Rehabilitation or Recidivism

Dismantling the system’s perpetuated cycle, and exploring the subjection of women of color in the parole-to-prison pipeline.

Research Paper
Race and Incarceration
Professor Mary Ellen Curtin

Introduction

The parole-to-prison pipeline repeats itself far too often, responsible for the incarceration of 190,000 + women in America. Roughly 10% of the total incarcerated population, yet a number that accounts for a population that is 50% likely to reoffend and be back behind bars before the mark of a year. One may ask, why is the cycle of recidivism repeated at the rate it is?

The cycle of rehabilitation and recidivism is a persistent and devastating reality for many women of color. Though the recurring pattern is not the result of individual failure, but rather a symptom of deep-seated systemic inequalities embedded in our criminal justice system. Black and brown women, in particular, face unique socio-economic and cultural obstacles upon release from incarceration, making their journey toward reintegration nearly insurmountable. The conditions that shape their lives post-parole—such as limited access to employment, unstable housing, strained familial relationships, and the burden of a criminal record—exacerbate their marginalization and drastically increase their likelihood of reoffending and increasing our incarceration. Another contributing reason why the U.S. stands with the highest incarceration rate compared to any other country on the globe, according to the Prison Policy Initiative.

Moreover, the scarcity of gender-specific, trauma-informed resources makes successful reintegration all the more challenging, and almost impossible in most to all situations. Rehabilitation centers are too often underfunded, poorly structured, and inattentive to the nuanced needs of women of color, including histories of abuse, addiction, and generational poverty. The existing infrastructure for rehabilitation functions less as a support system and more as a revolving door, reinforcing the parole-to-prison pipeline. While mainstream models have attempted to cater to this demographic, the work of Susan Burton and her organization, A New Way of Life Reentry Project, has perhaps been the most successful model for inspiration and attempted change. Burton’s model demonstrates that when women are given the right tools—safe housing, job training, community, and a sense of emotional support—they can not only avoid reoffending but become agents of systemic change and are active testaments to ending the cycle. Without investment in community-based rehabilitation efforts like Burton’s, the cycle of recidivism will remain inevitable for women of color. In the utmost effort to dismantle the system and institute change that doesn’t come from prison cells but rather institutions of solace and commiseration, the role of rehabilitation will be explored in entirety to dissect how we can break the cycle and build a new narrative.

Literature Review

Post-parole, individuals who have spent most of their life behind bars find themselves unacquainted with society. Questions such as their acceptance into the community, the stigma around them, lack of job opportunities, and a deficit of a strong support system plague their confidence. Susan Burton, a prominent advocate for women’s rehabilitation and Founder of A New Way of Life once said, “When women are given a chance to heal and rebuild, they not only change their own lives but also positively impact their families and communities.” This quote stands as a powerful testament to where society can head with the right reform to our prison and correctional systems.

Susan Burton’s Becoming Ms. Burton offers a deeply personal yet resonant account of the challenges faced by a formerly incarcerated woman of color herself. Burton describes her life as shaped by early trauma, addiction, and multiple incarcerations. Crucially, the biggest highlight is that her transformation begins not within the prison system but outside of it—through access to recovery programs, stable housing, and community support. Her memoir is not just a personal story; it is a case study of what successful reentry can look like when society chooses to invest in rehabilitation rather than punishment. The reentry model developed by Burton through A New Way of Life Reentry Project addresses key drivers of recidivism, including housing instability, unemployment, and untreated trauma. This model is effective precisely because it treats formerly incarcerated women as whole people, not perpetual offenders, something that our correctional facilities epitomize at their core.. Navigating society after living life in regiment, regulation, and under a surveilled routine of living can be expectedly difficult, reminding us that the answer to breaking the system lies in care, not crudeness.

A consistent theme among most authors in addressing the cycle of recidivism has been the complexity of the post-parole period. Ernest Drucker’s A Plague of Prisons contextualizes Burton’s work within the broader framework of mass incarceration, conceptualizing it as a public health crisis rather than a criminal justice problem. Drucker argues that the system functions as an epidemiological engine, disproportionately impacting marginalized populations and perpetuating cycles of disadvantage. His analysis supports the view that recidivism is not a natural consequence of criminality but a manufactured outcome of failed social governmental policies. By framing incarceration as a public health issue, Drucker highlights the necessity for preventive and rehabilitative strategies akin to those found in medical treatment—an approach embodied by Burton’s model.

In a similar light, Cheryl D. Hicks’ Talk with You Like a Woman offers a historical lens to understand the modern crisis of recidivism. Hicks documents how Black women in early 20th-century New York were criminalized not just for actions but for behaviors deemed inappropriate by white, patriarchal standards. Their experiences reveal the long-standing pattern of societal neglect, moral policing, and systematic disenfranchisement. This historical perspective underscores how deeply embedded the roots of the parole-to-prison pipeline are, and how they continue to manifest in contemporary systems of surveillance and punishment. Taken all together, these works construct a common and powerful argument: recidivism among women of color is not simply a legal issue, but a structural one that requires comprehensive, culturally responsive intervention. For this reason, Susan Burton’s model emerges as a tangible, proven solution to this long-standing crisis, directly challenging the institutional neglect highlighted by both Drucker and Hicks and an effective solution towards breaking the cycle once and for all.

Research

According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, an outstanding 70% of released individuals are rearrested within three years due to their inability to reintegrate into society. The cyclic dynamic that continues in lieu of inadequate resources keeps an entirety of Americans behind bars, most notably women of color who already suffer from a lack of mental health support and in many instances substance abuse. Rehabilitation programs not only equip individuals but most importantly empower these individuals, especially when it comes to regaining momentum and building the confidence to find their identity post-incarceration. Structural deficiencies in reentry support, combined with punitive parole practices and systemic inequalities, create a pathway that funnels individuals from supervision back into prison.

The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) highlights the scope of the problem, noting that over two-thirds of individuals released from prison are rearrested within three years, and over 80% within ten years of release.¹ Many of these arrests are not for new crimes but for technical violations of parole, such as missing appointments or failing drug tests. These violations, while not necessarily threats to public safety, are treated with punitive severity, contributing to the revolving door between supervision and incarceration. The Brennan Center for Justice points to a fundamental misalignment between parole practices and rehabilitative goals. Rather than supporting successful reintegration, parole systems often emphasize surveillance and punishment, reinforcing carceral control outside of prison walls.² This approach fails to address the root causes of recidivism—such as poverty, lack of stable housing, mental health issues, and employment barriers—that remain largely unaddressed during and after incarceration.

The Prison Policy Initiative further illustrates how systemic disinvestment in reentry services exacerbates this cycle. Formerly incarcerated people face staggering levels of unemployment—27%—which far exceeds the national average and disproportionately impacts Black individuals, women, and those with limited education.³ These barriers are intensified by parole conditions that may restrict movement, contact with family, and access to services, making compliance difficult and increasing the likelihood of reincarceration. The impact is particularly acute for women, as documented by the National Institute of Justice. Women face unique reentry challenges, including higher rates of trauma histories, caregiving responsibilities, and mental health issues.⁴ Yet reentry programs are rarely gender-responsive, failing to provide the holistic, trauma-informed care needed to support women’s rehabilitation. As a result, women on parole often find themselves re-incarcerated due to unmet needs rather than criminal intent. Together, these findings underline how the parole-to-prison cycle is not an accident as painted but a product of policy design. By emphasizing surveillance over support, and punishment over prevention, the system perpetuates recidivism and disproportionately impacts already marginalized communities. Reform efforts must reimagine parole as a tool for empowerment rather than control, centering community-based supports, trauma-informed services, and economic opportunity as essential elements of sustainable reintegration.