Reentry in the Inland Empire
Authors: Annika Yvette Anderson, Paul Andrew Jones, and Carolyn Anne McAllister
Publication: Prisoner Reentry in the 21st Century: Critical Perspectives of Returning Home
Date: 2020
In 2016, California State University, San Bernardino (CSUSB) was one of eight CSU campuses awarded a grant to pilot Project Rebound, a campus-based reentry program. In this paper, we discuss the implementation of Project Rebound at California State University, San Bernardino. This research, utilizing an intersectional approach, investigates the difficulties formerly incarcerated individuals face when assimilating into a new environment far removed from the confines of prison. Using case files and interviews, and focusing on participants in the CSUSB’s program, we identify which interventions or resources are needed to further develop a successful college re-entry program based on the participant’s perception. The majority of participants report that the program has several strengths (e.g. textbook vouchers, supplies, staff support and information on events such as legal night). However, they also felt that having a bigger office space would assist in legitimizing the group, but also make it and its participants more visible on the CSUSB campus. The students require multiple services, suggesting a need for collaboration across other campus programs and county agencies. Future research will investigate which interventions are most correlated with success (e.g. graduation and desistance rates).
