People Need Transportation Access After Release from Jail and Prison

Transportation barriers can also prevent people from getting the services they need. One study found that 17.5 percent of people on parole did not obtain necessary substance use treatment because of inconsistent transportation.

Despite the clear benefits, the kind of transportation support jurisdictions provide to recently incarcerated people varies widely. Federal prisons are required to provide some form of transportation from the prison upon release, as are some state prisons. Many local jails, however, do not even provide that. And the kind of long-term access to transportation that allows people to build stability after incarceration often remains out of reach.

There’s a gulf in transportation access between rural and urban areas that is particularly acute for people returning home from incarceration. For people in rural communities, a survey found that transportation barriers were the number one obstacle to complying with parole and probation requirements.

Such limited access to transportation can trap recently incarcerated people in cycles that are difficult to escape.