The Scattergood Foundation was proud to sponsor the University of Pennsylvania’s Department of Medical Ethics and Health Policy’s Ethical Reentry Simulation & Policy Catalyst, an experiential event examining the realities people face during the first month after returning home from incarceration.
We entered the simulation knowing that reentry would cause stress, frustration, and potentially desperation. Still, the experience was beyond what we imagined. Participants were expected to find housing and employment, access health care and medication, secure identification, meet probation requirements, and rebuild their lives—all while navigating limited time, money, transportation, and support.
At every turn, the system seemed designed for people to fail. One unmet requirement created another obstacle. Asking for help often led to another line, another fee, or another closed door. The process was inefficient, demoralizing, and deeply undignified.
This is not only a criminal justice issue. A system that wastes public resources and human potential, destabilizes families, and creates barriers to housing, health care, and employment is a danger to public health and community wellbeing.
Following the simulation, we heard from panelists with lived experience of incarceration and reentry. Their stories added a depth and urgency that the simulation could not fully capture. They spoke not only about the barriers they faced, but also about the knowledge, resilience, and insight they bring to the work of changing these systems. Their experiences made one point especially clear: those closest to the challenges often understand the solutions best.
We were also grateful to hear from Pennsylvania Secretary of Human Services Dr. Val Arkoosh, who has completed the simulation and carried its lessons into her work in state government. Her example demonstrates the value of policymakers engaging directly with the systems they are responsible for shaping.
Our call to action is twofold.
First, more policymakers and funders should complete a reentry simulation. Those making decisions about criminal justice, health care, housing, employment, public benefits, and philanthropic investment should experience how these systems interact and how quickly their requirements can become impossible to meet.
Second, experiencing a simulation is not enough. Reform efforts must intentionally include people who have lived these realities—not simply as storytellers or advisors, but as valued partners with meaningful influence over decisions. They understand these systems better than anyone, and they must have a seat at the table when policies, programs, and funding strategies are designed.
A simulation can make systemic failures harder to dismiss. Lived experience shows us what must change. Together, they can help build the understanding and urgency needed to create systems rooted in dignity, opportunity, continuity of care, and the belief that every person deserves a genuine chance to rebuild their life.