The Judicial Role in Supervision and Reentry

Judges and courts play a key role in federal community supervision. To understand the part of the judiciary in community supervision and reentry, I interviewed two federal judges about their work. First, Judge L. Felipe Restrepo of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit told me about his experience managing the “Supervision to Aid Reentry” (STAR) program in Philadelphia. Second, Judge Richard Berman of the U.S. Court for the Southern District of New York described his approach of “court-involved supervision.” Both judges believe that the federal courts can provide support, encouragement, resources, and community that will aid in prisoners’ return to their communities. They encourage an active role in helping defendants under supervision obtain housing, employment, and treatment. They also suggest offering early termination of supervision as a way to encourage rehabilitation.