Outside’s mission is to support the dignity and potential of returning citizens with education, mentoring, and programs that will strengthen each individual’s life in positive ways. 

We believe the inherent worth and dignity of every person extends to our Clients who are returning citizens. We are committed to this belief as our driving force. 

Outside is a non-profit charitable organization in Philadelphia that serves people returning from incarceration. We are organized by the following process that we believe will help returning citizens address the long and difficult challenge of reintegrating into society and becoming self-sufficient.

•   Prisoners of good character serving life without parole are selected as Outside's Talent Scouts.
•   Talent Scouts select suitable prisoners who will be paroled within 18 months.
•   Outside screens Talent Scout recommendations and selects clients.
•   Accepted Clients fill out lengthy questionnaires about themselves and their plans after release.
•   Outside returning citizens staff evaluate each Client's plans and identifies areas in which there are  unrealistic expectations called reality gaps.
•   Talent Scouts and Outside staff work together with Clients to address these reality gaps and create a new plan.
•   After release, Clients are mentored by a former prisoner who has successfully established himself for 3 years.
•   Outside trains returning citizens to work as construction laborers.
•   Trained returning citizen Clients are employed by HP Total Construction, a minority-owned business which is partly owned by Outside.
•   Outside's income from HP Total Construction will fund the labor training program and new businesses developed for returning citizens.
•   Throughout every step of reentry, data is collected about each Client’s progress.
•   Temple University faculty assists Outside in using the data to evaluate each step of its program and to report Client outcomes.  
•   Concurrently, Outside's staff of returned citizens is conducting in-depth interviews with 50 men who have been home from prison for at least 3 years and collecting data about the nature and quality of their lives. Such data is not available and Temple University is collaborating in this research.