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NCJ 219177
Susan L. Clayton
Survey Summary: Reentry
Corrections Compendium Volume:32 Issue:2 Dated:March/April 2007 Pages:9 to 29

This article presents State-by-State responses to a recent survey of 41 U.S. correctional systems and 3 Canadian correctional systems regarding their reentry programming for inmates. Forty of the U.S. correctional systems that responded conducted a variety of planned reentry programs. Participation was required in 15 of those systems. In a similar survey conducted by Corrections Compendium in 2000, only 12 of 40 reporting U.S. systems included reentry programming. The length of planned programs and the timeframe prior to release varied significantly among the systems. Formal classes were conducted in a variety of subjects. Most of the systems covered the subjects of education, job readiness, community resources, housing, substance abuse, rules of supervision, family reunification, cognitive behavior, health care, mental health, and personal identification. Internal staff was assigned to teach the classes in 85 percent of the reporting systems. Although 71 percent of the reporting systems stated they used options regarding transitional detention, only approximately 25 percent maintained separate housing within their facilities for reentering inmates. The survey also obtained information on the handling of inmate personal accounts upon release, the provision of "gate" money, transportation, clothing, and medications and/or prescriptions. Twenty-eight of the reporting systems conducted some type of formal followup of their released inmates, primarily by parole or probation officials. Fifty-one percent of the reporting systems indicated that all voting restrictions for ex-offenders had been previously removed. 7 tables

NCJ 219176
Althea Perella; Nawal Ammar
How Co-Payments Affect Access to Prison Health Care Services: The Experiences of Women in Two Ohio Prisons
Corrections Compendium Volume:32 Issue:2 Dated:March/April 2007 Pages:6 to 8

This study examined whether the introduction of $3 copayments required for inmates to receive medical services in Ohio prisons had caused a change in women inmates' access to health care services in prison. Of the 56 women interviewed for this study, 59.3 percent who were in prison prior to the introduction of the copayment system reported that they were not deterred from accessing health care services after the introduction of copayments. Of the 29 women who said the copayment had not affected their access to health care, 27.6 percent indicated they had other sources of income that buffered the impact of the copayment requirements. Their other sources of income included money saved in an account and money given to them by family and friends. The women noted that the copayment policy led them to seek money from outside sources in order to meet the extra costs required for necessary medical care. The study also determined that women inmates are faced with different and more age-specific health care issues compared with male inmates; however, they are being charged the same copayment as men. It would be helpful to have more information on chronic-care clinics in correctional institutions and on the amount of time and resources given for each of these clinics. The 56 women interviewed for this study included 31 from the Franklin Pre-Release Center and 25 from the Northeast Pre-Release Center. The sample included a wide representation of the use of different medical services. 17 references

NCJ 219175
Daniel Hanneken; Anne Dannerbeck
Practical Solutions: Addressing Offenders' Educational Opportunities and Challenges
Corrections Compendium Volume:32 Issue:2 Dated:March/April 2007 Pages:1-4, to 37

This study examined the attitudes, experiences, and aspirations regarding education for a sample of men who had failed to achieve a crime-free life after their release from prison. Most men reported that they would benefit significantly from more education and be more likely to secure the job they want most. When asked why they were not pursuing a postincarceration education, the most common response was the lack of money. Two common reasons the men did not qualify for government financial aid for education were having certain drug-related convictions or having current student loans in default. These issues can be resolved, however, with some guidance through the bureaucracy. The gap between the men's educational aspirations and their pursuit of educational opportunities suggest their unawareness of postsecondary education opportunities available after release from prison. Approximately 90 percent of the men wanted to attend a technical school or college, but just over half did not know how to proceed. Knowledge of GED opportunities was greater among the men, which suggests that similar information channels should be used to inform them about postsecondary education opportunities. A result of this study is the ongoing creation of the Educational Opportunity and Resource Center, which will address many of the needs identified in this study. Information about educational opportunities will be distributed by the center throughout the prison system and to probation and parole officers. Upon release from prison, individuals could contact the center with questions about educational opportunities. The study involved 98 men confined during February 2006 at the Fulton Reception and Diagnostic Center in central Missouri. To be eligible for the study, the men must have had at least one unsuccessful attempt at reentry and the ability to understand and complete the survey. 2 tables and 17 references