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With all the focus on catching people who break the law, it’s easy to overlook what happens after people have served their time. Yet with over 700,000 prisoners released from prison each year, what happens after prison has profound implications for justice in our society.
Are former inmates able to successfully reintegrate into society? The fact that 40% are arrested again within 3 years suggests that we need to do more to facilitate and support former inmates' transition to life on the outside. Some studies have found a correlation between lack of job opportunities and recidivism, and a criminal record can greatly reduce one’s chances of finding employment. A recent study in Milwaukee found that for college-aged men with similar educational and work experience applying for entry level positions, those with criminal records were much less likely to receive a call back (34% vs. 17% for white men, 14% vs. 5% for black men).
Approximately 15 million people in the US have a record of a felony conviction, and we need to find ways to help these people find gainful employment. Otherwise, they suffer the injustice of paying for their crime twice; time served in prison and lack of economic opportunity long after release. In turn, society suffers from an influx of individuals who are either ill-prepared for reintegration or unsupported in their efforts, thereby increasing the likelihood that they will again turn to crime.
Probation and Parole in the United States
 In 2008, there were over 5 million people on probation and parole. However the vast majority of corrections spending goes towards prisons. More than 40% of people on probation and over half of people on parole do not complete their supervision terms successfully.
The average caseload of parole officers has increased substantially in the past few decades. Whereas in the 1970s the average parole officer supervised 45 parolees, today officers are often responsible for 70 parolees. With such large numbers of people under community supervision, as a society we need to look for ways to increase the level of supervision and support of people on probation and parole.
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