Prisoner Reentry and Social Capital ─ The Long Road to Reintegration

"As an African American man who spent nearly nineteen years in prison for a crime I did not commit, Angela Hattery and Earl Smith's book resonates powerfully with me. Their focus on the struggles that men and women coming home from prison face as they attempt to rebuild their lives is very important. Based on interviews with the men and women enrolled in the `Homecoming Program' of the Darryl Hunt Project for Freedom and Justice, Hattery and Smith's analysis goes beyond the usual discussion of securing a job and stable housing and focuses on the process of rebuilding relationships and reconnecting with family, both of which are critical to successful reentry. They highlight the struggles faced by women who give birth while incarcerated as well as the special case of wrongful conviction and incarceration. Their policy recommendations seek to strengthen the work of reentry programs and the lifting of social welfare bans that block reentry."---Darryl Hunt, 152nd exonoree, founder of the Darryl Hunt Project of Freedom and Justice

"Hattery and Smith's book on prisoner reentry and social capital is of society-wide interest to criminologists, policymakers, prisoners and their families, community workers, and just ordinary folk who want a better understanding of the problem of revolving-door criminality. The authors discuss the practical matters that can serve as barriers to, as well as avenues for, change to a healthy and socially productive life for former convicts and their communities. With social capital---employment, housing, support networks, supervision, drug and sexual offense rehab---we can greatly reduce the expense and tragedy of recurring crime. Hattery and Smith offer a unique examination through a series of revealing interviews with ex-prisoners shored up by inarguable data analysis and a historical background of failed policies of a wasteful but eminently fixable social problem."---Bonnie Berry Social Problems Research Group

"Prisoner Reentry and Social Capital is an outstanding look at the workings of race, gender, and disadvantage in recidivism. Perhaps the most significant contribution of this work is the voice it provides for men and women returning home from prison. Hattery and Smith masterfully use the words of reentry felons in sketching the myriad complexities (personal and structural) of creating a new life after prison. By bringing attention to how these vulnerable populations navigate their prickly support networks in efforts to find stable employment and housing and overcome addictions, we gain a deeper appreciation of barriers to reentry. In addition to portraying the challenges of reentry, this work also illuminates how those returning home use social capital to successfully maneuver the `free world.' This is an important book for anyone interested in prison reentry."---John Eason, Arizona State University.

Prisoner Reentry and Social Capital takes as its starting point interviews with twenty-five men and women during the summer of 2008 about their experiences with reentering the "free world" after a period of incarceration. By analyzing the experiences of these men and women, Angela Hattery and Earl Smith take an in-depth look at the factors that hamper successful reentry and illustrate some successes and failures. The book examines individual characteristics that inhibit successful reentry such as addiction and sex offender status, as well as the unique challenges faced by women. Hattery and Smith also focus on the role that social capital plays as one of the most important factors shaping the reentry experience. These interviews and analyses provide a deeper and more precise understanding of the biases faced by reentry felons in the labor market and works to address the key barriers to reentry in hopes of aiding in their elimination.

Angela Hattery is professor of sociology at Wake Forest University.
Earl Smith is professor of sociology and the Rubin Distinguished Professor of American Ethnic Studies at Wake Forest University.