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We studied a sample of reentering parolees in California in 2005–2006 to examine whether the social structural context of the census tract, as well as nearby tracts, along with the relative physical closeness of social service providers affects serious recidivism resulting in imprisonment. We found that a 1 standard deviation increase in the presence of nearby social service providers (within 2 miles) decreases the likelihood of recidivating 41 percent and that this protective effect was particularly strong for African American parolees. This protective effect was diminished by overtaxed services (as proxied by potential demand). We found that higher concentrated disadvantage and social disorder (as measured by bar and liquor store capacity) in the tract increases recidivism and that higher levels of disadvantage and disorder in nearby tracts increase recidivism. A 1 standard deviation increase in the concentrated disadvantage of the focal neighborhood and the surrounding neighborhoods increases the likelihood of recidivating by 26 percent. The findings suggest that the social context to which parolees return (both in their own neighborhood and in nearby neighborhoods), as well as the geographic accessibility of social service agencies, play important roles in their successful reintegration.

This study focuses on the relationship between returning offender residential mobility and neighborhood structural factors characteristic of socially disorganized neighborhoods. It utilizes a unique dataset that combines information on parolees released in the state of California during the 2005-06 time-period with their geocoded addresses to view the types of neighborhoods they are moving to. We find that sex offenders are entering neighborhoods with more concentrated disadvantage and residential instability upon re-entry from prison and upon subsequent moves. This effect for sex offender status is particularly strong for whites and Latinos, leading them into more socially disorganized neighborhoods. We also find that sex offenders are more likely to enter neighborhoods with more minorities as measured by Latinos and African Americans, and less likely to enter neighborhoods with more whites.

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In response to the increasing numbers of criminal offenders involved with drugs, the criminal justice system has sought more effective means of intervening with these offenders. One intervention approach is Treatment Alternatives to Street Crime (TASC), an offender management model that has been implemented in various forms since the early 1970s. TASC facilitates treatment for drug-using offenders as part of an overall strategy to control drug use and associated criminal behaviors. This article reviews the evolution of TASC and reports findings from an evaluation of five TASC programs. The evaluation, experimental at two sites and quasi-experimental at three, found favorable effects of TASC programs on service delivery and offenders' drug use. Findings on criminal recidivism were mixed and difficult to interpret. This article concludes with specific recommendations for improving TASC and similar programs within the criminal justice system.