Prisoner Reentry in the Era of Mass Incarceration

Daniel P. Mears is the Mark C. Stafford Professor of Criminology in the Florida State University College of Criminology and Criminal Justice. He conducts research on crime causation and social programs and policies, focusing on juvenile and criminal justice and crime prevention and intervention strategies. As a Principal Investigator or lead researcher, he has conducted studies funded by such federal agencies as the National Council on Disability, National Institute of Justice, National Institute on Drug Abuse, and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, and state agencies. His views have been covered in media outlets, including ABC News, Boston Globe, Dallas Morning News, Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, USA Today, and Washington Post, among others. His research has consistently appeared in top-tier journals in the field. He is the author of American Criminal Justice Policy (Cambridge University Press), which received the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences' Outstanding Book Award. Dr. Joshua C. Cochran is an Assistant Professor at the University of South Florida's Department of Criminology. His research focuses on prison experiences, prisoner reentry, and inequalities that emerge within these areas. He has collaborated with Dr. Mears on a range of studies, including recently two chapters on prisons and prisoner reentry, one for an edited volume published by Springer and the other for an edited volume to be published by Oxford University Press. Recently, he was awarded the American Society of Criminology's Division on Corrections and Sentencing Dissertation Award for his Ph.D. thesis focused on incarceration and the implications of inmate social ties. His recent work has appeared in leading criminology journals including Criminology, Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, Journal of Quantitative Criminology, and Justice Quarterly.

Chapter 1: Introduction Mass Incarceration and Reentry The Goals of This Book Criminological "Versus" Criminal Justice Theory and Research Terminology and Scope Organization of the Book Chapter 2: Historical Trends in Corrections and Reentry Policy and Practice Trends in Correctional Populations: The Era of Mass Corrections Trends in Reentry Policy and Practice The Theory, or Causal Logic, of the Punitive Turn in Sanctioning Convicted Felons Implications of Historical Trends in Incarceration and Reentry Policy and Practice Conclusion Discussion Questions Chapter 3: The Causes of Mass Incarceration and Thus Mass Reentry Causal Complexity in Understanding the Punitive Turn Cause 1: Not Crime Cause 2: Public Demand for Increased Punitive Sanctioning Cause 3: Conservatism, Race, Moral Panics, and the Politicization of Crime Cause 4: Increased Belief in the Idea That Individual Responsibility Matters Most Cause 5: Exaggerated Claims for Incarceration Cause 6: Discounting Effectiveness of Non-Incarcerative Sanctions Cause 7: Inadequate Research Documenting the Need for Specific Types of Sanctions Cause 8: Economics Cause 9. Systems-Level Forces and Dynamics Causal Complexity Revisited Conclusion, or Why Understanding the Punitive Turn Is Relevant for Reentry Policy Discussion Questions Chapter 4: Profile of the Inmate Population Why Inmate and Ex-Prisoner Characteristics Matter Inmate and Ex-Prisoner Characteristics The "Typical Inmate" Profile Why Inmate Profiles Change Over Time Conclusion Discussion Questions Chapter 5: The Prison Experience Why What Happens in Prison Is Relevant for Understanding Reentry The Implications of In-Prison Crime and Misconduct Prison Experiences that May Have Implications for Prisoner Reentry How Inmates Perceive Themselves and the Prison Experience and Why It Matters The (Lack of) Evidence on the Effectiveness of Incarceration Concepts of What the Prison Experience Should Be Making Greater Accountability Happen Conclusion Discussion Questions Chapter 6: The Reentry Experience and Reentry Challenges The Reentry Process and Experience The Logic of "Invisible" Punishments and Their Consequences Specific Challenges During Reentry Implications of Reentry Challenges for Ex-Prisoners and Families and Communities Conclusion Discussion Questions Chapter 7: Recidivism and Risk Prediction The Atheoretical Foundation of Mass Incarceration The A Priori, Theoretically Predictable Consequences of Incarceration Recidivism Rates-A Depressing Problem Risk Prediction Approaches Risk Prediction Success The Challenges of Risk Prediction Approaches to Improve Risk Prediction Shifting the Focus of Risk Prediction Conclusion Discussion Questions Chapter 8: Diverse Inmate Populations and Reentry The Diversity of the Inmate and Ex-Prisoner Population and Why It Matters The Youngest Ex-Prisoners Female Ex-Prisoners Racial and Ethnic Minority Ex-Prisoners Other Groups of Ex-Prisoners Super-Maximum Security Ex-Prisoners Drug-Abusing Ex-Prisoners Mentally Ill or Learning Disabled Ex-Prisoners Still Other Groups of Ex-Prisoners Revisiting Sanctioning and Reentry Conclusion Discussion Questions Chapter 9: Reentry Policy and What Works to Improve Reentry Outcomes The Ineffectiveness of Incarceration in Improving Public Safety or Other Outcomes The Ineffectiveness of Incarceration Due to Collateral Consequences Corrections Efforts Frequently Rest on Weak Theoretical and Empirical Grounds Minimal Evaluation of Most Reentry Policies, Programs, and Practices Pre-Prison, In-Prison, and Postrelease Approaches to Successful Reentry General Guidelines and Strategies for Improving Reentry The Importance of Evidence of Cost-Efficiency, Not Just Impacts The Need for an Offender, Victim, and Community Justice System Reentry Lessons and Convicted Felons Who Don't Go to Prison The Importance of Government Accountability and Evidence-Based Practice Conclusion Discussion Questions Chapter 10: Conclusion

"Mass imprisonment and mass prisoner reentry are two faces of the same coin. In a comprehensive and penetrating analysis, Daniel Mears and Joshua Cochran unravel the causes of this pressing problem, detail the challenges confronting released prisoners, and provide an evidence-based blueprint for successfully reintegrating offenders into the community. Scholarly yet accessible, this volume is essential reading-whether by academics or students-for anyone wishing to understand the chief policy issue facing American corrections." -- Francis T. Cullen "Mears and Cochran have produced a terrific book that is both comprehensive and accessible. By placing reentry in the particular American context of mass incarceration, they have made an important contribution to the contemporary debate about penal policy. If you only want to read one book about today's American penal system and its challenges for reentry, read this one." -- Todd R. Clear "In Prisoner Reentry in the Era of Mass Incarceration, Mears and Cochran confront the absurdity and human toll of America's mass incarceration project and serve up provocative questions, serious scholarship, and clear-minded proposals for a new approach to reintegrating offenders into society. If we take seriously prisoner reentry, and we should, Mears and Cochran have given us the field manual." -- Brandon C. Welsh "Excellent book. It is timely, current, cogent and the authors make compelling arguments. The authors do a fine job of putting into perspective the challenges of re-entry and debunking myths related to reintegration. I will highly recommend the book." -- Robert Bing "I like its comprehensive nature. Many of the observations offered bode well with the example and stories that I draw upon in class - many from my own experience." -- Curtis R. Blakely, Ph.D. "My overall assessment of the text is that it is 'outstanding'. The information is well organized, the content is exceptional and it is appropriate for undergraduate students." -- Professor Joanne C. Metzger, J.D.