Funding Agency: The Community Education Center’s Alumni Association

Principal Investigator: Michael Ostermann

Abstract: Those who are released from prison and attempt to reenter their communities face significant challenges that span multiple domains. Challenges include, but are not limited to, securing stable housing, finding and retaining employment, reconnecting with their families, and dealing with potential substance abuse issues. Often, recently released inmates do not have a strong social support network to help them navigate this period of transition. Limited research has examined how these networks are accessed and used by the formerly incarcerated.

Community Education Centers (CEC) operates an Alumni Association, which is intended to serve as a support network for its graduates. The Association is comprised of former offenders who have successfully completed a CEC program. Members serve in a mentor capacity, encouraging offenders to set goals, utilize social services, and remain crime-free. Rutgers seeks to research the following questions: