Re-entry

Of the 2.3 million inmates in prison or jail in the United States, 1.5 million meet the DSM IV medical criteria for substance abuse or addiction. An additional 458,000 had histories of substance abuse; were under the influence of alcohol or other drugs at the time of their crime; committed their offense to get money to buy drugs; were incarcerated for an alcohol or drug law violation; or shared some combination of these characteristics, according to Behind Bars II: Substance Abuse and America's Prison Population. Combined these two groups constitute 85 percent of the U.S. prison population.

Each year more than 600,000 adult inmates are released from state and federal prisons, and an estimated 100,000 juvenile offenders are released from detention centers. Unfortunately, ex-offenders returning to their communities can threaten the cohesion of many of the most troubled neighborhoods and many often experience substance abuse addiction and a myriad of other challenges. Community coalitions can play an important role in increasing positive outcomes for offenders who return to their home communities after incarceration. Coalitions will have an opportunity to learn about offender reentry issues at CADCA´s free two-day regional training on May 16-17, held at the Boston Marriot Quincy, 1000 Marriott Drive, Quincy, Mass.