DB5StudentPostKristie.docx

Kristie’s Reentry Discussion Post

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Reentry is an important part of the correctional system. It hopefully is the last step to get the offender back into society. However, there are many hurdles that the offender will face when trying to get back into society. Those hurdles could include society does not forget and that the person is going back in an environment in which they broke the law. This discussion will end with a look at what the Bible says about society’s job in providing for those reentering society. Reintegrating back into society successfully shows if the correctional efforts were effective.
It is difficult for offenders to reenter society for many reasons. It is hard for society to forget or forgive offenders. The textbook discusses a study by Durose, Cooper, and Snyder from 2004, which discovered 3 reasons why reentry has been a failure. The first reason is that, “Inmate reentry into society is marked by widespread failure” (Cullen & Johnson, 2017, p. 214). There are problems for inmates to get back to normal life after they have spent so much time away from the normal life. For one thing, their jobs have been disrupted and most likely they are now unemployed because the employer could not keep them while they were incarcerated. It is also more difficult for the offender to find a job because they are no longer eligible for many jobs and others, they have to include the fact that they are a felon on job applications. Many people are afraid to hire a felon. The second reason is, “high proportions of released offenders have contact with the law, often soon after reentry, and about half are reincarcerated” (Cullen & Johnson). Offenders now have a record and if a police officer is called for something that they have done, the offender is more likely to be arrested again because of their past behavior. The third reason is, “For those concerned with both public safety and inmate welfare, the current system of reentry is difficult to justify. A problem exists that warrants a solution” (Cullen & Johnson). This is legitimate concern depending on the offense that was broken. If someone committed murder, people may think that this person could kill again. If the person was on drugs, it is reasonable for someone to think that they would get right back on drugs. While this may not be the case, the perception has been established and it is extremely difficult to regain trust once it has been lost.
The offender is going right back into the same environment in which they broke the law in the first place. If an offender was a drug user who lived in their parents’ house. The offender likely is going back to their parent’s home to live. This means they would have access to the same resources and the same friends that created the situation. One place that has been designed to help this situation is a half way house. Halfway houses allow for the offender to live with people who are also trying to stop their drug habits and had also been incarcerated. It creates an environment in which everyone relates. There are often very strict rules in which the offender has to listen to or get kicked out or put back in jail. This keeps the offender out of their old environment where they used the drugs but they are back into society where they can earn a living. They often have to pay rent, so they must hold a job to pay their rent. This creates a step into their new normal. The offender needs to create a new normal so they do not fall back to old habits. The friendships created through the halfway house could be the encouragement that the offender needs to be successful throughout the rest of their life. Securing a new form of employment may also be difficult because the offender may not have used their employable skills since, before, they were places in the correctional facility. This could mean that their previous employer cannot or will not hire them back. This poses a problem for the offenders because they need to pay for rent and other living expenses but they do not have the income. Finding a job is certainly a hurdle for the offender who is reentering society.
                The Bible teaches that Christians should help everyone, this includes offenders. The Bible states, “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working” (English Standard Version, 2001/2008, James 5:16). If the offenders want help to ensure they do not re-offend, they need a community of people to talk to and to encourage them. Church should be that community. There should be more programs run by churches and nonprofits to help offenders integrate back into the community, which could include job search services, resume writing sessions and general fellowship to re-integrate back into society. This could allow the offender the best chance to become a healthy member of society.  The Bible states, “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice” (English Standard Version, 2001/2008, Proverbs 12:15). The offender upon reentry should be open to advice to help them successfully enter into society if the offender has been successfully corrected of their old habits. Overall, it is difficult for offenders to reintegrate into society once again because of public opinions and getting back involved in the environment where the initial problem happened. It is important for society to be open to helping those who want to turn away from their life of crime. If society lets the offender fall right back into their old ways, the correctional efforts that society and the offender have endured were a waste of time and money.
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