If you have recently been released from a halfway house, i would like to hear about the experience, if it helped, what you thought would have helped, and your daily life

I was released from halfway house in St Louis, mo and no it did not help. They had "life skills" classes that we had to take it was mandatory for us to have so many hours of these classes.....these classes mostly consisted of watching movies like Mrs. Doubtfire...what kind of Life Skills is that???? or sometimes the life skills would be us getting yelled at about the cleanliness of the halfway house,,,,, and our halfway house was clean...but mostly the classes consisted of watching movies...not lifeskills movies just general movies. I thought the halfway house was ridiculous. It was worse than being in prison. We were not allowed to go outside but every hour for 15 minutes for smoke breaks...other than that we were stuck inside...unless you were on a pass...we got at Level 2 a 1 hr rec walk every day...you had to walk wherever you wanted to go and you only had an hour to do it. They did not give you any leads on finding a job...you had to fill out a form and it had to have at least 6 different places on it a day and you had to fill them out weekly...they had to approve it before you could go....and if you did not find a job they would tell you to go to McDonalds...that is the only lead they ever gave anyone. So many people worked at McDonald's. The halfway house I was in was no help to anyone there. They did not help you at all...you were basically on your own.

oh and I must add that I was lucky enough to secure a job before I got out of prison...so I did not have to spend alot of time in that place...but when I was off work I spent my days either sleeping or watching tv....BORING!!!!! There was absolutely nothing else to do.

I was released from halfway house in St Louis, mo and no it did not help. They had "life skills" classes that we had to take it was mandatory for us to have so many hours of these classes.....these classes mostly consisted of watching movies like Mrs. Doubtfire...what kind of Life Skills is that????

Well it teaches you how to become a successful baby sitter and/or children's show host :rolleyes: But seriously, that kind of program really isn't helping...

my step daughter was at alvis house in Columbus, Ohio which was a requirement to boot camp follow-up. She did not mind it as it slowed her intergration back into society. She also worked and came home with start up money. She was there in 1997 or 1998.

I personally worked at comp drug in columbus for men. I feel the program truly helped a number of the ex-offenders as well as probationers who were sentenced there in lieu of prison. I believed the program taught accountability,life choices and helped them become gainfully employed and save money.

I think it's easier for men then women. In Virginia, I've been told straight up that I couldn't be picked for jobs because I was a woman. And this was at OAR (Offender Aid Restoration).