Getting a GRIP on Jail Reentry Programs

Jail reentry programs have increased in popularity when rehabilitation-focused policies erected in the 1990s. Previously, more attention has been given to prison reentry programs as the criminal justice-involved individuals typically participating in these programs are incarcerated significantly longer than those in jails. Investigating jail reentry programs is important as most individuals participating in these programs, whether one-time offenders or life-long offenders, pass through jails at some point in their criminal career. Having successful reentry programs at the jail level could potentially reduce the prison population by assisting and preparing individuals returning to the community from jail. The current research encompasses a thorough review of the existing literature on reentry programs, including the history, types, and results of such programs in order to inform a discussion on policy suggestions and implications