Incarceration and Reentry

Project Page

February 2011

This project is available on the Internet at:
http://aspe.hhs.gov/hsp/11/Incarceration&Reentry/

Background

At any one time, nearly 7.3 million people are on probation, in jail, in prison, or on parole in the United Sates. Each year, more than 700,000 individuals are released from state and federal prisons. Another 9 million cycle through local jails. More than two-thirds of prisoners are rearrested within 3 years of their release and half are reincarcerated. When reentry fails, the costs are high — more crime, more victims, more family distress, and more pressure on already-strained state and municipal budgets.

Under the auspices of the National Reentry Resource Center , federal agencies are working together to enhance community safety and well-being, assist those returning from prison and jail in becoming productive citizens, and save taxpayer dollars by lowering the direct and collateral costs of incarceration. Because reintegration to the community after incarceration intersects with issues of health and housing, education and employment, family, faith, and community well-being, the U.S Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and other federal agencies are focusing on the reentry population with activities that aim to improve outcomes in each of these areas..

Individuals, families, and communities served by HHS programs are affected by high rates of incarceration. HHS initiatives that target this population encompasses a range human services and health and behavioral health services. Human services initiatives aim to improve child outcomes and enhance family relationships for the families and children of incarcerated individuals with a larger goal of increasing the safety and economic well-being of reentering individuals, their families, and the communities to which they return. Health activities address the individual and community public health risks of incarceration and reentry. These include substance abuse, mental health, chronic disease, oral health, and the gender-specific needs of the incarcerated and reentering population. Jointly, the efforts of HHS strive to increase stability, health, and overall well-being for incarcerated and reentering individuals and their families.

Publications

The following publications are currently available:

• Overview and Inventory of HHS Efforts to Assist Incarcerated and Reentering Individuals and their Families, February 2011.
  The purpose of this document is to help HHS agencies know the full range of programs and services in the Department that currently address the needs of incarcerated individuals and their families and to understand what research and evaluation efforts are underway to identify evidence-based practices.

How to Obtain a Printed Copy

To obtain a printed copy of any report, send the title and your mailing information to:

Where to?

Top of Page

Home Pages:
Human Services Policy (HSP)
Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE)
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)

Last updated:  04/29/11