Reentry Begins Long Before Release

By Richard Fox

I truly believe that reentry is vitally important to a person's success after leaving prison. But I also believe that reentry should begin while a person is still incarcerated.

When someone first comes to prison, they never want to think they could become institutionalized. However, you cannot spend years in an environment like this without it becoming a part of who you are. The prison system is designed so that once you are locked up, you remain there until the day you are released.

If you leave prison without learning the skills necessary to live successfully, your chances of staying out are greatly reduced.

The current reentry plan within the Alabama Department of Corrections generally begins only when a person is close to parole or release. Much of the focus is on what individuals should not do after release—don't return to old behaviors, don't abuse drugs or alcohol, don't associate with negative influences—and on the requirements they must meet, such as reporting to a parole officer, registering when required, and paying court-ordered fines.

While those things are important, they are only one part of successful reentry.

Long before someone reaches a parole hearing or release date, they should have opportunities to learn practical job skills and the basic life skills needed to succeed in today's world.

Many people in prison have never learned how to create a budget, open a bank account, manage bills, complete a job application, or prepare for a job interview. They are often taught how to get out of prison, but not how to stay out.

That is what makes organizations like On The Way Home Reentry, and other organizations with similar missions, so important.

These organizations give people approaching release a goal, a plan, and the confidence to build a successful future. They also provide support when someone encounters the inevitable roadblocks that come with rebuilding a life.

Many people spend decades incarcerated. When they enter prison, their lives seem to stop while the rest of the world continues moving forward. By the time they return home, they are entering a world that is dramatically different from the one they left.

I left the streets in 1990. That is the world I remember—but it is not the world that exists today.

That is why reentry matters so much to me.

About the Author

Richard Fox is currently incarcerated within the Alabama Department of Corrections and serves as a board member of On The Way Home Reentry. Drawing from decades of lived experience, he advocates for meaningful rehabilitation, earlier reentry preparation, and stronger support systems that help individuals successfully transition back into their families and communities.

Editor's Note

This article was submitted to On The Way Home Reentry for publication with the author's permission. Minor edits were made for grammar, punctuation, and readability while preserving the author's original meaning and voice.

The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position of On The Way Home Reentry.