Defining what exactly constitutes successful reentry into society is challenging. Is abstaining from criminal behavior enough to be considered a success? Or does a successful reentry imply more than desistance from crime, for example, the ability to live independently—without receiving substantial support from family or the government? What about those formerly incarcerated persons who desist for a significant period of time and then relapse unexpectedly? Should they be defined by their momentary failure? Research suggests that formerly incarcerated persons have a wide range of social welfare needs such as substance abuse problems, housing insecurity, and prolonged unemployment. Recent studies therefore conclude that reentry cannot be measured easily as a binary concept. Reentry, many contemporary criminologists argue, is a complex process marked by cycles of success and failure. By integrating concepts such as individual agency and identity formation, criminologists and sociologists have developed a more nuanced understanding of reentry processes. Qualitative research in particular challenges a dichotomous understanding of recidivism and desistance, emphasizing that reentering society after prison is a process marked by setbacks. In those studies, success or failure are not definitive verdicts, but rather momentary snapshots of pathways whose outcome remain uncertain.
Transitional care for formerly incarcerated persons with HIV: protocol for a realist review
