New Reentry Center Aims to Help Camden County Inmates Transition Back to Society

The facility next to the county jail will provide housing, employment, and treatment support to reduce recidivism.

Published on Mar. 5, 2026

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Camden County, New Jersey has opened a new reentry release center designed to help people leaving jail reconnect with housing, treatment, and employment resources as they return to the community. The facility will offer services like identification assistance, substance abuse treatment, and job support to address common barriers faced by those leaving incarceration and prevent them from returning to jail.

Why it matters

Reducing recidivism is the main goal of the new reentry center, as county officials have often seen the same individuals cycle back through the jail system repeatedly. By providing comprehensive support services, the program aims to change the trajectory for people returning home and help them successfully reintegrate into the community.

The details

The reentry release center is located next to the Camden County Correctional Facility and will serve people being released from custody. It will offer housing assistance, employment support, identification services, and connections to substance use treatment programs. The newly renovated facility includes amenities like a kitchen, private bathrooms, laundry machines, and common areas to help ease the transition back into daily life.

  • The reentry release center is expected to be fully operational on March 16, 2026.
  • Camden County's jail population has dropped by about 60% over the past decade.

The players

Jonathan Young

A Camden County commissioner who said the center is intended to address common barriers faced by people leaving incarceration.

Louis Capelli Jr.

The director of the Camden County Commissioners, who stated that many people in the jail system need medical and behavioral health support rather than incarceration.

Sharon Bean

The jail population manager, who said staff often see the same people cycle through the jail repeatedly.

Antonne Henshaw

The founder of Transformative Justice Initiative who previously spent time in jail, and said the program can help change the trajectory for people returning home.

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What they’re saying

“When people return home without identification, without access to treatment, without a place to stay, or someone to help them navigate their way through life's challenges, they're most likely to return back to this facility.”

— Jonathan Young, Camden County Commissioner (cbsnews.com)

“Most of the folks who are incarcerated here really are folks who should be patients. They should be receiving care for substance abuse disorder, care for mental health issues.”

— Louis Capelli Jr., Director of the Camden County Commissioners (cbsnews.com)

“You hear from staff all the time, 'Oh, we'll see this person back in two weeks.' After hearing that as the jail population manager, it's disheartening.”

— Sharon Bean, Jail Population Manager (cbsnews.com)

“They may come in the back door, but they're going out the front door to a new transition and new transformation opportunities.”

— Antonne Henshaw, Founder of Transformative Justice Initiative (cbsnews.com)

What’s next

County officials say the reentry release center is expected to be fully operational on March 16, 2026.

The takeaway

By providing comprehensive support services like housing assistance, employment support, and substance abuse treatment, the new reentry release center in Camden County aims to help break the cycle of recidivism and successfully reintegrate formerly incarcerated individuals back into the community.