
This report, by Urban Institute research analyst Sino Esthappan, describes how the People’s Paper Co-op redesigns reentry services to uniquely improve the well-being of formerly incarcerated individuals in Philadelphia through arts and cultural activities. Through interviews with returning women and men, People’s Paper Co-op staff, and funders, this case study finds that inviting people exiting jails and prisons to participate in and lead reform, building community around their shared experience, and employing arts and culture as vehicles for reform all hold transformative potential to enhance the design and delivery of reentry services.