On the Outside

From the passage of Bill C-10, with its punitive, tough-on-crime provisions, to sensationalist media accounts of dangerous ex-convicts, it is evident that Canada is a country that is taking an increasingly hard line on crime. The truth is, however, that the vast majority of prisoners who serve out their sentences do not re-offend, but rather reintegrate into society and never see the inside of a prison cell again. Why, then, is there such a lack of focus on successful resettlement -- not only by politicians and journalists but also in criminology research? This silence regarding those who “make good” perpetuates the illusion of the “dangerous ex-convict” and renders invisible the complex and sometimes treacherous path out of prison. On the Outside illuminates that journey, exploring the post-carceral lives of men who have successfully resettled into the community after serving at least a decade in Canada’s penitentiaries. Discussing the transition from imprisonment, release, and re-entry through to the challenges of resettlement, this book will change the way you think about Canada’s prisoners and open up the debate on the perils of tough-on-crime legislation.