ABSTRACT
A Reentry Court team is composed of representatives from law enforcement to provide accountability but also many social service providers and volunteers such as myself to aid with social support. Most ex-prisoners return to the community with no job prospect, no permanent living arrangement, and usually financial debt. The judge, team members, and even fellow reentering participants support individuals by helping them find jobs and move into apartments. In a public courtroom session Judge Brown explains, “We have an ABC job plan: ‘A’ equals any job, ‘B’ is a better job, and ‘C’ is a career job. If you don’t have a job, your job is to find a job… any job. Several people in the court room are eager to help you.” Everyone in the room knows how difficult it is for a person with a felony conviction to get a job, and it is necessary to depend on others for support and help in gaining full-time employment. When a new participant, John, claims, “I can’t find a job. I’m trying, but I just can’t get hired,” Judge Brown says, “You cannot be a good citizen if you do not work. You must get a job to stay out of prison.”
