Improving the prospects of formerly incarcerated adults - Establishing the processes and procedures of the Never Give Up Transitional Living reentry program (2025)

Principal Investigator: Dr. Jennifer Tostlebe // Graduate Research Assistant: Taylor Gonzales

Critical to a successful reentry experience are obtaining quality employment, securing a prosocial place to live, developing a community support network, getting drug treatment (as needed), and changing one’s identity. But many formerly incarcerated individuals have difficulties obtaining and maintaining these critical elements. As such, a variety of government and non-profit agencies have developed reentry programs that seek to assist formerly incarcerated individuals during the first weeks or months after their release from prison.

One such program is Never Give Up Transitional Living in Omaha, Nebraska. This study will (1) establish the referral and acceptance process to Never Give Up, (2) take stock of the program’s structure and requirements, including the documenting the scientific rigor of the programmatic elements (i.e., are the courses being delivered evidence based) and conducting interviews with program participants’ and stakeholders to determine if they believe the reentry program is helpful, and (3) provide basic descriptives on program completion.

This is a six-month project funded by Sherwood Foundation for $33,465.