The Importance Of Community Custody For Federal Inmates
Halfway houses, officially called Residential Reentry Centers (RRC), have played a significant role in the Federal Bureau of Prisons’ (BOP) reentry efforts for decades. Their roots trace back to the early 19th century, when charitable groups provided transitional housing for released prisoners. The federal system formally embraced the model in the 1960s, following the Prisoner Rehabilitation Act of 1965, which authorized pre-release placements. By the 1970s, halfway houses had become a standard tool for reintegration, offering supervision, employment support, and counseling. The Comprehensive Crime Control Act of 1984 reshaped sentencing but maintained halfway houses as a bridge between incarceration and society. In 2008, the Second Chance Act extended potential stays from six to twelve months, reinforcing their role in reentry. Today, these facilities, run mainly by private contractors under BOP oversight, continue to serve thousands each year, though they face criticism for inconsistent services, limited capacity, and uneven oversight.
