Association for Public Policy Analysis & Management

In a quarter century, the United States has surpassed every other country in incarceration rates. This growing population is aging. Those convicted of life sentences, also known as lifers, comprise a large portion of the aging prison population. In an effort to reduce prison overcrowding, California has been increasingly releasing these high-cost low-risk prisoners back into the community. Part of this process is mandatory transitional housing. Francisco Homes is a nonprofit transitional housing facility for lifers paroled to Los Angeles County. Using stakeholder interviews, resident surveys, and primary data collection this project will evaluate Francisco Homes service model and how effective their services are in preparing their clients for community reintegration. As California continues to release more lifers into the community, it is imperative to evaluate the different service models, such as Francisco Homes, and their effect on community reentry and recidivism. Additionally, as there is virtually no empirical research on lifer-specific service models and their effects on recidivism, this research is an important foundation for future policy.