What Getting Out Really Looks Like
Awake Window & Door Co.
What Getting Out Really Looks Like
Understanding Reentry — and Why It Matters
“Reentry” is the term used to describe the process of someone returning to the community after incarceration. If you haven’t experienced it or watched someone close to you go through it, it’s easy to picture it as a single event — someone walks out of the gates, finds a job, and moves on.
In reality, reentry is a layered and complex process. Understanding what’s involved helps explain why some approaches work, and others aren’t as effective.
It’s Much More than One Transition
Family Relationships
Time apart changes family dynamics. Kids grow up, routines shift, and relationships that once felt familiar can feel unfamiliar on both sides.
Technology
Phones and the internet play completely different roles today. For someone returning after a long sentence, this can be a real barrier to job applications, which are now almost entirely online.
Identification
Many people leave without a valid photo ID, required for housing, banking, and employment. As of 2026, 28 states now require facilities to help people obtain ID before release.
Why Employment Changes Outcomes
16%
Recidivism rate for those who find employment after release
52%
Recidivism rate for those who cannot find work after release
$2.7M
Estimated tax revenue from hiring 100 formerly incarcerated people
On a human level, employment can be the first environment where someone is seen for who they are now rather than their past record. That shift — from being defined by what happened before to being evaluated on what someone does now — is a turning point in their reentry process.
“Reentry isn’t a single moment — it’s a process that touches whole communities. Stable employment and community support meaningfully change outcomes for individuals and public safety alike.”
What Actually Helps
Access to important personal documentation immediately after release.
Stable housing — housing instability is directly linked to recidivism.
Employment — given the significant drop in recidivism it’s associated with.
Support systems — family, community organizations, and employers willing to invest in someone’s future and potential.
The data shows that stable employment and community support meaningfully change outcomes — both for individuals and for public safety. Understanding these complexities is a useful starting point for anyone in a position to help as an employer, a coworker, or a neighbor.
Data from: Zippia, “Out of Prison Employment Statistics,” 2026