Assignment: Challenges Associated with Reentry

In previous weeks Interactive Community, you were introduced to Bill Brown and the murder of Andy Simpson, the crime for which he was convicted. For that crime, he would likely spend the entire duration of his sentence in the penitentiary. But consider the scenario that Bill was found guilty of a dangerous felony instead and sentenced to 20 years in prison. During this sentence, Bill was released into the community on parole after 17 years of “good behavior,” and is now 35 years old. The condition of his parole is that he must meet with his parole officer once every month, commit no further crimes, and obtain housing and employment. If he is found to be in violation of his parole, he will be returned to jail to serve the remaining years of his sentence.

Bill has been offered free room and board for the two months after his release by Andy Simpson’s parents. While Andy’s parents continue to grieve the loss of their son, yet feel that the best way to honor his memory is to “give Bill a chance to have a future that Andy did not have.”

Since his incarceration, Bill has experienced recurring nightmares and flashbacks about the night he and his friend James Xavier attacked Andy, and he avoids all discussion and reminders of that night and the people involved. He accepted the offer of housing from Andy’s family because he felt he had no other option, and he hopes to be able to get a paying job quickly and move out. James’ parents, who also still live in the community, tried to petition against Bill’s parole, and have been trying to enlist other community members to speak out about Bill’s “bad and dangerous influence on children in the community,” citing the death of their son as an example. During incarceration, Bill completed his General Education Degree (GED) and expressed interest in coaching kids at sports activities. A new state and federally-funded recreation center in a nearby town (20 miles away) recently opened, and he plans to seek employment at this facility.

The Assignment (2–3 pages):

Synthesize the practical challenges encountered by Bill reentering the community, using examples from the scenario, the Interactive Community, and the week’s Resources.
Synthesize the psychological challenges encountered by Bill reentering the community, using examples from the scenario, the Interactive Community, and the week’s Resources.
Briefly describe the challenge you think is most significant of those explored and explain why. Support your response with references from the week

Look these articles up and add to paper. it would not allow me to add to documents.

https://www-tandfonline-com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/doi/full/10.1080/10509674.2010.519649

Redeeming Communities:
Restorative Offender Reentry
in a Risk-Centric Society
Kathryn J. FOXX

Gender Differences in the Perceived Needs and Barriers
of Youth Offenders Preparing for Community Reentry
Diane Fields • Laura S. Abrams

The Offender and Reentry:
Supporting Active Participation
in Reintegration*

Below is the details from the original story:
Adult Detention Facility
Read about Bill Brown’s role in the murder.
[Bill Brown’s Police Report]
Police Report #123_a – Classified
Bill Brown, an 18-year-old white male, is presently detained in the Middletown
Adult Detention facility on a charge of murder. He and a 17-year-old male, James
Xavier, are accused of luring a young man, Andy Simpson, into an isolated
parking lot with the intent of robbing him of money. Prior to committing the crime,
Bill and the accomplice used alcohol, PCP, and marijuana. At some point during
the robbery, Andy was fatally shot in the neck. Bill and James attempted to cover
up the crime by siphoning gasoline from a car’s gas tank, placing Andy on the
hood, and lighting the car on fire. Bill and James were apprehended after a
Fred’s Mart employee called the police and fire departments while he was
outside smoking a cigarette. Bill and James both reported that Bill provided the
weapon, but each alleged the other with shooting Andy Simpson. James Xavier,
in part due to his status as a minor, was released from jail on bail and into the
custody of his parents. However, he attempted to leave the jurisdiction via a
stolen car and was killed in a subsequent shoot-out with police.

Police Report #123_b – Classified
Bill is an only child born to a 15-year-old mother, Susan, in a rural section of the
country. Bill does not have any knowledge of his biological father. Susan did not
receive any prenatal care, and the pregnancy went to full-term. Bill was delivered
without complications. Bill was raised primarily by his maternal grandmother,
Mrs. Brown. When Bill was two years old, his mother left town, and never
returned. Bill’s grandmother reported that Susan was likely addicted to drugs and
that she refused to seek treatment despite the grandmother’s urgings. Once or
twice a month, Susan would call the house. But when Bill was in first grade, she
stopped calling and the family has not heard from her since.
Bill was placed in special education classes, and was described by teachers as a
“hard worker but slow.” By sixth grade, he had an established group of friends
and was participating in a local football game weekly at the community center.
During his 10th grade year, Bill’s grandmother suffered a stroke and became
paralyzed on the right side of her body. She was hospitalized for several months.
During this time, Bill was “very independent,” according to neighbors. He stayed
at home alone with weekly visits from neighbors to check in or bring him
groceries. When his grandmother returned to the house, he took on various caretaking tasks for her, such as driving her to physical therapy appointments. Bill
dropped out of his after school community activities. He often appeared tired or
disheveled at school, although he continued to have good attendance and
average grades.
At the end of the 11th grade, Bill’s grandmother died subsequent to a second
stroke. He received a sizable amount of money from her insurance policy.
Neighbors originally thought, “He’d be O.K.” However, Bill did not attend school
after her death, and neighbors, who stopped by to check in, said he appeared
depressed and wearing the same clothes. He would refuse to talk to neighbors
about how he was doing. After about a month, the few neighbors who persisted
in stopping by, found him often at home with a group of young men, including
James, known to be involved in drug distribution and drug use. Neighbors said
that after this point, they stopped going over for fear that they would get hurt, as
James, on more than one occasion waved a gun and told them to leave the
house. Bill rarely was seen outside of the house for the next several months. It
was 10 months after the death of his grandmother that the crime was committed.
© 2014 Laureate Education, Inc. 3

Interactive Community – Week 4
Police Station
Read about Officer Derek Washington’s reaction to the recent events.
[Officer Washington’s Reaction]
Officer Derek Washington was the first officer to arrive at the crime scene. The
horrific nature of the scene was startling at first. But, he was not completely
shocked. Crime rates have been rising and offenses like this are becoming more