This chapter discusses reentry into the community for offenders released from prison. It covers the origins and mechanisms of parole, the release decision process, steps to ease reentry, challenges for parolees, and how society views parolees as potentially dangerous. The chapter outline explores release from prison to community supervision, the experience of reentering society, barriers to success, and elements needed for successful reentry. Accompanying media provide additional context on challenges women and those with criminal records face upon release.

1. CHAPTER TEN:
Reentry into the Community
Learning Objectives
1. Understand the nature of parole and how it operates today.
2. Be familiar with the origins of parole.
3. Understand how the release decision is made.
4. Explain the steps taken to ease the offender’s reentry into the community.
5. Identify the major problems confronting parolees.
6. Understand why some parolees are viewed as dangerous and how society handles this
problem.
Brief Chapter Outline
I. Release from One Part of the System to Another
II. The Origins of Parole
III. Release Mechanisms
a. Discretionary Release
b. Mandatory Release
c. Probation Release
d. Reinstatement Release
e. Other Conditional Releases
f. Expiration Release
IV. The Decision to Release
a. Procedure
b. Release Criteria
c. Structuring Parole Decisions
d. The Impact of Release Mechanisms
V. Release to the Community
a. Community Supervision
b. Revocation
VI. Agents of Community Supervision
VII. The Offender’s Experience of Postrelease Life
a. The Strangeness of Reentry
b. Supervision and Surveillance
c. The Problem of Unmet Personal Needs

2. d. Barriers to Success
VIII. The Parolee as “Dangerous”
IX. The Elements of Successful Reentry
X. What Are Parole’s Prospects?
Media Tools
http://www.wpaonline.org/pdf/WPA_FightingChance.pdf
This article discusses the difficulties associated with women released on parole including the
public assistance system, the child welfare system, housing assistance, health care and substance
abuse treatment, and immigration.
http://www.lac.org/roadblocks-to-reentry/upload/lacreport/LAC_PrintReport.pdf
This PDF article discusses the difficulties that people with criminal records face upon reentry to
society. It discusses the specific restrictions on employment, public assistance, voting, public
housing, driver’s licenses, student loans, etc…
http://bjs.ojp.usdoj.gov/index.cfm?ty=tp&tid=15
This website provides students access about statistical information and publications about
community corrections in the United States.
The Farm: Angola, USA
This documentary depicts the day to day life in Angola Prison, a prison farm in Louisiana. It also
goes into detail about one inmate who is facing the parole board. Students will see the types of
questions that inmates are asked when facing the parole board in addition to the mindset of the
parole board in the decision making process to grant parole or not.
What If…
You are on the parole board in your state. In front of you is an inmate who is eligible for parole
after serving 10 years of a sentence that ranges from 10 to 20 years. What information would you
need about this inmate to make a decision? What factors are important to you in considering the
inmate for parole? Are there any crimes that you believe should never be parole eligible?