The Trouble With Halfway Houses

Don’t get me started (sips her Sunday Morning Coffee). Ok. I’ve started. I started on purpose. I’ll try not to make today’s post a rant. Just the facts. With a little emotion thrown in. The trouble with halfway houses….

…let me count the ways….

Most of my correctional education work has been done inside prisons and jails. About 10 years ago, I started diligently working with employers and workforce development agencies to boost the number of jobs our students could get once they were released. About two years ago, I built a post-release reentry program based out of a DOC and dove head-first into the reentry woes that people face. Now, with my consulting business and my nonprofit organization, I’m fully immersed in reentry battles every day.

Man. Is the CJ system broken, or what?

Let’s start with why HWH’s exist and what their function is supposed to be. A halfway house, also known as a transitional living facility or a halfway home, is a residential facility or housing program designed to provide a supportive and structured environment for individuals transitioning from prison, substance abuse treatment centers, or other institutional settings back into the community. These facilities serve as a bridge between incarceration or treatment and full reintegration into society. They are sometimes a requirement of parole or post-release supervision. The idea is that they hep with reintegration support, provide a structured environment, support individuals with job training, employment assistance, substance abuse counseling, mental health services, and life skills training, ensure that residents are meeting certain conditions of their transition plan, and keep them safe as they make the transition from incarceration to community. People stay for a few months to a year or more, depending on their specific needs and plan. The specific services and rules of halfway houses can vary from one facility to another, as they may be operated by government agencies, nonprofit organizations, or private entities.

There is usually some cost to live in a halfway house. The rent may or may not include the cost of utilities. Prisoners usually pay a halfway house fee equal to 25% of their gross income. I have a friend who had to pay 35%. He had a really good job, so they took a little bit more. Residents also must pay for their own medical care or health insurance. Note that I used the word ‘prisoners.’ That’s because residents are still considered prisoners. You don’t come and go from a HWH at will. It’s a transition period, but in my experience, residents are treated far more like prisoners than community members. I say this because many people I talk to envision this time as total freedom with no overhead so that folks can get back on their feet. This isn’t an accurate picture. For instance, if a resident leaves a halfway house before the required time, they could be sent back to prison or jail. Federal statutes dictate that an escape charge can range from 2-5 years in imprisonment. Same if you’re late coming back from work or a medical visit. Same if you break the rules. Same if you upset your social worker (this actually happened to an acquaintance. The decision was finally overturned, but he went back to prison while it was investigated. She didn’t like his tone).

The HWH approves or declines any offers of employment you may receive. That bit about job training and employment assistance? I haven’t seen that yet. Still waiting.

Back to the amount of money you pay…if you get released from the HWH to be on home confinement, apparently you still pay the 25% until your official time is up, and the guy who took your bed in the HWH is also paying 25%. I didn’t know this happened, but it does.

We have a participant who is having 65% of his paycheck taken automatically by his state for back child support plus the 25% from the HWH. You can do that math. Not much left over.

There are all kinds of moral arguments to be made for this system. I get that. Child support is important. I was a single mom. It’s important. Paying for services provided by the government has a cost. I get that. Some people coming out of prison have done harmful things. Totally understand.

But.

If we’re going to claim that our prison system is “Corrective,” as it’s moniker implies, I DON’T get it.

We can’t make it so hard that people can’t change their lives.

I can’t fix all the things that are broken, but I do have solutions for providing services at HWH’s that could be helpful. How about some of that money being collected is spent on real training and real assistance? And then approve the jobs found? And, oh yeah, allow folks with a criminal history from crimes committed decades ago to teach? That part is a rant. Straight up. lol! But the level of ridiculousness overwhelms me sometimes.

To the folks creating transitional housing that does all the things that HWH’s are supposed to be doing, I’m tipping my coffee mug to you. There are organizations and individuals who fight this fight on their own, and thank goodness they’re here. There just aren’t enough to go around. And if you’re a HWH out there that I’ve never worked with and you’re rocking it, then get the word out, man. We need some positive role models in the worst way.

If you’re a HWH looking for robust and effective employment training for residents, contact me.

If you’re working in the transitional housing world and need help, contact me.

If you’re just drinking your Sunday Morning Coffee and got blindsided by this rant, I apologize, but I thank you for getting to the last bit. We need all the support we can get in this reform battle, and knowledge is power.

Tallyho warriors! Have a wonderful week.