Prisoner Reentry and Social Capital The Long Road to Reintegration

Prisoner Reentry and social Capital takes as its starting point interviews with twenty-five men and women during the summer of 2008 about their experiences with reentering the "free world" after a period of incarceration. By analyzing the experiences of these men and women, Angela Hattery and Earl Smith take an in-depth look at the factors that hamper successful reentry and illustrate some successes and failures. The book examines individual characteristics that inhibit successful reentry such as addition and sex offender status, as well as the unique challenges faced by women. Hattery and Smith also focus on the role that social capital plays as one of the most important factors shaping the reentry experience. These interviews and analyses provide a deeper and more precise understanding of the biases faced by reentry felons in the labor market and works to address the key barriers to reentry in hopes of aiding in their elimination. Book jacket.

Angela Hattery is professor of sociology at Wake Forest University.
Earl Smith is professor of sociology and the Rubin Distinguished Professor of American Ethnic Studies at Wake Forest University.