Recidivism and homelessness directly affected by lack of housing

June 16, 2004, New York - Increasing access to supportive housing services would help lower the rate of criminal recidivism, according to a study released today by Common Ground Community and the Corporation for Supportive Housing. New Beginnings: The Need for Supportive Housing for Previously Incarcerated People combines research on the correlation between homelessness and criminal recidivism, existing release programs, programs for ex-offenders, and information on funding for supportive housing targeting those leaving the criminal justice system.
Some of the findings discussed in this study:

• 350 individuals are released from prison every day in New York City. Because there is little planning upon discharge, many are released without housing, medical discharge plans, or support networks, or even the documents that would enable them to obtain medical care, work, or housing.
• According to the NYC Department of Homeless Services, as of March 2004, there were 37,226 homeless individuals in the New York City shelter system. On average, 30% of individuals living in the shelter system have also been recently incarcerated.
• Ex-offenders tend to go back to the community and social situations they lived in prior to incarceration. Without homes or supportive services, they often return to familiar, illegal activities. In addition, upon release, ex-offenders who go to shelters are 7 times more likely to abscond from parole.
• Investing in supportive housing helps prevent recidivism by providing access to necessary services, including employment counseling/training, substance abuse treatment, mental health counseling, and access to quality health care. In addition, the annual cost of maintaining a resident in a supportive housing facility (an average of $13,000) is well below the amount of money spent per person for city jail cells (nearly $63,000).

“This study demonstrates what we have long suspected,” said Rosanne Haggerty, President of Common Ground Community. “Providing access to health and housing services helps individuals leaving the criminal justice system to re-enter society successfully. Stable housing promotes family and economic stability, prevents recidivism, and creates safer communities in the long run.”
According to Richard Cho, Senior Program Office at the Corporation for Supportive Housing, “Our findings bolster the recommendations of the Re-entry Roundtable. This gathering of supportive housing and criminal justice experts is calling on policymakers to increase funding for supportive housing for this population and to improve discharge planning for those leaving prison or jail.”
For information on obtaining a copy of the study, please call Deborah Samuelson at 212-471-0885.

Common Ground Community is a not-for-profit housing and community development organization whose mission is to solve homelessness through innovative solutions that transform people, buildings, and communities.
The Corporation for Supportive Housing helps communities create permanent housing with services to prevent and end homelessness.

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