
Families of Prisoners Support Group
This community is dedicated to families that have been disrupted by prison. Having a loved one incarcerated or having been incarcerated comes with its own unique challenges that require support and understanding. Join the group to find others who know what you're going through, and to seek advice or share your experience.
Released Inmate Services - Seeking Sources

deleted_user
Hi everybody.
I'm an undergraduate student who is currently searching various online sources for information on "Released Inmate Services," as an extracurricular welfare project. My stepmother was recently released from Chowchilla prison, and has had a difficult time getting back on her feet, so I thought it would be appropriate to do this.
I have two brief questions:
1. How has this discussion forum helped you with the difficulty of being incarcerated or having a family member incarcerated?
2. What services have you found, online or offline, that have improved (your own/your incarcerated family member's) ability to succeed in the community after release?
If I can find at least three relevant sources (a.k.a. two more after this source), then I plan to make the information accessible to the students and faculty at my university.
Thanks!
I'm an undergraduate student who is currently searching various online sources for information on "Released Inmate Services," as an extracurricular welfare project. My stepmother was recently released from Chowchilla prison, and has had a difficult time getting back on her feet, so I thought it would be appropriate to do this.
I have two brief questions:
1. How has this discussion forum helped you with the difficulty of being incarcerated or having a family member incarcerated?
2. What services have you found, online or offline, that have improved (your own/your incarcerated family member's) ability to succeed in the community after release?
If I can find at least three relevant sources (a.k.a. two more after this source), then I plan to make the information accessible to the students and faculty at my university.
Thanks!
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This probably isn't the most appropriate place to post this question, but I think a suffecient "this isn't the place for your post" would have been good enough. It's our choice to respond and answer his post or not. Sorry you ran into so much trouble here Wilsonwr. Usually the folks here are very nice, and would just say it's not the right place. Maybe it's the holidays.
I also want to tell you my gratitude for referencing me to the other sites where such questions would be more appropriate.
I'll just put everything on the table. What I'm doing really isn't a "report" or "homework." I am doing it voluntarily; it will not affect my grades. Essentially, I hope to centralize a number of websites so that anybody attending my university, now or in the future, who can't seem to find the help that they seek for their loved ones in prison (this includes me) can find it more easily. I wasn't sure where to start... so I asked you guys.
And to be frank, there are people who can greatly benefit from this support group but do not know about it. The forum seems like a family. A very protective family. =)
Again, thanks for the links given.
Any information like this is helpful. My goal is to help fellow students effectively and efficiently locate the information they will need to overcome the tribulation of imprisonment. It will empower them to apply and benefit from the vast storehouse of information that is in fact already available. The finished product of this work will allow students to share their knowledge with others through an on-line textbook, thereby truly embodying the ideal of our university: Enter to Learn, Go Forth to Serve.
I would be lying if I didn't admit that I am particular to Post-Prison Outreach Programs, for reasons that should be obvious. But I will search for those personally.
On a side note, I wish your family the best. I'm confident that you will get to the end of your challenges not only intact, but stronger than before. I've always considered this life to be Act II of a three-act play. All the tragedies and shocking plot-twists may take place here, but they were preceded by a divine spiritual birthright and will be followed by the burning glories of eternal felicity, if we prepare properly.
I found a program called the inmates marriage encounter a program for spouses who are seperated by prison. The program taught us better communication and had improved our marriage.
I do however, feel that your benefit to society would be better served desiminating the information to released prisoners rather than students and faculty at your university.
The National H.I.R.E. Network
www.hirenetwork.org
The acronym stands for "Helping Individuals with criminal records Reenter through Employment." Since it is established by LAC, a non-profit organization, it is not encumbered by any advertisments.
Click on "Resources and Assistance" and a map of the United States will come up. Click on the map anywhere from California to New York to find state-specific governmental agencies and community-based organizations that assist people with criminal records, practitioners, researchers, and policy makers.
The Network also releases a monthly newsletter.
There is also the Publications section. PDF's whose titles caught my eye were: --After Prison: Roadblocks to Reentry
It is described as"the first-ever comprehensive study of the legal barriers in all 50 states that people with criminal records must overcome in order to lead productive, law-abiding lives and successfully rejoin society."
Reentry National Media Outreach Program
http://www.reentrymediaoutreach.org/
This is a campaign funded by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. So once again, it is free of advertisements.
The site is aesthetically pleasing and has some moving documentaries and media galleries.
However, what jumped out to me was the material under Tools and Resources>Additional Resource Material. There are two informative PDF's, "McKean Inmate Transition Program Resource Guide" and "Bureau of Prison Employment Manual."
Legal Action Center
www.lac.org
I'll just paste their description:
"The Legal Action Center is the only non-profit law and policy organization in the United States whose sole mission is to fight discrimination against people with histories of addiction, HIV/AIDS, or
***criminal records***,
and to advocate for sound public policies in these areas. For three decades, LAC has worked to combat the stigma and prejudice that keep these individuals out of the mainstream of society. The Legal Action Center is committed to helping people reclaim their lives, maintain their dignity, and participate fully in society as productive, responsible citizens. LAC has just completed an exhaustive, two-year study of the legal obstacles that people with criminal records face when they attempt to reenter society and become productive, law-abiding citizens. LAC's research found that people with criminal records seeking reentry face a daunting array of counterproductive, debilitating, and unreasonable roadblocks in almost every important aspect of life."
Note that it is New York based, but also has Nationwide projects. The organization is extremely reputable. It has not only received numerous rewards, but also extends prestigious awards of its own.
Check out their National Criminal Justice Programs
Federal Bureau of Prisons: Inmate Matters
http://www.bop.gov/inmate_programs/index.jsp
Sections I consider worth exploring are:
--Designations (having this info may be useful)
--Education (There is an occupational training programs directory, listing the occupation programs of every prison in the US)
--Inmate Money (An important financial detail!)
--Release Preparation
Although this is the federal government agency's site, I found it to be less benefical. It still contains important information, though.
So yeah. That was my first stab at it.