A New Life Outside
When Prisoners Rejoin Society
For months on end, sometimes even years, every minute of every day is determined by others - guards, probation officers, psychologists and wardens. Life in custody can get very lonely, and it is far distant from what we think of as individual self-determination. From the first wake-up call, to breakfast, to exercise out of doors, to dinner alone in a cell, to bedtime: every day is the same. Not surprisingly, since confinement is, after all, intended as a punishment. But what happens when a prisoner is released after years inside? When he must take responsibility for his own life once again? For many prisoners, the return to freedom represents the greatest challenge they have faced in years. Many have fallen out of touch with family or partners. Most of them have difficulty finding jobs after years of imprisonment. So much has changed outside over the years: What can a prisoner achieve in this unfamiliar environment? Is readjustment even possible in the absence of appropriate assistance? How long before the transition money runs out? This documentary joins two individuals on their paths back to freedom. We hear them speak about their fears and regrets, their aspirations and hopes. We accompany them in their searches for jobs and apartments, and we discover that for former prisoners, life outside represents both a second chance, and at the same time, can sometimes mean becoming even more lonely than before.
