Voices From Inside

Reentry After 21 Years

By Zache D. Horton

After serving 21 years in an Alabama prison, reentry is both an opportunity and a challenge. The world has changed in ways I could not have imagined. Technology, employment, housing, and even the way people communicate are different.

If I were to be released today, I know that returning to society after two decades requires more than simply opening the prison gate—it requires preparation, support, and determination.

Statistics show why reentry matters. According to the U.S. Bureau of Justice, about 66% of people released from prison are rearrested within three years, and more than 80% are arrested within ten years. These numbers show that many people across the nation are struggling after release, often because they lack stable housing, employment, education, and community support.

But the most important issue is incarcerated individuals not being trained and mentally prepared before being released.

Alabama has stated that it recognizes these challenges. The state has joined the Reentry 2030 initiative with the goal of reducing recidivism by 50% by the end of the decade. Alabama has also expanded reentry programs that provide job training, education, and supervision.

But what is lacking is reality.

Alabama may have expanded its programs, but it has not expanded who these programs reach. What about the people who have already rehabilitated themselves and are prepared to be released at this moment?

There are many incarcerated people who have shown, with a proven track record, significant progress toward preparation for release without the help of these programs—especially at Donaldson Correctional Facility.

So, where are these programs, and whom are they affecting?

Officials have reported that state facilities with reentry programs have experienced significantly lower recidivism rates than facilities that do not have them.

But what about incarcerated people who have been rehabilitated using other methods that work?

For someone like me, who has spent two decades incarcerated, success has depended on taking advantage of every opportunity available. I knew I had to continue my education, constantly train in the areas where I knew I could be most successful, rebuild family relationships, and surround myself with positive influences.

I also understand that earning trust will take time.

In my eyes, reentry is not just about helping formerly incarcerated people; it is about making communities safer. When people leave prison with the tools to succeed, they are less likely to return to crime and more likely to become productive citizens.

After 21 years, I, along with others, have proven that rehabilitation is possible and that our next chapter will be defined by responsibility, hard work, and hope.

We just need to be given that chance.

About the Author

Zache D. Horton is currently incarcerated within the Alabama Department of Corrections. After more than two decades of incarceration, he writes from lived experience about rehabilitation, preparation for release, and the challenges people face when returning to a society that has changed significantly during their incarceration.

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 in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position of On The Way Home Reentry.

How OTWH Helps

On The Way Home Reentry believes successful reentry begins before a person is released. Through parole planning, case management, family support, reentry education, community referrals, and ongoing assistance after release, OTWH works to help individuals and families prepare for the road ahead.