1) Ex-Convicts as Returning Citizens

1) Ex-Convicts as Returning Citizens

"Between 1974 and 2002, the number of inmates in federal and state prisons rose six-fold. By 2002, 476 out of every 100,000 Americans were imprisoned, according to Justice Department statistics" (Weinstein). In June of 2009, there were approximately
2.3 million people incarcerated (Bent). About 95 percent of these prisoners will eventually be released back into society (Weinstein). For most ex-felons, this transition is extremely difficult. Ram Cnaan says that person's contacts with society are often severed. (Johnson) Ex-felons return to a different world than the one they left. People are older, things have changed (Childerston).

"Your ability to navigate bureaucracy was never very good and now you come [out of prison] and people tell you that you have to stand in line, you have to fill out forms, and you don’t know how to do it," said Ram Cnaan (Johnson). Some returning citizens were imprisoned as young adults, and have never held a job. When they renter society, they need to find work, but they do not know how. Even simple things like shaking someone's hand or not stealing, must be learned (Childerston).