Impact of Court Policies and Reentry Program in Reducing Recidivism for Ex-offenders

Date of Conferral

10-31-2023

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Public Policy and Administration

Advisor

Lori Demeter

Abstract

Those who were incarcerated for lengthy prison terms and participated in available reentry court programs have been underrepresented in research on federal court policies and programs that support a successful reintegration for the newly released. The U.S. District Court (USDC) Reentry Court Program is intended to address the reentry barriers that are faced by ex-offenders by offering reentry services after release back to society, but there are some obstacles. The purpose of this qualitative, phenomenological study was to explore the impact of the USDC Reentry Court Program using Paul Pierson’s policy feedback theory approach as a theoretical framework. Sixty percent of the participants said that the reentry court program did meet the needs of returning citizens. Fifteen participants agreed that counseling, education, and employment were very important to a successful reentry. They also agreed that mental health, substance, and alcohol abuse should be addressed upon release. Forty-seven percent of the participants indicated that they did learn something from participating in the reentry court program that they could use to help avoid reoffending. More than half of the participants believed that the reentry program had a positive impact on recidivism. Career counseling, family therapy, and mentorship that extend beyond the program time frame are important to keeping the participants on the right track. Based on the results, positive social change may result through programs that help mend family connections and address various types of traumas may address barriers and avoid a participant’s unsuccessful reintegration to prevent negatively impacting the community.

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