If I had to tell you that a group of federal inmates guilty of various crimes, including embezzlement, drug manufacturing, child pornography, and murder, were in your community , the average person would want to know where these criminals were and shut this place down. In many cities across the United States, there are facilities that house these condemned inmates. These facilities are called halfway houses and were created to help an inmate released from prison transition into a supervised community. The halfway house program can be a beneficial step in an inmate's release process and can provide lasting benefits to inmates, the correctional system, and the communities in which they reside. First, the prisoners themselves benefit greatly from the opportunities offered to them. by a halfway house. The first time an inmate walks through the door, they are given a place to sleep, eat and clean themselves. The inmate is assigned a case manager, trained to assist these individuals in the steps they take to become a productive member of society. Inmates in halfway houses receive assistance in finding employment, attending school if available, and finding suitable residence. The program's steps also help inmates by requiring them to save 30 percent of their income, which allows them to acquire a vehicle, pay utility deposits or even a deposit for a residence. Upon release, a resident will have found responsibilities, routines, and a way to leave their old life behind. The next benefit will be to the Bureau of Prisons and the correctional system in general. Each year the prison population increases and many convicted criminals must wait to enter...... middle of paper ... Springfield, Missouri. The halfway house employs 25 people and is in a stable aspect of the job market. He also purchases food from a local grocer for meals for more than 50 inmates. All building installations and repairs are carried out by local small businesses. Bedding and hygiene products are all purchased from a local department store. These are just a few examples of the financial benefits that halfway houses bring to communities. Having a halfway house in your community may not seem like an ideal situation, but given the inmate's success, the financial savings to the Bureau of Prisons, and the financial benefits to the community, it seems likely that in the future there will be many more establishments of this type. It's a bit like a sewage treatment plant, you might not want to live near it, but I wouldn't want my town without it..