ABSTRACT
In the United States, racial disparities in the criminal justice system have historically subjected blacks to higher arrest rates and longer prison terms. On average, over 700,000 people are released from prison each year to communities throughout the U.S. Families of color must deal with the barriers and myriad problems that their formerly incarcerated loved ones experience once they return to society. Although reentry programs seek to prepare formerly incarcerated persons for life outside of prison, such programs are unable to prepare formerly incarcerated persons for reentry into an unjust society. This chapter aims to identify barriers associated with reentry for Black formerly incarcerated males and their families, such as stigma, discrimination, and lack of social capital, by examining the narratives of Black formerly incarcerated persons in Baltimore, Maryland.
