Ex-offenders face many obstacles as they try to transition from prison life back into their role as a member of society. Most of the barriers make it difficult for ex-offenders to reintegrate into the communities where they came from. The civil reentry challenges not only negatively impact the ex-offender but also have a rippling effect on the family members waiting to be reunited with them. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, almost 600,000 prisoners were released in 2000 from state and federal prisons back into their communities. There are several ways in which the legal system can transform how it treats ex-offenders so that they will better matriculate into society and will be less likely to return to a life of crime.