National Association of Social Workers

Prisoner Reentry: Reclaiming the Challenge

Professionals Often Have Criminal Justice Backgrounds

Social work is well-suited to addressing the needs of reentering prisoners.

By Lyn Stoesen, News Staff

Illustration: John Michael Yanson

More than 600,000 people are released from prison in the United States each year, and a great many of them return to their families and communities with complex and challenging needs. Prisoners reentering society are often suffering from substance use problems, mental illnesses and health concerns. They must navigate social service systems to find housing, jobs and support. And too often, recently released prisoners find themselves once again incarcerated.

Melvin Wilson, manager of NASW's Center for Workforce Studies, said that in recent years there has been increasing attention to prisoner reentry and the need to develop systems and programs to help people navigate their return.

"Recidivism rates are high," Wilson said. "Data show large numbers of people with a history of abuse of alcohol and other drugs, low education and limited employment skills, family dysfunction and homelessness reentering communities. There is a growing recognition that we need programs to target these issues," Wilson said.

The federal government has begun to address reentry concerns. The focus of the government effort has been to fund programs to help reduce re-arrest and recidivism and increase public safety, as well as help returning prisoners integrate into their communities.

The Serious and Violent Offender Reentry Initiative was developed by the U.S. Department of Justice to help communities "ensure public safety and reduce victimization by helping returning offenders become productive members of their communities, providing education, job and life skills training, and substance abuse treatment."

In 2004, during his State of the Union address, President George W. Bush announced a four-year Prisoner Reentry Initiative to help inmates find work when they return to their communities by providing funding to faith-based and community organizations. The president's initiative identified "three key requirements for successful reentry": employment, transitional housing, and mentoring.

But Wilson noted that many of these programs are based in the criminal justice system and faith-based organizations, rather than in professional social work services. "While criminal justice and faith communities have experience and an investment in working with these communities, we must begin to more thoroughly integrate social work into reentry programs," he said. "The social work person-in-environment perspective is extremely well-suited to addressing the complex and challenging needs of the returning population."

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From June 2006 NASW News. © 2006 National Association of Social Workers. All Rights Reserved. NASW News articles may be copied for personal use, but proper notice of copyright and credit to the NASW News must appear on all copies made. This permission does not apply to reproduction for advertising, promotion, resale, or other commercial purposes.