James B. Annan is a Ph.D. student at the Ohio University School of Communication Studies.
Would you hire someone who has been to prison? Would you rent them your apartment? If your son, daughter, brother, or sister fell in love with them, would you support that relationship? And if they moved into your neighborhood, would you welcome them?
According to a report from the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections, over 20,000 people are released from state prisons each year, along with about 75,000 from local jails.
The department of corrections report further reveals that one-third of formerly incarcerated individuals are likely to be re-arrested within three years of their release. This cycle of reoffending significantly impacts thousands of families and communities throughout the state.
With so many Ohioans leaving prison, reentry has become a critical social issue. When returning citizens lack stable employment or housing, their chances of successful reintegration diminish.
Data from the Bureau of Justice Statistics indicate that reentry and repeat offending are widespread issues in the United States, with over 1.25 million people held in state and federal prisons.
Concerns are rising as nearly three out of four released individuals are re-arrested within a few years, and about one-third of them end up back in prison, according to the bureau.
The barriers they can’t get around
While the criminal justice system is making frantic efforts, the cycle of incarceration remains one of its greatest challenges.
With 12 years of experience in corrections, I can confidently say that many returning individuals struggle to stay out of the criminal justice system. This is largely due to social structures and policies that create barriers to successful reentry.
As a doctoral student at Ohio University, I took a course on the sociology of prisoner reentry. It became evident that many individuals return from prison carrying trauma, addiction, shame, poverty, mental health issues and broken relationships.
Without adequate support, their transition back into society becomes extremely difficult.
Research in the United States shows that second chances are effective when individuals receive long-term support after their release from prison.
The paths towards success
A national report by the Council of State Governments Justice Center, titled “50 States, 1 Goal: Examining State-Level Recidivism Trends in the Second Chance Act Era,” found that individuals are more likely to succeed when society provides stable housing, jobs, health care, emotional support and community acceptance instead of continued punishment and rejection.
The report examined recidivism trends across all 50 states during the early years of the Second Chance Act, originally signed into law in 2008 by President George W. Bush and later strengthened by subsequent criminal justice reforms.
As a result, three-year reincarceration rates across the United States have dropped by 23% since 2008. Fewer people returned to prison because states expanded reentry support, employment opportunities, behavioral health care, housing assistance and coordinated community programs.
The national report also indicates that when states invest in support systems, individuals are less likely to return to prison. Second chances are not just moral concepts; they are practical public safety strategies.
Our communities become safer when formerly incarcerated citizens receive help in rebuilding their lives. Instead of turning our backs on returning individuals, we must welcome them into our society and provide support.
In 2024, a team of judges, correctional officials, mental health professionals, legal experts, community organizations and reentry specialists across the state published the Supreme Court of Ohio Task Force on Reentry Final Report.
The task force was mandated to examine what facilitates successful reintegration for formerly incarcerated people into their communities.
Its report found that reentry success in Ohio heavily depends on social support, including stable housing, health care, education, employment opportunities, mentorship and strong community relationships.
The task force’s recommendation emphasizes that reentry should not be treated as a one-time event. Instead, Ohio officials view reintegration as a long-term process that must begin during incarceration and continue after release.
To make second chances practical for returning citizens, laws governing the treatment of individuals with criminal records need to be reviewed.
Second chances must be given
Currently, Ohio lawmakers are considering “second chances” bills that could facilitate reentry and reduce repeat offending statewide. I commend our lawmakers for this initiative.
For instance, Ohio House Bill 393, if passed, would expand programs that help incarcerated individuals obtain state identification cards before their release. Many returning citizens, as it stands now, struggle to find jobs, secure housing, open bank accounts, or even access basic services without a state ID.
Additionally, Ohio House Bill 268 would streamline the application process for a certificate of qualification for employment for formerly incarcerated citizens. Under current Ohio law, many individuals must wait years after completing all sanctions before applying for the certificate.
Another crucial proposal is Ohio Senate Bill 143, known as the “ban-the-box” bill. Once passed, this law would prevent employers from asking about the criminal history of job applicants.
Ultimately, returning Ohioans would have an equal opportunity to be evaluated based on their skills and qualifications rather than their past mistakes.
The United States has the largest prison population in the world, so if we truly believe in second chances, support should not end at the prison gate. The reentry process is gradual and a shared responsibility.
A second chance should not be a mere promise; it should be a commitment we uphold long after individuals leave the prison gate.
James B. Annan is a Ph.D. student at the Ohio University School of Communication Studies.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio sets ex-inmates up to fail. It is a critical issue | Opinion
Reporting by James B. Annan, Guest Columnist / The Columbus Dispatch
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By James B. Annan, Guest Columnist | USA TODAY Network
