Yes, you can argue that some communities have support groups or employment opportunities specific for ex-prisoners, but this isn't available universally, isn't well funded, and most people won't turn to help even if it's offered. That last part is true of free people as well: think of how many people in need refuse to reach out.

The stigma is real and crime is only ever a few inches away from most people.

"When criminologists examine prison populations, they see a concentration of repeat offenders, most of whom will recidivate. Low-risk offenders enter and exit prison once, so in any survey of a prison stock, low-risk offenders are underrepresented as a proportion of the offender population.

An analogy is helpful: A Mall Exit Survey

Survey researchers sometimes use mall exit surveys to estimate shoppers’ purchasing habits.

Suppose that:

•25% of mall visitors go to the mall once per day.

•25% go once per week.

•25% go once per month.

•25% go once per year.

A naïve one week exit survey of visitors exiting the mall will find that:

•85% of mall visitors go to the mall once per day.

•12% go once per week.

•3% go once per month.

•Fewer than 1% go once per year.

The problem is that high-rate mall visitors churn, leaving an impression that most shoppers are frequent visitors."

Quoted from "Criminal Recidivism: Most Incarcerated Offenders do not Return to Prison", by William Rhodes, from the link in parent