Research/Document Library

Illinois Prisoners' Reflections on Returning Home

In 2001, the state of Illinois released 30,068 prisoners to the community, a 157 percent increase since 1983. The sheer number of prisoners being released annually, along with a growing appreciation for the substantial challenges that ex-prisoners face as they reenter society, has brought prisoner reentry — both in Illinois and nationwide — to the forefront of the public agenda. The successful reintegration of prisoners into society is arguably one of the most important components of an effective criminal justice system, yet remarkably little is known about the pathways of prisoner reentry. To address this gap in our knowledge — and to provide an empirical foundation for new policy discussions about ways to improve reentry outcomes for individuals, families and communities — the Urban Institute has launched Returning Home: Understanding the Challenges of Prisoner Reentry, a multi-state research project that will inform the new generation of policy and practice.

Available online

http://www.urban.org/

Author(s)

Christy Visher, Nancy G. LaVigne, and Jill Farrell

Date

September 2003

State

Illinois

Publisher

The Urban Institute