Linda McLain resides at A New Way of Life, a group home in New Orleans for women who have completed their prison sentences are still under state supervision. The facility has been at capacity since it opened in January. (Photo by Greg LaRose/Louisiana Illuminator)
Linda McLain reached the end of her two-year sentence at the Louisiana Correctional Institute for Women in July, but it would be another month before she could leave. It took those 30 extra days for her to find a residential facility that met the terms of her supervised release.
Her wait time is an indication of the state’s shortage of transitional living space, group homes where the recently incarcerated can ease their way back into society. The supervised settings offer reliable shelter while residents seek employment and meet what are often rigorous terms of release, including drug testing and court appearances…