Only connect

Shortly after these opportunities, I moved to France but remained curious what happens after individuals are released from prison.  

I found a re-entry facility in the outskirts of Paris where I volunteered to teach weekly English lessons. The facility aimed to support reintegrating individuals in finding housing, obtaining jobs and building skills necessary for life post-release in order to reduce recidivism.

Because most of my students had never studied a foreign language before, my lessons were conducted primarily in English, with some French. I began by teaching the basics and by using games like Charades and Pictionary to build their vocabulary. I tried bringing in some simple books, but realised that most of my students weren’t confident with reading. So, I got to thinking about other ways to engage my students on their English journeys.

After some weeks, I introduced music into our lessons. This was an epiphany.  I came to realise that music was not only an effective tool to practice translation and comprehension (that did not necessarily require reading); it was a tool of connection that bridged the gap between our different experiences, languages and cultures.

One day, my students asked if we could reverse the classroom roles. They had chosen a song in French that they wanted me to listen to and unpack. I agreed. They were eager to show me something that mattered to them and to contribute to the classroom environment from the other side of their desks.

Looking back, my students also taught me a lot about what reintegration could look like. Without knowing their personal stories, my experience introducing music into our lessons showed me the importance of connection in reintegration. That is, personal connection to others through hobbies and interests like music, sports and games, but also a sense of connection felt to their communities as a whole.

Not everywhere offers reintegration services. For those that do, the question arises: Are incarcerated individuals connected to these resources upon release, or are they made to find them themselves? 

Navigating life post-release can be difficult. Many incarcerated individuals lose their jobs, housing, and family ties behind bars.  And, an extremely supervised life in most prisons isn’t preparatory for the independent life inmates will live upon release. That is why it is so important to connect reintegrating individuals with support after their sentence has been served.  

Increased access to employment, education, accommodation, and community can help prevent recidivism from occurring. In particular, the role of community in justice is becoming more and more recognised. In addition to reconnecting individuals with a sense of community upon release, community members are also becoming more involved in justice outcomes through restorative justice initiatives, which can have positive effects on both perpetrators and victims.

If you’ve ever heard the saying, “it takes a village” – it just might.  From my experience working with re-integrating individuals, connection – both to resources and to others – can have a significant impact.

Katelyn Owens is a PhD student in sociology at the University of Kent, studying the impact of gentrification on the sexual geographies of King’s Cross in London and Pigalle in Paris.