Date of Award

Spring 2008

Project Type

Thesis

Program or Major

Sociology

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Abstract

The current study examines inmates' transition into the community upon release from the Strafford County Department of Corrections (SCDOC), a rural county jail in New Hampshire, in 2006. The present goals are to analyze the degree to which these individuals were able to successfully reintegrate into the community and to identify potential risk factors for future engagement in crime. To meet these goals, the current study utilizes (1) data collected during pre-release discharge plan meetings (n = 160); (2) data retrieved from the official SCDOC corrections database, which reports any arrests and/or incarcerations that have resulted since release (n = 160); and (3) comprehensive self-report survey data ( n = 26), which measured inmates' experiences obtaining housing, employment, health care, mental health treatment, and transportation upon release. Descriptive findings, limitations, and empirically-informed strategies for improving the transition from the correctional institution to the community are discussed.

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