and, at the same time, has profound implications for crime prevention and justice. Readers will develop a diverse foundation for current policies, identify the implications of reentry for families, community, and society at large, and gain a conceptual and empirical toolkit for analyzing and improving the lives of those released from prison.

Table of Contents:
Chapter 1: Introduction Mass Incarceration and Reentry The Goals of This Book Criminological “Versus” Criminal Justice Theory and Research Terminology and Scope Organization of the Book Chapter 2: Historical Trends in Corrections and Reentry Policy and Practice Trends in Correctional Populations: The Era of Mass Corrections Trends in Reentry Policy and Practice The Theory, or Causal Logic, of the Punitive Turn in Sanctioning Convicted Felons Implications of Historical Trends in Incarceration and Reentry Policy and Practice Conclusion Discussion Questions Chapter 3: The Causes of Mass Incarceration and Thus Mass Reentry Causal Complexity in Understanding the Punitive Turn Cause 1: Not Crime Cause 2: Public Demand for Increased Punitive Sanctioning Cause 3: Conservatism, Race, Moral Panics, and the Politicization of Crime Cause 4: Increased Belief in the Idea That Individual Responsibility Matters Most Cause 5: Exaggerated Claims for Incarceration Cause 6: Discounting Effectiveness of Non-Incarcerative Sanctions Cause 7: Inadequate Research Documenting the Need for Specific Types of Sanctions Cause 8: Economics Cause 9. Systems-Level Forces and Dynamics Causal Complexity Revisited Conclusion, or Why Understanding the Punitive Turn Is Relevant for Reentry Policy Discussion Questions Chapter 4: Profile of the Inmate Population Why Inmate and Ex-Prisoner Characteristics Matter Inmate and Ex-Prisoner Characteristics The “Typical Inmate” Profile Why Inmate Profiles Change Over Time Conclusion Discussion Questions Chapter 5: The Prison Experience Why What Happens in Prison Is Relevant for Understanding Reentry The Implications of In-Prison Crime and Misconduct Prison Experiences that May Have Implications for Prisoner Reentry How Inmates Perceive Themselves and the Prison Experience and Why It Matters The (Lack of) Evidence on the Effectiveness of Incarceration Concepts of What the Prison Experience Should Be Making Greater Accountability Happen Conclusion Discussion Questions Chapter 6: The Reentry Experience and Reentry Challenges The Reentry Process and Experience The Logic of “Invisible” Punishments and Their Consequences Specific Challenges During Reentry Implications of Reentry Challenges for Ex-Prisoners and Families and Communities Conclusion Discussion Questions Chapter 7: Recidivism and Risk Prediction The Atheoretical Foundation of Mass Incarceration The A Priori, Theoretically Predictable Consequences of Incarceration Recidivism Rates—A Depressing Problem Risk Prediction Approaches Risk Prediction Success The Challenges of Risk Prediction Approaches to Improve Risk Prediction Shifting the Focus of Risk Prediction Conclusion Discussion Questions Chapter 8: Diverse Inmate Populations and Reentry The Diversity of the Inmate and Ex-Prisoner Population and Why It Matters The Youngest Ex-Prisoners Female Ex-Prisoners Racial and Ethnic Minority Ex-Prisoners Other Groups of Ex-Prisoners Super-Maximum Security Ex-Prisoners Drug-Abusing Ex-Prisoners Mentally Ill or Learning Disabled Ex-Prisoners Still Other Groups of Ex-Prisoners Revisiting Sanctioning and Reentry Conclusion Discussion Questions Chapter 9: Reentry Policy and What Works to Improve Reentry Outcomes The Ineffectiveness of Incarceration in Improving Public Safety or Other Outcomes The Ineffectiveness of Incarceration Due to Collateral Consequences Corrections Efforts Frequently Rest on Weak Theoretical and Empirical Grounds Minimal Evaluation of Most Reentry Policies, Programs, and Practices Pre-Prison, In-Prison, and Postrelease Approaches to Successful Reentry General Guidelines and Strategies for Improving Reentry The Importance of Evidence of Cost-Efficiency, Not Just Impacts The Need for an Offender, Victim, and Community Justice System Reentry Lessons and Convicted Felons Who Don’t Go to Prison The Importance of Government Accountability and Evidence-Based Practice Conclusion Discussion Questions Chapter 10: Conclusion