Halfway house

A halfway house is a type of prison or institute intended to teach (or reteach) the necessary skills for people to re-integrate into society and better support and care for themselves.

Halfway houses are typically either state sponsored for those with criminal backgrounds, or privately run for those with substance abuse issues.

In criminology the purpose of a halfway house is generally considered to be that of allowing people to begin the process of reintegration with society, while still providing monitoring and support.

This type of living arrangement is often believed to reduce the risk of recidivism or relapse when compared to a straight release directly into society.

In these areas, a drug and alcohol halfway house is licensed by the Department of Health and has staff coverage 24 hours a day.

In the United Kingdom, "halfway house" can refer to a place where people with mental disorders, victims of child abuse, orphans, or teenage runaways stay.

Social justice literature observes the relationships between halfway house siting and the NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) phenomenon.