- Jul 31, 2025
- 3 min read
James Wilson has been to prison four times. Not because he's a hardened criminal who enjoys life behind bars, but because each time he's released, the system seems designed to send him back.
"First time, I couldn't find housing, ended up sleeping in an abandoned building—that's trespassing," Wilson explains. "Second time, I missed a parole appointment because I didn't have bus fare. Third time, I failed a drug test after self-medicating for anxiety I couldn't afford to treat. Fourth time? I was at the wrong place at the wrong time with other formerly incarcerated friends—association violation."
The Recidivism Trap
Wilson's story illustrates how technical violations—not new crimes—send thousands of returning citizens back to prison. Consider:
45% of state prisoners return within three years
Over half return for technical violations, not new crimes
Each re-incarceration costs taxpayers an average of $35,000 annually
95% of those currently incarcerated will eventually be released—and face these same obstacles
The Perfect Storm of Failure
Multiple systems failures create a perfect storm for recidivism:
Supervision Impossible: Parole requirements often conflict with survival needs. How do you make three appointments per week while working two jobs to afford housing?
Geographic Restrictions: Can't go to certain neighborhoods—but those are where the jobs, affordable housing, or family support exist.
Financial Penalties: Owing thousands in fines, fees, and restitution creates pressure that pushes some back to illegal activities.
Association Restrictions: Can't associate with other felons—but they're often the only ones who'll hire, house, or befriend you.
Treatment Requirements: Mandated programs that aren't available or accessible set people up for failure.
The Criminalization of Poverty
"They released me with $50 and a bus ticket," recalls Maria Rodriguez. "Within a week, I owed $200 in supervision fees, $300 for mandated drug testing, $500 for required classes, plus I needed first and last month's rent, work clothes, and food. The math doesn't work unless you break the law."
The financial burden includes:
Supervision fees: $50-100/month
Drug testing: $15-50/test
Required programming: $20-50/session
Electronic monitoring: $5-25/day
Court costs and restitution: Often thousands of dollars
The Human Cost
Beyond statistics, the revolving door destroys lives:
Lost Potential: Each re-incarceration makes employment harder, relationships more strained, and hope dimmer.
Family Destruction: Children experience repeated abandonment, partners give up, and family support erodes.
Mental Health: The trauma of repeated incarceration creates PTSD, depression, and hopelessness.
Community Impact: Neighborhoods suffer when residents cycle in and out of prison instead of contributing to community stability.
Breaking the Cycle: What Works
Evidence-based solutions exist but require political will and funding:
Risk-Based Supervision: Focusing intensive supervision on high-risk individuals while allowing low-risk returning citizens more freedom improves outcomes.
Swift and Certain Sanctions: Short jail stays for violations work better than returning people to prison for years.
Eliminating Debtors' Prison: Removing incarceration as a penalty for inability to pay fines reduces recidivism.
Housing First Models: Providing stable housing without preconditions dramatically improves all other outcomes.
Restorative Justice: Programs that focus on making amends rather than punishment show promising results.
Peer Support: Formerly incarcerated mentors provide credible guidance and hope.
The Path Forward
Wilson now works as a reentry coordinator after finally breaking the cycle on his fifth try. "I'm not unique," he insists. "Thousands of us want to do better but get trapped in a system that profits from our failure."
His observation cuts to the heart of the issue: the current system often seems designed to ensure failure rather than success. Private prisons profit from high occupancy. Supervision departments justify budgets through high caseloads. Communities resist programs that might help but seem "soft on crime."
"We spend $80 billion a year on corrections in this country," Wilson notes. "Imagine if we spent half that on actually correcting—on education, treatment, housing, and support. We could cut crime, save money, and restore families. But that requires admitting the current system doesn't work."
The evidence is clear: punitive approaches that ignore basic human needs don't enhance public safety—they undermine it. Every returning citizen who succeeds breaks the cycle for their children, strengthens their community, and saves taxpayers money. Every one who fails costs us all.
As Wilson puts it: "You can build more prisons, or you can build better people. You can't do both. It's time to choose."
