Book Review: Jeffrey Ian Ross and Stephen C. Richards Beyond Bars: Rejoining Society After Prison New York: Penguin Group, Inc., 2009. 224 pp. ISBN 978-1-59257-851-1

• DOI: 10.1177/0734016810362357
• Published date: 01 December 2010
• Date: 01 December 2010
• Author: Lisa Marie Carter
• Subject Matter: Articles

roles of public fear, claims-making, and media attention in sex offender policy. The material offered

by these authors could be used to bridge the gap between our sociological and psychological

understanding of sex offenders, offending, and the legislative solutions offered to address the

problem behavior.

Jeffrey Ian Ross and Stephen C. Richards

Beyond Bars: Rejoining Society After Prison New York: Penguin Group, Inc., 2009. 224 pp.

ISBN 978-1-59257-851-1

Reviewed by: Lisa Marie Carter, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, PA, USA

DOI: 10.1177/0734016810362357

Offenders leaving prison may see rejoining society as a source of incredible liberation, full of

freedoms only dreamt about behind bars. However, their fantasies are rarely experienced once

outside and in recognition of this, ex-cons face harsh realities as they rejoin society. Ross and

Richards (2009) suggest that every ex-con would benefit from a ‘‘reality check’’ where reality and

fantasy are aligned so that ex-cons, if properly sensitized to the barriers of reentry, might avoid

recidivism. This book is that ‘‘reality check’’—a no-nonsense ‘‘practical handbook’’ for those

reentering society and learning to ‘‘make good.’’

Ross and Richards write as advocates in a book that speaks directly to ex-cons, warning them

of the temptations and pitfalls of returning to the environments that contributed to their incarcera-

tion. This balanced book provides readers with two equally important lessons: the first half (Chap-

ters 1–4, 6) is about preparing to exit the prison system and how to deal with correctional

gatekeepers. The second half (Chapters 5, 7–11) is about how to gain human capital and establishing

social capital.

Chapter 1 discusses how to prepare for ‘‘reentry,’’ or, returning to and becoming part of the

community. Simple matters such as adjusting to stigmas brought on by the moral panics of politics,

making small talk with community members, and where to turn to ease the shock of transitioning

from imprisonment to freedom are discussed.

Chapter 2 illustrates a fictional, but typical account of an inmate’s final day of incarceration. For

‘‘Joe Convict,’’ leaving prison means a stay at a halfway house with some gate money and a bus

ticket. For ‘‘Jill Convict,’’ opportunities are bleak. Many women will not complete sentences in

halfway houses, simply because states have not been able to accommodate the increasing female

populations.

Chapter 3 informs ex-cons on matters of dealing with their probation period and parole

requirements. Ex-cons are warned about what to expect at the offices: long waits, drug and alcohol

testing, and suspicious natures of POs. Ex-cons are advised to come to meetings with professional

and nonconfrontational attitudes and patience, and to leave behind items that may indicate violence

and/or drug use.

Chapter 4 discusses the purpose and types of halfway houses and work release centers. Extended

efforts are made to discuss house locations and advise inmates that their best interests are to find

houses away from neighborhoods that may have influenced onsets of criminal lifestyles or tempt

them to reengage in these behaviors. Special focus is placed on halfway houses operated under the

direction of ex-cons, those who truly understand the experiences of returning ex-cons.

Chapter 6 advises ex-cons on how to interact with and react to their PO and deal with parole

restrictions. The authors briefly describe ‘‘types’’ of officers one may encounter when attending

parole meetings. Officers are categorized as ranging from ‘‘great’’ to ‘‘straight from hell.’’

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