Halfway House: Prisoner Reentry and the Shadow of Carceral Care

Halfway House is a documentary that provides an inside look at the struggles of former prisoners in reentering society. It follows the lives of individuals living in a residential reentry program near Boston, Massachusetts, and explores the obstacles they face in the real world, such as drug addiction and poverty. The film challenges the possibilities and pitfalls of using halfway houses to manage the worst excesses of mass incarceration and offers a rare, up-close view of their role in the web of organizations governing prisoner reentry.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 256 pages
Publication date: 05 October 2021
Publisher: New York University Press

Every year, approximately 650,000 individuals prepare to reintegrate into society after being released from state and federal prisons. In Halfway House, Liam Martin offers a revealing insight into their challenging journeys, taking us behind the scenes at Bridge House, a residential reentry program located near Boston, Massachusetts. Drawing on three years of extensive research, Martin delves into the obstacles these former prisoners encounter in the real world. From drug addiction to poverty, he vividly captures the ups and downs of life after incarceration, providing a rare, up-close perspective of the role of halfway houses in the intricate web of organizations governing prisoner reentry. Martin challenges us to reevaluate the potential benefits and risks of utilizing halfway houses to address the severe consequences of mass incarceration. Halfway House serves as a poignant portrait of life in the long shadow of the carceral state, allowing us to empathize with the struggles of reentry through the eyes of former prisoners.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781479800698