The Hard Road Home: The Reality of Reentry

Each year, just over 700,000 individuals are released from America’s jails and prisons and attempt to return home to their communities, with varying levels of family support, financial resources, and motivation. Most will experience many of the same overwhelming challenges, feelings of hopelessness, and desperation. Not surprisingly, about 65% of those who reenter will return to prison within three years.

It is critical for law students, particularly those who plan to work in the criminal legal system, to understand these challenges and the impact of their actions on people enmeshed in the carceral state. This program will allow participants to walk in the shoes of people who are transitioning from incarceration back into society through an immersive exercise that simulates the daily struggles they face. 

Participants in the simulation are given the “identity” of a former incarcerated person, including: a hypothetical crime, education level, a place to live, and a small sum of money they’ve managed to save during their incarceration. They receive instructions for both practical and court-ordered obligations they must complete each week. Fifteen minutes represents one week. At the end of each fifteen minutes, participants are evaluated for progress or failure.

Dinner will be served!

REGISTER HERE: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=IystuTVNcEST_2mspmMv_tOsocQkz5BPppMmzIxYCb5UOUcyR1NDQkJHMTIwUDdYOUFSUDBES1ZORi4u 

Location: Gather at 4 PM in Room 010. Exercise will take place in the Atrium
Address: 83 second ave