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Offender Reentry/Transition

Jurisdictions release hundreds of thousands of offenders from jails and prisons each year. The successful transition of offenders back into the community -- without their reoffending -- is critical to community safety. A wide range of efforts are underway to prepare and support offenders for a successful return to their communities. In some jurisdictions, efforts are systemwide and led by corrections agencies, involving other public agencies and community stakeholders in system change efforts. Other efforts are more limited in scope and may focus on specific offender groups or geographic locations.

NIC has several active reentry projects, including:

The Transition from Jail to Community Initiative (TJC)
The Transition from Prison to Community Initiative (TPC)

Our Approach to Reentry

Last reviewed: a while ago.

How states are using TPC

Learn about our unique approach to reentry and see how states are using it.
Last reviewed: 34 weeks ago.

How local jurisdictions can implement TJC

Description of NIC's "Transition from Jail to the Community Project"

Library Resources
Other Reentry Projects

Recommended Reading

Date	Title	Type
2010	TPC Case Management Handbook: An Integrated Case Management Approach By Burke, Peggy; Herman, Paul; Stroker, Richard; Giguere, Rachelle. National Institute of Corrections (Washington, DC). “This handbook is designed for teams of correctional and noncorrectional staff at the policy, management, and line staff levels who have been charged with implementing improvements in supervision and case management that support an overall strategy to reduce recidivism and enhance community safety through successful offender reentry” (p.1). Seven chapters are contained in this publication: an overview of the Integrated Case Management (ICM) approach; the critical challenges and strengths of the ... Read More	143 p.
2008	TPC Reentry Handbook: Implementing the NIC Transition from Prison to the Community Model By Burke, Peggy B.. National Institute of Corrections (Washington, DC). Center for Effective Public Policy (Silver Spring, MD); National Institute of Corrections (Washington, DC). “The TPC Reentry Handbook has been developed as a resource for a broad range of stakeholders involved in improving transition and reentry practices” (p.3). Chapters comprising this manual are: transition and reentry—a key public policy issue; the Transition from Prison to the Community (TPC) model; why and how to take on the challenge of transition and reentry—lessons from the eight TPC states (Georgia, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, and Rhode Island); implementi... Read More	266 p.
2016	Reentry Annotated Bibliography National Institute of Corrections Information Center (Aurora, CO). "Reentry refers to the transition of offenders from prisons or jails back into the community. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs more than 650,000 people are released from state and federal prisons annually. Another 9 million cycle through local jails. Research by the Bureau of Justice Statistics published in 2006, has shown that more than two-thirds of state prisoners will be rearrested within three years of their release and more than half (56.7%) are re-in... Read More	31 pages
2002	Transition from Prison to Community Initiative By Barnett, Liz; Parent, Dale G.. Abt Associates (Cambridge, MA); National Institute of Corrections (Washington, DC). An examination of the Transition from Prison to Community Initiative (TPCI) from the National Institute of Corrections (NIC) is presented. This report contains two parts -- the problem and the solution. Sections that comprise the second part of this document, an in-depth look at TPCI are: a new model for the transition process -- an overview of TPCI and a description of its seven elements; and the implementation of the transition model -- partnerships and how to overcome barriers. TPCI "will he... Read More	37 p.
2002	Law Enforcement Tech Guide: How to Plan, Purchase and Manage Technology (Successfully!): A Guide for Executives, Managers and Technologists By Harris, Kelly J.; Romesburg, William H.. SEARCH Group, Inc. (Sacramento, CA); U.S. Dept. of Justice. Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (Washington, DC). "[S]trategies, best practices, recommendations and ideas for successful IT planning and implementation" (p. 3) are provided. This guide is divided into the following parts: seven facts to know before reading this document; build the foundation; conduct a needs analysis; create a project plan; acquire the technology; implement the technology; and maintain the technology. Descriptions of information technology and a glossary are also included.... Read More	280 p.

Related Resources

Date	Title	Type
2016	Reconnecting Justice: Pathways to Effective Reentry though Education and Training Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP) (Washington DC). "Incarcerated individuals are disproportionately people of color as well as adults with low educational attainment. More than 650,000 ex-offenders are released from prison each year and recent research shows that two-thirds of those prisoners will be rearrested within three years of release. However, research also shows that access to correctional education can significantly reduce recidivism … it’s essential to invest in robust education and training opportunities for incarcerated people and to... Read More	180 minutes
2016	Transition from Jail to Community (TJC) Initiative Phase 2 Site Reports By Christensen, Gary; Jannetta, Jesse; Kurs, Emma; Owens, Colleen; Rao, Shebani; Warwick, Kevin; Willison, Janeen Buck. National Institute of Corrections (NIC) (Washington, DC). National Institute of Corrections (NIC) (Washington, DC); Urban Institute (Washington, DC); Alternative Solutions Associates (Chicopee, MA); Corrections Partners, Inc. (CPI) (Clinton Corners, NY). "TJC [Transition from Jail to Community] represents an integrated approach spanning organizational boundaries to deliver needed information, services, and case management to people released from jail. Boundary-spanning collaborative partnerships are necessary because transition from jail to the community is neither the sole responsibility of the jail nor of the community. Accordingly, effective transition strategies rely on collaboration among jail- and community-based partners and joint ownersh... Read More
2016	Federal Interagency Reentry Council: A Record of Progress and a Roadmap for the Future Federal Interagency Reentry Council (Washington, DC). "With the collective commitment of leaders across the government and across the country, the Reentry Council is working to promote successful reentry and reintegration for individuals returning from prison and jail. Strengthening opportunities for second chances will not only improve outcomes for justice-involved populations, it will also reduce recidivism and victimization – creating safer communities – and save taxpayer dollars spent on the direct and collateral costs of incarceration … The C... Read More	108 pages
2016	Reentry Annotated Bibliography National Institute of Corrections Information Center (Aurora, CO). "Reentry refers to the transition of offenders from prisons or jails back into the community. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs more than 650,000 people are released from state and federal prisons annually. Another 9 million cycle through local jails. Research by the Bureau of Justice Statistics published in 2006, has shown that more than two-thirds of state prisoners will be rearrested within three years of their release and more than half (56.7%) are re-in... Read More	31 pages
2016	Jobs after Jail: Ending the prison to poverty pipeline By Fredericksen, Allyson; Omli, Desiree. Alliance for a Just Society (AJS) (Washington,DC). "In many states and cities, both public and private employers can include a question on application materials requiring applicants to disclose whether or not they have a conviction record. While there is growing momentum to “Ban the Box,” in most cases these efforts only ban the box for public employment … On average, states have 123 mandatory bans and restrictions for would-be workers with felony convictions per state from employment in occupations or industries, from obtaining certain types of... Read More	44 pages
2016	Reducing Recidivism in Massachusetts with a Comprehensive Strategy By Jones, Jonathan; Forman, Benjamin. Hyams Foundation (Boston, MA). Massachusetts Institute for a New Commonwealth (MassINC) (Boston, MA). "This policy brief offers fodder for the state’s Justice Reinvestment leaders as they contemplate the changes necessary to increase the system’s focus on recidivism reduction and achieve results" (p. 2). Sections of this brief cover: key findings; the high cost of recidivism in Massachusetts-- incentive to reform, post-release supervision, step downs, and sentence length; evidence-based reentry strategies—post-release supervision, transitional housing, employment services, substance abuse and me... Read More	20 pages
2015	The Reentry of Formerly Incarcerated Persons: Key Accomplishments, Challenges, and Future Directions; A Report on the National Reentry Symposium: Promising Practices and Future Directions By Carter, Madeline M.. National Institute of Corrections (NIC) (Washington, DC); U.S. Bureau of Prisons (BOP) (Washington, DC). "In 2014, more than 636,000 people were released from state and federal institutions … approximately 1,750 per day—while another 11.4 million are reported to cycle through our local jails each year … Some return to families, jobs, and welcoming communities but most do not, which may explain—at least in part—why release from confinement and the justice system can be a temporary condition for many. National studies indicate that 67.8% of state prisoners are rearrested within three years of their r... Read More	17 pages
2015	Reentry Skills Building Handbook, 2015 Georgia Dept. of Corrections. Operations, Planning & Training Division (Atlanta, GE); Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles (Atlanta, GE). While specifically designed for Georgia, this handbook's format is a great example of an offender reentry handbook. It is based upon the Template from the Minnesota Department of Corrections. Sections following a "GDC Offender Reentry Model" flowchart include: introduction—getting organized; identification; housing; employment; careers; programs inside GDC; work ethics; transportation; money management; education; incarcerated veterans program; selective service; applying for Social Security; he... Read More	200 pages
2015	Reentry Skills Building Handbook, 2015 Georgia Dept. of Corrections. Operations, Planning & Training Division (Atlanta, GE); Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles (Atlanta, GE). While specifically designed for Georgia, this handbook's format is a great example of an offender reentry handbook. It is based upon the Template from the Minnesota Department of Corrections. Sections following a "GDC Offender Reentry Model" flowchart include: introduction—getting organized; identification; housing; employment; careers; programs inside GDC; work ethics; transportation; money management; education; incarcerated veterans program; selective service; applying for Social Security; he... Read More	200 pages
2015	Offender Reentry: The Value of Victim Involvement [Broadcast] By Brisbin, Lorie; Newlin, Lydia ; Costa, Jeralita “Jeri”; Odom, Mark; Seymour, Anne; Baker, Maureen; King, Erica. National Institute of Corrections (NIC) (Washington, DC). This three-hour national discussion and broadcast by the National Institute of Corrections (NIC) focuses on the unique opportunities and challenges of including victims in the offender reentry process. Current points in the criminal justice reentry continuum where victims can and should have a voice are explored. By including victims we can obtain more balanced information about the offender and their offense history which can positively impact reentry decisions. This approach can result in bett... Read More	158 minutes
2015	American Prisons Are Not a Revolving Door: Most Released Offenders Never Return By Rhodes,William. London School of Economics and Political Science. American Politics and Policy (LS USAPP) (London, England). "The dominant narrative around recidivism in America is that most released offenders go on to reoffend and return to prison. In new research, William Rhodes argues that this impression is wrong and that two out of every three released offenders never return to prison. He argues that previous estimates about recidivism have failed to take into account the overrepresentation of returnees in prisons. Accounting for this factor, he finds that only 11 percent of offenders return to prison more than o... Read More	9 pages
2015	The Reentry of Adults Convicted of Sexual Offenses: A National Survey of Reentry Professionals Council of State Governments (CSG). Justice Center (New York, NY). Results are presented from "a national survey of stakeholders invested in the successful reentry of adults convicted of sexual offenses … The survey findings reveal variability regarding the extent to which respondents’ beliefs about various sex offender-related matters align with current research." Findings are provided for: applied reentry strategies; understanding relevant research about recidivism, risk factors, principles of effective correctional intervention, sex offender-specific risk as... Read More	6 pages