1. Still Serving Time… Struggling with Homelessness, Incarceration & Re-Entry in Baltimore October 2011

2. Purpose of Research • 2011 Health Care for the Homeless Summer Research Study • To examine the impact of incarceration on health, housing, and employment • People experiencing homelessness and marginally housed individuals were a primary focus of this study

3. Background • Prison population increase 1973-2009: 705% • MD adults incarcerated, on probation/parole: 1:27 • Half are Baltimore City residents • People homelessness on single night in Baltimore City: ~4,000 • Only ~2,000 shelter beds • Homelessness and incarceration a mutual risk factor

4. Methodology • Community-based participatory research design • Cross-sectional survey (25 questions) • 21 survey sites across the city • 6 weeks of surveying (June – July 2011) • 24 trained surveyors (staff, interns, consumers) • Inclusion criteria: Released from Maryland jail or prison in the last 10 years

5. Study Sample • Total surveyed: 429 • Average age: 43 • Veterans: 12% • Male: 79% • Homelessness at time of survey: 68% • Longest period 1+ years: 59% • 5+ years over lifetime: 41%

6. Age at First Incarceration

7. Total Time Spent, by Age at First Incarceration

8. Housing Stability - Before & After

9. Unstable Housing After 6 Months

10. Barriers to Stability

11. Services: During & After During Service After 62% 59% 59% N/A 59% 57% 42% 91% • 72% • 70% • 84% • 31% • 65% • 50% • 44% • 82% • Medical • Mental Health • Addictions • Housing • Case mgmt • Education • Job Training • Religious

12. Resources Preventing Incarceration

13. Other Key Findings • Time of Release • Released between 8pm and 5am: 68% • Home Plan • Never completed home plan that met their needs: 71% • Employment: • Employed since recent release: 40%

14. Qualitative Responses • “The legal system here doesn’t recognize mental illness. They threw my medication away, they threw my phone away. America locks up patients, not prisoners.” • “I have work history all the way up until 33 years old. I’m always turned down because of my record. Corporate don’t see me in person. They don’t know I’m a changed person. It’s like we got a disease. They look at my record like it’s a disease.” • “It’s nuts – I need an ID, but to get that I need a social security card. To get a social security card, I need an ID. How do I do that?”

15. Policy Applications • 2012 Legislative Proposals: • Ban the Box • Shielding of records • Expand pre-release planning/resources • Invest in affordable housing and health care • Target interventions to youth (and their families) • De-criminalize homelessness • Increase/intensify services (during & after) • Employment, housing, and health care as prevention

16. Report Release Release full report: October 26, 2011 www.hchmd.org Contact: Adam Schneider, MSW HCH Community Relations Coordinator Aschneider@hchmd.org 443-703-1398 Lisa Klingenmaier, MSW/MPH(c) Public Policy Intern lklin001@umaryland.edu