Impacts on the Family during Reentry

In making the transition back into the community, former inmates turn to their spouses, parents, siblings, grandparents, and other family members for assistance. These family members become the ‘front line’ of reentry, providing former inmates with critical material and emotional support including shelter, food, clothing, leads for jobs, and guidance in staying sober or avoiding criminal behavior.

As difficult as the period of incarceration is on families, an offender’s return home presents new challenges. In their publication, Engaging Offenders’ Families in Reentry, author: Margaret diZerega, Vera Institute of Justice and editors: Madeline M. Carter, Center for Effective Public Policy and Rachelle Giguere, Center for Effective Public Policy list conditions which contribute to the strain on many families:
• Financial hardships from supporting an additional family member who may not be able to contribute to the household income.
• Relationship problems or interpersonal conflicts due to the offender’s return to the household, such as dealing with the emotional concerns of a family member who may have been previously victimized by the offender, or strained relationships between the offender and children who may not understand why their parent was absent.
• Changes in the family dynamic upon the offender’s return, such as new patterns of authority, or changes in the family composition since the offender went to prison.
• Feelings of anxiety, anger, frustration, disappointment, or resentment if the offender begins or returns to using drugs or alcohol, or to criminal behavior while living in the community.
• Taking on new responsibilities as a result of the offender’s criminal justice status; for instance, family members may be expected to talk with parole officers, assist in monitoring whether the offender is following parole conditions, or install a home phone line for an electronic monitoring device.

In addition to the Engaging Offenders’ Families in Reentry publication, the Center for Effective Public Policy and its partners, the Urban Institute and the Carey Group, developed a series of tools to assist correctional staff in specific areas of their reentry work. The final products of this work include eleven Coaching Packets in three series. These Coaching Packets offer practical value beyond the jurisdictions involved in this initiative and are available to criminal justice professionals and their partners interested in enhancing their strategies for reducing recidivism and improving offender outcomes.

To download copies of the Coaching Packets, visit the Center’s website at [www.cepp.com] coaching.htm. To obtain further information on the use or content of any of the Coaching Packets contact:
Becki Ney, Principal,Center for Effective Public Policy
32 East Montgomery Avenue, Hatboro, PA 19040
Phone: (215) 956-2335
Email: bney@cepp.com