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“We really have a very frustrating — and I would argue, broken — system,” state Senator Jamie Eldridge said beforehand. In 2022, the state increased its one-on-one support for those leaving prison, including hiring ex-offenders or their family members to become credible messengers to help residents a few months before their release. There are currently five credible messengers working with 25 to 45 people apiece to assist with everything from negotiating difficult family relationships to coordinating appointments once they’re released. Ultimately, though, outside help can only go so far. Ruben Pina achieved a lot in prison, including finishing high school and getting certified as an automotive technician, but he credits self-motivation, not the system, for his rehabilitation. “I knew I had to come home a better man than I went in,” he said. Pina, 41, who was incarcerated for more than 11 years for assault with intent to murder, was matched with a credible messenger before his release in October. Their interactions were mostly conversations, though, he said, with little concrete guidance about navigating the outside world. Still, he managed to get on a good path. After moving in with his step-father, Pina found work as a delivery driver in south of Boston and enrolled in a commercial drivers’ license course. The biggest challenge now, he said, is figuring out how to fit into his children’s lives again.