News & Articles

Higher education in prison is valuable to individual students, their families, the communities to which they return, and the larger society. But college programs for incarcerated people are often difficult to implement and lack transparency regarding student participation, courses and services offered, and educational outcomes. Even most research studies treat college-in-prison programs as “black boxes,” with little information about what happens within programs, and they typically focus on criminological rather than educational goals in assessing programs.

As part of an overall effort to deal with inequities in the justice system, the White House announced, on April 26, 2022, a series of initiatives to support the reentry of formerly incarcerated persons into the workforce.

The Nevada Department of Corrections (NDOC) is finding innovative ways to expand its array of programming and services for individuals transitioning from incarceration to the community despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Societal reentry from prison presents a wide array of extreme challenges to inmates attempting to reintegrate with society. This process is significantly more daunting for inmates suffering from mental illness for several reasons. This paper examines the reentry process for inmates with mental illness. Three sample reentry programs (Forensic Assertive Community Treatment, Critical Time Intervention, and Thresholds' Prison Aftercare Program) that were developed for inmates with mental illness are discussed along with research testifying to the effectiveness of these programs. Finally, components that would comprise an ideal prison reentry program for mentally ill inmates are outlined, which include a three-phase structure and a focus on preparing both inmates and communities for the reentry process.