Chapter 1: Defining the Target Audience
There are many moving parts to reconnecting with friends and family, finding a place to live, finding work, to name but a few can be an overwhelming process to navigate. This is especially true of people who went to prison in their youth. This is also especially true of adults that have served long sentences. By the time they have been released the world looks incredibly different from what they have experienced or were expecting. Technology is one example where the difference is quite noticeable. For example, think about phones and screens thirty years ago compared to today. Or even how that will change in the next thirty years. There is a fear in learning how to adjust and adapt, and there can be comfort in rhythm, routine, and what’s familiar (even in jail or prison). They have become institutionalized. The feeling of being institutionalized is one reason (of potentially many) why the recidivism rate is so high in America. However, many adults in custody at least have some measure of life experience on which to rely, but parolees that have spent their entire adult lives in prison might find themselves totally lost as an adult in the “real world.” Regardless of age, simply not knowing where to begin to rebuild one’s life is a significant challenge for returning citizens from the judicial system. The key to overcoming this challenge is to provide them with the resources they need to be successful. While being released from the system as a returning citizen can be a positive experience, reintegrating into society can be extremely stressful. 3
