For the purpose of this briefing, however, we are focusing on “Halfway Houses in the Criminal Justice System”– which are state or federally contracted facilities for people leaving state or federal incarceration. Federally contracted halfway houses are called Residential Reentry Centers . State-licensed halfway houses can be referred to by a variety of terms, like Transitional Centers, Reentry Centers, Community Recovery Centers, etc. These facilities work with corrections departments to house individuals leaving incarceration, often as a condition of parole or other post-release supervision or housing plan.

The voices of those who have spent time in halfway houses, and those who have worked in them, are key to understanding the reality of these facilities and the rampant problems that plague them. These woeful inadequacies are indicative of a larger systemic failure of halfway house oversight that often results in deeply problematic conditions for residents. Too often, audits are only conducted after journalists report on the ways specific halfway houses are failing residents, rather than government correctional agencies doing proper oversight on their own. Federal RRC residents3 are generally subject to two stages of confinement within the facility that lead to a final period of home confinement. First, they are restricted to the facility with the exception of work, religious activities, approved recreation, program requirements, or emergencies. A team of staff at the RRC determines whether an individual is “appropriate“4 to move to the second, less restrictive component of RRC residency.

“Another Place to Warehouse People”: The State Where Halfway Houses Are a Revolving Door to Prison

Inmates are not allowed to take part of illegal activities while residing at the halfway house. Halfway house meanings vary, but they all share the common goal of helping people get back on their feet after receiving treatment for their troubles. Halfway houses were started in 2004 with an initiative from President Bush. There was a hope that the inmates in the program would be less likely to re-enter the prison system. There is no halfway house, and if you try to find one you do immense harm.

what are halfway houses

While you are not required to bring any of these items, we strongly recommend you do. If you have any questions about what you can and cannot bring to the halfway house, please contact us, and we will be happy to answer them for you. A halfway house may require residents to pass breathalyzer tests or drug screenings. The federal government currently maintains 154 active contracts with Residential Reentry Centers nationwide, and these facilities have a capacity of 9,778 residents. On any given day in 2018, RRCs held a nearly full population of 9,600 residents.

Types of Transitional Living

If you are ready to pursue a life in sobriety but aren’t quite ready to transition to life at home, halfway houses are a wonderful option. Sober living houses, like halfway houses, maintain a strict abstinence policy which may be enforced with drug testing. Additionally, a sober living home may offer resources like career support, housing assistance and so forth, but each sober living home will differ in its requirements. When halfway houses serve people out of prison, they are typically called “residential re-entry centers” .

Why is it called the halfway house?

They are termed "halfway houses" due to their being halfway between completely independent living and in-patient or carceral facilities, where residents are highly restricted in their behavior and freedoms. The term has been used in the United States since at least the Temperance Movement of the 1840s.

The usual stay ranges from three to twelve months, although it is a personal preference unless there is a specific time frame for the halfway house where you must move out. Some halfway houses split the cost of rent and utilities between residents. When an SLH is affiliated with an outpatient treatment program, insurance may pay for a person’s stay at a halfway house.

Other Treatment Options for Addiction

Anyone who has a limited network of support or who finds that they don’t have the financial resources to rebuild their lives from scratch will benefit from entering a halfway house instead of the regular community. Your state of mind in the halfway house will play a large part in whether or What is a halfway house not things work. If you have co-existing mental health issues, be honest about that with counselors so that they can work on that part of your recovery, too. If you have physical challenges, make sure that the people in charge are aware of it so that they can help make your life easier.