Jail reentry is a solution to jail crowding that works by transitioning the offenders from prison to the community (Schmalleger & Smykla, 2015). This is part of the strategies to ensure that fewer offenders will commit crimes upon release. The jail reentry includes measures such as improving the jobs skills of the inmates; increasing their wage potential and assisting them to find jobs after release. Then once particular inmates are identified with the potential to integrate into the society, they are released from the state or federal prison.
This raises the issue of the criteria used to target the individuals suitable for jail reentry programs considering the implications on public safety (Schmalleger & Smykla, 2015). There are different measures used includes the Frequent Users Service Enhancement (FUSE) that
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In contrast, the nation has more admissions and releases from jails than prisons. Furthermore, around 20% of the inmates in jail serve at least a month with only 4% serving over six months. The result of this is that there are an estimated 12 million admissions and releases annually. It is crucial to note that there are several challenges to the local jails in prisoner reentry that must be addressed including mental illness, substance abuse and dependence, limited employability, and extensive criminal histories. The jail reentry programs such as educational and vocation programs in the prisons work by boosting the self-esteem of prisoners, changing the inmate’s attitudes, abilities, and outlooks. This is also achieved by teaching them to learn job skills that encourage legitimate occupation upon release. Studies indicate that the inmates participating in jail reentry programs are far less likely to reoffend upon