One Year Out: The Experiences of Male Returning Prisoners in Houston, Texas

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Abstract

Of the 61,000 men released from Texas prisons, roughly 13,000 call Houston their home. These men face challenges across a wide array of skill deficits and needs. In an effort to understand the factors contributing to successful reentry and inform policies to ensure a safer return for both prisoners and the communities in which they reside, the Urban Institute conducted a study of 210 men exiting Texas prisons and returning to the Houston area. This report presents findings from three waves of interviews with these men, conducted shortly before and at two points after their release.

Introduction

Prisoner reentry, the release and return of prisoners back to their communities, is an important and growing concern in states and communities across the country. In Texas, this concern is particularly acute in that the state accounts for 1 in 10 released prisoners nationally (West and Sabol 2009), amounting to over 70,000 returning male and female prisoners each year.¹ Of the 61,000 men released from Texas prisons, roughly 13,000 call Houston their home.² These men face challenges across a wide array of skill deficits and needs. While some successfully reintegrate—finding jobs, reuniting with families, and refraining from drugs and crime—others are less fortunate, inflicting harm to themselves and their victims through substance abuse and criminal behavior.

In an effort to understand the factors contributing to successful reentry and inform policies to ensure a safer return for both prisoners and the communities in which they reside, the Urban Institute conducted a study of 210 men exiting Texas prisons and returning to the Houston area. This report presents findings from three waves of interviews with these men, conducted shortly before and at two points after their release. Preprison characteristics, reentry preparation behind bars, expectations for release, postprison relationships, and engagement in both pro- and anti-social behaviors are examined in detail. Results of regression analyses identifying the individual characteristics and experiences associated with postrelease employment, substance abuse, and criminal behavior are also reported. The findings are presented with an eye toward how policies and practices can be designed to promote the successful reentry of prisoners who are returning home.

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