Advancing Economic Mobility: Supporting Returning Citizens 

Understanding Houston, Greater Houston Community Foundation’s regional indicators project launched in partnership with Rice University’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research, took a deeper look into supporting returning citizens. Returning citizens are individuals who are returning to their communities after a period of incarceration—a population that faces significant challenges in rebuilding their lives and finding a path to upward mobility. Understand key takeaways from the full article, Building Pathways to Economic Mobility: Supporting Returning Citizens, to grasp the impacts of our region’s high incarceration rate and the systematic barriers faced by formerly incarcerated individuals. Learn how the Prison Entrepreneurship Program, a grant recipient of our 2024 High-Impact Grantmaking initiative, empowers returning citizens with holistic solutions and skills needed to succeed through employment and entrepreneurship. 

A Snapshot of Incarceration Rates 

Nationally, the prison population has grown sixfold from under 200,000 in 1970 to nearly 1.2 million in 2022, according to The Sentencing Project. Texas has the highest number of incarcerated individuals in the country, with 2022 data (most recent available) showing nearly 140,000 individuals in prison or jail—accounting for 12% of the entire U.S. incarcerated population. In Harris County, which operates the largest jail in Texas, over 70,000 individuals are processed through the system annually. Approximately 40,000 people are released from Texas state prisons annually, with an estimated 20% returning to Harris County. 

Economic Barriers that Returning Citizens Face 

Returning citizens, defined as individuals who are reentering society after being incarcerated, face significant obstacles to employment and economic opportunities upon release. The Prison Policy Initiative estimates that the unemployment rate for this population is around 27%, which is higher than the peak unemployment rates for the civilian population during the Great Recession (10%) and the COVID-19 pandemic (8%). Excluding formerly incarcerated individuals from the workforce carries a significant economic cost—an estimated $78 to $87 billion in lost GDP each year, according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.  

When a family member is incarcerated, the effects ripple far beyond the individual—impacting entire families and communities. Currently, more than 1 million children have a parent in prison, and research shows this experience significantly increases their risk of economic hardship, academic struggles, and future involvement with the justice system. Because the incarcerated population in Texas and Houston is substantial, having the proper support in place to aid returning citizens and their families is critical.  

Reintegrating After Prison 

Reentry programs provide returning citizens with the holistic support they need to reintegrate successfully into their communities after incarceration. The primary objective of most reentry programs is to help individuals not only transition back into their community but also prevent recidivism. Recidivism is defined as a return to criminal activity and subsequent imprisonment within three years of release.  

A holistic approach to reentry programs is crucial, focusing on immediate needs, as well as longer-term challenges in health, employment, housing, skill development, mentorship, and social networks. Harvard University’s Institute of Politics shares that the most successful reentry programs begin before release, are tailored to the individual, and have strong community-based support. 

Poverty to Prosperity: A Local Solution 

Although Texas continues to have a high incarceration rate, our state has seen success through its low recidivism rate. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice’s (TDCJ) 2024 Biennial Reentry and Reintegration Services Report indicates that recidivism rates for the TDCJ inmate population are among the lowest in the country at 14.7%, compared to a national average of 50%.  

So, how did Texas achieve such a low recidivism rate? This low rate is primarily due to partnerships with nonprofits like the Prison Entrepreneurship Program (PEP), as well as expanded access to training and education within correctional facilities and more coordinated release planning. 

PEP’s reentry program aims to provide a pathway from poverty to prosperity for returning citizens by introducing volunteer business executives to inmates who have a passion for entrepreneurship. Their pre-release program builds character and entrepreneurial skills while fostering leadership and family bonds. Post-release, they offer housing, wraparound support, job placement, mentorship, and access to capital, creating a structured and accountable path to successful reentry. 

Extensive evaluations of PEP programs by Initiative for a Competitive Inner City, American Enterprise Institute, Baylor University’s Institute for Studies of Religion found that PEP’s program outcomes include:

PEP’s Collider program is where early ideas turn into scalable businesses, connecting returning citizens to reentry support, education, employment, entrepreneurship training, mentors, business incubation, and capital. In 2025, PEP will serve 550 formerly incarcerated people in Harris County and has a goal of serving more than 100,000 annually by 2029, breaking the cycle of poverty and incarceration for the families served.  

Community Investment Helps Break the Cycle  

Mass incarceration deeply affects families, communities, and economies—especially in Houston. However, through its comprehensive approach, PEP empowers returning citizens with the services they need to support lasting reentry success. 

Through our High-Impact Grantmaking initiative, the Community Foundation proudly supports data-driven solutions, such as PEP, that expand opportunities, restore dignity, and promote economic mobility. Are you interested in empowering people as they get their second chance? Get involved in PEP’s work by donating, hiring a returning citizen, or mentoring.  

Engage with the Community Foundation  

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More Helpful Articles by Greater Houston Community Foundation: 

• Amplified Collaborative Giving in Houston: Fueling High-Impact, Community-Driven Solutions
• 30 Ways we Amplify Giving
• Amplifying Impact, One Nurse at a Time: The Houston Nursing Education Foundation
• 10 Tips to Strengthen Your Nonprofit with Donor Advised Funds

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