With my sentence reduced by 8 months, my mom asked if I would share my Reentry/Release Plan with her. This request made me chuckle – lemme explain why. She researched the transitory steps from leaving prison to reentry into the community. One of these steps requires an inmate to complete a Reentry/Release Plan in an effort to prepare for halfway house or home confinement. Completing a Reentry/Release Plan makes all the sense in the world. During my preparation to enter prison, I often read about these plans and how important they are. “Your reentry planning starts on your first day of incarceration,” I quickly recall.
Back in June, I was asked to complete my Reentry/Release Plan, which becomes quite a pivotal point of the incarceration experience. The name alone seems like the plan would require details about future aspirations, short/long-term goals, planning for budgets and detailing daily events that will promote successful reentry into the community. Queue the chuckle The Reentry/Release Plan is a single-paged form that asks about 6 questions:
1. What is Your Name and Inmate Registration Number?
2. Do you have a residence that you will be living after your release? If so, what is the address of the residence?
3. What jurisdiction or district was your court case processed?
4. Are you disabled or do you have a medical concern that prevents you from working?
5. Upon release from prison, do you have a job? If so, what is the name and contact information of the employer.
6. Upon release from prison, do you need us to provide transportation to the halfway house or your residence?
I wish these questions were an exaggeration, but they truly consist of the Reentry/Release Plan. To be fair, prison administrators complete their own forms and provide more detailed recommendations to the halfway house administrators or probation officers. However, the plan completely lacks personal ambitions and accountable statements for ensuring a successful transition. The plan is not profound and is not some comprehensive explanation of how ready an inmate is to return to the community. Basically, the form is a counterintuitive piece of paper that checks the box of some holistic criteria translating into full compliance of readiness for an inmate to reenter society. As I reflected last week about the educational and trade opportunities offered (or lack thereof), things aren’t as they appear to be within the prison system. I appreciate you taking the time to humor my perspective of this prison experience. As always, I hope you and your loved ones have a safe, restful, and joyous week…and continue to be mindful of any little miracle in your life 🙂