The United States has the largest criminal justice system in the world, with approximately seven million adults and juveniles in jail, prison, or community custody.

With true crime podcasts like Serial bringing these statistics to the forefront of our minds and giving us an insight into what the American criminal justice system is like, it is no wonder that we might be curious to know what happens to prisoners after they're released.

Because convicts spend enough time in prison to disrupt their connections to their families and their communities, they are generally not prepared for the difficult and often life-threatening process of reentry into the outside world. As a result, the percentage of these people who return to a life of crime and additional prison time escalates each year.

Beyond Bars is the most current, practical, and comprehensive guide for ex-convicts and their families about managing a successful reentry into the community and includes:

• Tips on how to prepare for release while still in prison
• Ways to deal with family members, especially spouses and children
• Finding a job
• Money issues such as budgets, bank accounts, taxes, and debt
• Avoiding drugs and other illicit activities
• Free resources to rely on for support