ABSTRACT
The high imprisonment rate in the United States and the concomitant high release rate of 600,000 individuals annually have focused efforts in recent years on the reintegration and reentry of offenders (Travis, Solomon, and Waul 2001). Among the many hurdles ex-offenders face upon release are locating employment and housing, reconnecting with family, establishing bank accounts, and applying for welfare benefits. Many of these tasks are difficult not only because of the offender's often long absence from the larger society but also because of his criminal record. Some forms of stigmatization of ex-offenders are legally mandated, others are socially condoned; only some forms of discrimination, for example in the employment area, are prohibited. Frequently, it is impossible for offenders to take certain steps generally considered crucial toward reintegration because of so-called collateral consequences, or collateral sanctions (Travis 2002).
