Feature Story

April 26, 2007

Final Report on Former Prisoners in Ohio Details First Year Out, Offers Policy Implications

Urban Institute:

The final report in an Urban Institute research series on men leaving Ohio prisons details the first year of their release, offering an overview of their postprison lives and a slate of policy options that could smooth reentry.

"One Year Out: Experiences of Prisoners Returning to Cleveland" by Christy A. Visher and Shannon M.E. Courtney, affords a first-hand look at the challenges of prisoner reentry through interviews with nearly 300 former prisoners who returned to the Cleveland area.

Among the policy recommendations for ex-prisoners: -- Services that enable former prisoners to secure positive and stable housing immediately after release.

"The study's findings point to important policy opportunities for change---both in prison and in the community---that would reduce recidivism, reduce illegal drug use, and increase public safety in Cleveland's neighborhoods," said Visher."Many of these policy changes are not expensive."

"One year after release, the men in the study had little stability in their lives and desperately needed community services to help them succeed," Visher said."Most were living in temporary housing, were not working full-time, and had health problems that required medical attention."

"One Year Out: Experiences of Prisoners Returning to Cleveland," available in pdf format online at http://www.urban.org/url.cfm?ID=311445, is the latest publication from "Returning Home: Understanding the Challenges of Prisoner Reentry."