Beyond Bars : Rejoining Society after Prison

In the United States, more than two million men and women are behind bars. Another five million live under the control of the criminal justice system. Few are prepared for the tough transition to their new life beyond bars.

Jeffrey Ian Ross, Ph.D., is an associate professor in the Division of Criminology, Criminal Justice and Social Policy, a fellow of the Center for International and Comparative Law, and currently a Provostal Fellow at the University of Baltimore. He is the author of Problems in Corrections.

Stephen C. Richards, Ph.D., is an associate professor of criminal justice at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. In 1983, he was convicted of conspiracy to distribute marijuana. Richards was sentenced to 9 years and served time in 9 federal prisons. Released from federal prison in 1987, he completed his M.A. in sociology (University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee) and Ph.D. in sociology (Iowa State University).