Every year, more than 14,000 individuals are released from Arizona’s prisons. While many are eager to turn their lives around, too many end up back behind bars. Within three years upon release, 36% of them are reincarcerated. We continue to see this cycle because reentry programs largely ignore something critical that criminologists have recognized for years: the power of the social environment. 

Criminological research has consistently shown that criminal behavior is learned through interactions with others. Differential Association Theory, a foundational concept in criminology, further posits that people learn criminal behavior through their relationships and interactions with others. While the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation & Reentry offers some reentry services, it often lacks comprehensive support addressing the social aspects of reintegration. Many returning citizens face strained family relationships and limited access to mentors or role models who can guide them toward positive life choices. Without meaningful, prosocial connections, the path to successful reintegration becomes significantly more challenging, increasing the likelihood of reoffending. 

The first six months after release are crucial. That’s when decisions about housing, employment, and relationships take shape. According to the 2022 Arizona Town Hall report on criminal justice reform, mentoring programs — particularly those led by formerly incarcerated individuals — are among the most promising ways to help returning citizens navigate this critical window. Organizations like Hope Lives – Vive La Esperanza and the Arizona Village Network in Phoenix are working to fill the gap, pairing returning citizens with peer mentors who understand their experiences. These mentors model change and stability, creating new pathways for people trying to leave crime behind. This approach directly reflects what research tells us — behavior can change when people are exposed to consistent, positive influences. 

This is especially urgent in Arizona communities disproportionately impacted by incarceration. In south Phoenix, Tucson and across tribal lands, grassroots organizations — many led by people of color and formerly incarcerated individuals — are doing the hard, daily work of helping people reconnect with their communities. These programs are not just about reducing recidivism; they’re about healing relationships, restoring dignity and creating safety for everyone. 

Yet these programs are drastically underfunded and far from accessible statewide, and these efforts can’t succeed without real investment. Arizona should consider funding community-based reentry programs that start inside prison and follow people home, especially those built around mentorship and peer-led support. When people leave prison without a plan, they’re more likely to reoffend — and that revolving door costs taxpayers dearly. Taxpayers in Arizona already spend more than $1.3 billion a year on prisons, one of the country’s highest correction budgets per capita. Redirecting even a small share of that toward reentry could help mitigate the cycle of recidivism, reduce crime and make communities safer. 

Some states are proving that investing in social networks during reentry works by embedding social support into government-backed reentry policies. In California, the Anti-Recidivism Coalition pairs people coming home with formerly incarcerated mentors, showing how lived experience can break the cycle of incarceration. In New York, the Center for Employment Opportunities combines paid transitional work with one-on-one coaching and community support to help people successfully rebuild their lives after prison. Their success highlights a simple truth: strong, supportive relationships help people rebuild — and Arizona can continue following their lead. 

Too often, reentry is framed as an individual responsibility. But the research — and the stories — show us otherwise. People change when their environments change. We must think as a community: do we want success or old habits? When we help returning citizens build new social circles, it gives them a shot at fundamental transformation. This is not just an issue of morality — it is a matter of practicality. Arizona can’t afford to overlook this: recidivism costs are too high financially and socially. If we are serious about reducing recidivism, we must focus on the company that incarcerated individuals are returning to. Only then can we begin to build a society where second chances truly lead to second chances. 

Catrin Shmaeil is an accelerated master’s student at Arizona State University studying criminal justice.