Dynamics of Parolee Returns in California: Residential Mobility and Access to Services

Each year over 130,000 inmates are released onto parole in the state of California. The vast majority return to their home counties to begin reentry into society. Many return to neighborhoods that are disadvantaged, which can negatively impact their successful transition from prison. This paper examines key dimensions of the reentry process, both in terms of the characteristics of returning offenders, but also in terms of the services available for assistance once they return. We utilize a unique dataset to explore the residential mobility patterns of all parolees released into the state of California during 2005-06: both the neighborhoods to which they return, and those they subsequently move to. We examine whether race/ethnicity of the parolee affects the ability to move into neighborh oods with less concentrated disadvantage as measured by residential instability, and racial/ethnic heterogeneity. We also examine whether parolees with longer criminal records, a history of more serious or violent offenses, or are sex offenders, have less ability to attain access to such neighborhoods. The second area we examine is the level of support services in the communities to which offenders return. Specifically we examine parolee proximity to services, including health and social services, family and housing, community networking. We measure the number and type of services within 2 miles of the offender and determine the potential demand for such services utilizing GIS analyses based on addresses of parolees and service providers.