ABSTRACT
From interviews with former offenders, Helfgott found that interviewees had little family and friend support upon reintegration. The surveys of the public, potential employers, property managers, and universities indicated fear and hostility toward former offenders. In a study by Brown, Canadian federal parole supervisors were asked what they believed were the biggest challenges faced by returning offenders. Another study, conducted by Graffam, Shinkfield, Lavelle, and McPherson, examined the variables affecting successful reentry or failure from the perceptions of offenders from the criminal justice and rehabilitation service sector. In a gap analysis comparing overall reentry programming in rural and urban areas, Zajac et al found the rate of programs per capita in rural Pennsylvania areas is actually higher than urban areas. Through the interviews, Zajac et al identified stigma, housing and job attainment, transportation, and programs addressing criminogenic needs as rural offenders' major challenges.
