Originally published as an op-ed in Tufts Daily, Monday, September 8, 2025, by Bobby Iacoviello, Bridget Conley, B. Arneson, and Noble Williams.
What “successful reentry” looks like for individuals transitioning from correctional facilities to life post-release is often treated as self-evident: It means not going back to jail or prison, a measure commonly termed, “recidivism.” But people who have been incarcerated and are rebuilding their lives know that successful reentry requires community-building.
In 2018, Massachusetts made national headlines after passing far-reaching criminal justice reforms. With decreasing federal budgetary support for programs meant to advance social justice, states will soon be forced to confront difficult budget decisions. Now is not the time to retreat by reducing support for people in reentry. A less punitive system that invests in community-building makes everyone safer.
A key goal of the 2018 reforms was reducing recidivism. In the years since, we have learned much about how to support people after their release, by building community and elevating the expertise of formerly incarcerated social justice leaders. We need to continue investing in this approach. A recent research collaboration between the World Peace Foundation at Tufts University and the Transformational Prison Project — a Massachusetts-based organization founded by and for formerly incarcerated people — challenges assumptions about what contributes to successful reentry. Recidivism is a deeply flawed benchmark. It includes any return to incarceration, even when no crime occurred. Technical violations — such as missing curfew or being late to a meeting with a parole officer — can lead to reincarceration. Recidivism is also counted in instances, not people, meaning that a few individuals with multiple returns can skew the data. Worst of all, it tells us nothing about a person’s growth or struggle. You either “fail” or you don’t.
At the Transformational Prison Project, we adopt a restorative justice approach. Success is not about fear-driven avoidance, but healing. Many people never receive healing. They go somewhere and climb under a rock for the rest of their life out of fear. Is that really success? Real success means having the tools to process trauma and cope with it — tools that are best practiced and nurtured in communities. To do this, we need people with lived experience leading the way.
In our research, individuals who experienced reentry told us that basic forms of support, including access to jobs, housing and mental health care, all make an enormous difference. They described reentry as a period of intense challenge, marked by loneliness, overwhelming responsibilities and ongoing surveillance.
Still, others saw reentry as an opportunity, especially when supported by a community that accepts them, shows up for them and helps them face challenges. Every person we spoke with agreed: Receiving guidance from someone who has experienced reentry themselves is key to their success. Effective support can be as simple as having someone to call — whether you’re struggling with stress, feeling overwhelmed while reintegrating with family, being turned down for a job because of your criminal record or learning to manage everyday tasks and new technologies.
Transformational Prison Project prioritizes people who went to prison as teens or young adults. For them, reentry often means living as an adult in the world for the first time as a 40- or 50-year-old. Many remain on lifetime parole, subject to lifelong surveillance. Most told us that “reentry” never ends: It is simply life after prison.
We need to shift how we think about both reentry and success. Real “reentry success” means confronting harm, building meaningful relationships and learning to live a full life after incarceration. This requires continued investment in healing, community and support — not just surveillance. It also requires the leadership of others who navigated reentry themselves and understand the obstacles, fear and isolation of incarceration, and who respond to it by building welcoming communities. This is what safety looks like for both people returning from prison and for our larger community.
If we’re serious about public safety and justice, we must listen to those who know reentry best — the people living it. We need to continue investing in organizations that are leading the work on the ground. We need to confirm our commitment to reducing our reliance on mass incarceration. This is the future of justice, and now is not the time to abandon the path.
