Despite the aging of those in our prisons and the increasing numbers of older incarcerated individuals returning home, much of the research on reentry challenges focuses on the experiences of individuals under the age of 50. Using in-depth interviews with 19 formerly incarcerated individuals who were released after the age of 50, we examined their reentry experience, particularly in regards to finding employment. We found that while this population experienced barriers to finding a job that were similar to their younger counterparts (e.g., stigma, the lack of proper documentation, etc.), they also struggled to find employment due to age-related factors like deteriorating health, ageism, and digital illiteracy. The results from this study can help policymakers better prepare for and appropriately anticipate the needs of its older returning citizens, a group often left out of most reentry discussions.
Since the turn of the millennium, levels of recidivism following a prison term have declined in Sweden. The composition of the inmate population has changed, which provides a partial explanation. This study examines whether prison service interventions, such as the provision of treatment, education, and work, might have contributed to the decline in recidivism. The study sample comprises women and men who were released from Swedish prisons between 2012 and 2015. Data have been collected from the Prison and Probation Service registers and the Convictions Register. The analysis employs propensity score matching and regression analysis. The results show that the interventions examined have a positive effect on reducing recidivism, but that their explanatory power is limited.
Prison leavers encounter significant barriers to successfully re-integrating into the community, which can lead to re-offending. Complex interventions which are multi-faceted and involve successful partnerships are needed to meet the distinct health and social needs of this population group. For this study, we conducted a process evaluation of a pilot project, which aimed to offer holistic support to prison leavers through a combination of peer mentoring, sport and physical activity, and signposting, delivered in a community setting. Semi-structured interviews and focus groups were conducted with individuals (n = 14) involved in the delivery and the management of the project to understand how it had been implemented and what factors had influenced the delivery and partnerships involved. Factors that influenced project delivery included safeguarding and risk assessment concerns, lived experience of peer mentors, accessibility of the intervention, and the role of sport and physical activity as a vehicle for community re-integration. Partnership working was influenced by effective information sharing, organizational commitment, building relationships and professional networks, and regular communication between organizations. An intervention involving peer mentoring, sport and physical activity, and signposting, supported by close partnership working, was viewed as a promising approach to support the community re-integration of prison leavers.
The study aimed to explore the lived experiences of incarcerated elders. Qualitative research design, specifically hermeneutic phenomenology was utilized in obtaining its objectives. The study found that elderly persons deprived of liberty were unsatisfied and had a low quality of life, which included unmet psychological and physiological needs. It also indicated that poor prison management of the facility is the cause of unsatisfied life. Lastly, despite the deprivation of freedom, incarcerated elders were still able to acquire positive insights into their experiences inside the pre-detention facility that may help them as they are reintroduced to society.
The Texas Substance Abuse Felony Punishment Facility (SAFPF) is a part of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) aimed at reducing crime by treating substance use disorders for individuals with felony charges. This work investigates the lived experience and shared themes of persons who attended SAFPF (N = 8) using phenomenological qualitative methods. The results highlight many strengths including connection through relationships, self-motivation, and aftercare options. Reported weaknesses included treatment provision, curriculum deficits, and operational problems. Results found numerous positive and negative aspects of the person's lived experience that could inform policy and treatment methods of future SAFPF programs.
Background and purposeFormerly incarcerated people die by suicide at a rate 6.75 times higher than the general population. In this study we ask whether existential isolation, the feeling of being alone in one's subjective experiences, offers new insights into this staggering statistic. We specifically ask whether existential isolation predicts suicidal ideation among formerly incarcerated individuals even after accounting for their levels of interpersonal isolation, emotional support, and instrumental support.MethodWe examined cross-sectional survey data from American participants (n = 946) recruited over the Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk) platform.ResultsConsistent with prediction, we found that people with an incarceration history reported more existential isolation, but not more interpersonal isolation, than those without an incarceration history. A hierarchical regression analysis revealed that existential isolation explained additional variance in suicidal ideation beyond what was explained by interpersonal isolation, instrumental support, and emotional support. Fisher's r-to-z transformations demonstrated that the magnitude of the relationship between existential isolation and suicidal ideation was stronger among those with an incarceration history than among those without. Finally, existential isolation mediated the relationship between incarceration and suicidal thoughts, even when holding constant other predictors of suicidal ideation.ConclusionReentry programs may target existential isolation among formerly incarcerated individuals to improve emotional wellbeing.
There is growing recognition internationally of the prevalence and impact of female-perpetrated child sexual abuse (CSA). Prior research has indicated gender-specific offending pathways and motivations for women involved in this crime, bringing into question whether there is a need for tailored offense-specific interventions and whether these would increase treatment efficacy for this population. Using data collected across three Australian jurisdictions, this study used a mixed-methods design to explore the perceptions of correctional practitioners (n = 44) and justice-involved women currently serving a sentence for CSA (n = 18) on accessibility and demand for offense-specific correctional programs, and perceived benefits of such programs. Results indicate substantial support from practitioners (93.18%) and justice-involved women (100%) for the development of offense-specific interventions, despite there currently being few opportunities to access such interventions within correctional settings in Australia. A range of perceived benefits of such programs were indicated by both sample populations, namely, that targeted support would likely reduce the risk of recidivism by promoting greater self-awareness and improvement, peer support, and future-focused planning. Findings highlight a significant practice gap in correctional treatment and underscore the current demand for offense-specific interventions to improve outcomes for women who perpetrate CSA.
The prison environment has been synonymous with criminality, brutality, and drug activity. Yet, incarcerated individuals are expected to be released from prison clean from drugs and rehabilitated, with little to no access to the basic needs necessary to successfully rehabilitate. This single, qualitative case study explored the prison environment, basic needs, and the barriers to substance use rehabilitation. Data revealed that when basic needs were met, incarcerated individuals had the motivation to reach higher-order needs to aid in their recovery from substance use during treatment and that a negative or drug-infested environment and an unwillingness to change were barriers to sobriety.
Drug treatment courts have transformed the way in which courts process drug-related cases and respond to drug-involved offenders. Established as a diversion program, drug courts help to reduce recidivism among substance-involved individuals. Given the rapid expansion of drug courts across the nation, research examining their effectiveness has also increased. While there is evidence that drug courts are successful at reducing recidivism compared to more traditional court interventions, several studies in the literature have lacked an adequate comparison group using appropriate statistical techniques to reduce selection bias. Further, questions remain whether specific types of interventions or outcomes of those interventions are more beneficial than others. The current study adds to the existing drug court literature by conducting an outcome evaluation in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin to determine whether differences in recidivism existed between individuals in a drug treatment court and a comparison group of traditionally adjudicated individuals. Within-group differences were also examined to determine whether the type of intervention (drug court graduates, drug court revoked, traditional probation, traditional incarceration) was significantly influential in the likelihood of recidivism.
Training men and women who live in prison to assist corrections staff with the care of growing numbers of older, sicker, cognitively impaired, and dying people in prison is an innovative and viable option to help meet pressing care demands. The purpose of this paper is to report findings from the usability testing of the fully developed Just Care electronic learning program for training carefully vetted people living in prison to assist staff with geriatric and end-of-life care. Research ethics approvals and informed consent were obtained. There were two rounds of usability testing conducted via videoconference. Interdisciplinary staff (i.e., corrections specialists, supervisors, nurses, and chaplains) and people living in prison were recruited from one men's and one women's prison. Fifteen participants completed the testing in each round. Results include participant demographics, concerns and areas for improvement by severity level of programming, and mean scores for both participant groups on the System Usability Scale. Overall, both the incarcerated and staff participants found the program easy to navigate and the interactive content was useful, engaging, and relevant to caring for aging and dying people who are incarcerated. Findings will be used to refine Just Care before usability testing with a larger sample.
The impact of housing and individual residential mobility on recidivism is nuanced. Individuals may move from prosocial environments to criminogenic environments, or from neighborhoods that are more, or less, socioeconomically disadvantaged. We explore these phenomena using data on individuals on parole in the District of Columbia with community-level Census data. We hypothesize that residential mobility will affect recidivism through changes in both housing types and neighborhood characteristics. Findings suggest that people immediately placed into treatment-oriented or transitional housing had lower rates of rearrest than those in other housing situations. Results of the community-level measures of social disorganization were mixed.
Literature reveals that forgiveness can bring advantages to those who experience it, increasing quality of life. This study explores the relevance of forgiveness in a prison context and aims to understand how incarcerated individuals perceive forgiveness, focusing on their rehabilitation processes. The sample comprised N = 11 participants (males) who were serving a prison sentence in the Porto Prison Establishment. Qualitative data were collected through a sociodemographic questionnaire and a semi-structured interview and analyzed based on thematic analysis. The findings offer further evidence on the importance of all types of rehabilitation programs and, specifically the ones focused on forgiveness. These findings show that forgiveness can be a facilitator for behavioral changes in incarcerated individuals and highlights the importance of psychological interventions during rehabilitation. We discuss the implications of these results, suggesting the need to increase knowledge with future studies about forgiveness and rehabilitation processes with this public.
Nearly 9 million adults are processed into U.S. jails annually and the majority present indications of substance use disorder, yet little research has been conducted to examine how certain DSM-5 criteria specify levels of severity in this institutionalized population. Clinical interviews were conducted with 718 adults (Mage = 34.3 years, SD = 10.3) detained in four county detention centers using the Comprehensive Addiction and Psychological Evaluation-5 (CAAPE-5). Prevalence rates were examined by severity levels to identify prominent criteria within methamphetamine, opioid, alcohol, and cannabis use disorders. Item response theory models were estimated to determine which criteria effectively identified the most severe conditions. A subset of key criteria, consisting of withdrawal, sacrificed activities, craving, role failure, and failure to cut down on substance use, was clearly observed. These five items identified significant proportions of severe substance use disorders, but the greatest accuracy was among cases of methamphetamine and opioid use. A reduced set of five DSM criteria can detect certain severe substance use disorders efficiently. This information can be applied to diagnostic and clinical service delivery procedures in correctional settings, paying particular attention to the special circumstances found among adults who are incarcerated in local detention centers.
In the past decade, desistance research has attracted immense research attention, which has necessitated the clarification of the overall picture of desistance research in terms of methodology, definition, and theory. Using the systematic quantitative literature review method, we seek to provide an overview of English-written peer-reviewed journal articles on desistance from 2011 to 2020. Analysis of 196 studies reveals that despite an almost equal quantitative–qualitative divide in desistance research, there is skewness in terms of research location, sample size, and usage of operationalization and theory. Based on these findings, we suggest the future direction of desistance research.
Although the overall veteran, arrestee, and incarcerated populations have been decreasing, women as a percentage of the veteran population and those legal involved are on the rise. In fact, women are the fastest-growing cohort within the U.S. veteran population, and the women jail inmate population increased 15% from 2008 to 2018. Treatment programs targeting justice-involved individuals and/or veterans have also proliferated during the past decade. The current study examines women veterans in eight veterans treatment court (VTC) programs across the Southern United States (three in Florida, two in North Carolina, and three in Texas) using data from the National Institute of Justice's Multisite Examination of Veterans Treatment Courts. Specifically, we examine demographics, criminal histories, program requirements and experiences, and behavioral and mental health issues of the women participants in these VTCs. In addition to illustrating these aspects among women VTC participants, we conduct statistical comparisons to VTC participant counterparts who are men to determine any significant differences. Recommendations for addressing the unique nature and needs of women veterans in VTCs are provided based on these results.
Mental health diversion under California Assembly Bill (AB) 1810 created a pretrial pathway for individuals to enroll in community-based treatment as an alternative to incarceration if they have a mental illness that played a significant role in the crime for which they were charged. Mental health diversion may be a promising approach to addressing racial disparities in incarceration. This qualitative, community-partnered study examines how racial equity was considered in the design and implementation of mental health diversion under AB 1810 in nine counties across California. We explored five main themes: involvement of community stakeholders; cultural competence of providers; availability of diversion across counties; efforts to monitor demographics; and diversion as an opportunity to address racial disparities in the criminal legal system. We found that, although many legal professionals are optimistic about the capacity of mental health diversion to address racial disparities in incarceration, there have been limited efforts to monitor the demographics of diversion participants, differing understandings of cultural competency, limited community involvement in the design of mental health diversion, and limitations to the availability of services for individuals enrolled in diversion programs.
Formerly incarcerated individuals face numerous hardships during reentry that may increase their risk for future reincarceration. Documenting the expectations and experiences individuals have for reentry may shed new light on the United States' high reincarceration rate and inform interventions. Using data from the Multi-site Family Study on Incarceration, Parenting, and Partnering (MFS-IP), this study describes incarcerated fathers' expectations for reentry and examines whether unmet expectations increase risk for short-term reincarceration. The analytic sample consisted of 346 Black and White fathers who provided data on expectations for support, financial stability, and family relationships during incarceration and their experiences in each domain after release. Descriptive analyses revealed variability in terms of whether fathers expect to have their needs met upon reentry and whether needs are actually met. Logistic regressions that were stratified by race and included controls for theoretically relevant variables suggested that expectations did not predict reincarceration. Moreover, among White fathers, unmet expectations were inversely associated with risk for short-term reincarceration. Results are discussed in terms of implications for future theory, research, and practice.
This study explored the perceptions of the challenges faced by homicide offenders (HOs) reintegrating into the community after prison. Through interviews with six HOs and 10 Probation Officers in the United Kingdom, three themes were identified in the thematic analysis: Transitioning from life in prison to a new world; societal stigma and media representations; and the psychological aspects of homicide. Reintegrating into a fast-paced society proved difficult for all HOs, who struggled to adapt, carry their licensing conditions, find identity and purpose, and cope with the fear of being recalled to prison. Stigma and negative media portrayal hindered their acceptance by society. Managing psychological factors and self-identity while addressing the gravity of taking a life may provide a sense of individual agency and prevent reoffending. These findings can inform policymakers and practitioners working with homicide offenders in the community.
Prisoners’ religiosity can be a helpful resource for a successful reintegration into society. Yet, the Christian-focused institutional concepts do not meet the religious needs of Muslims. We assumed that Muslim inmates would find strategies to deal with this lack of religious opportunity structure and postulated that the association between religious practice and belief would change over time. We chose a multi-method approach and collected data of 766 Christian and Muslim inmates from four different youth prisons on religious belief and practice via questionnaires and interviews. Qualitative data illustrates how Muslim inmates experience inequality when it comes to practicing their religion. Religious practice and time served was found to predict religious belief. Time served moderated the association between religious belief and practice. Steeper slopes for Muslims with longer time spent in prison indicated two different coping styles: ‘engage’ and ‘retreat’. However, inmates favored ‘retreat’ over ‘engage’. Further research on Muslims’ religious coping mechanisms is needed to build an understanding of religiosity as a resource during and after incarceration.
The children of incarcerated parents remain a highly vulnerable and underrated population in academic discourses, and very little is known about the impact of parental incarceration from the perspective of the children in Kashmir. The passing glimpse into children's experiences comes from some previous studies that have researched conflict-linked incarceration and its impact on family members, including children. To fill this gap in research, the current article was designed to explore and document the lived experiences of children of incarcerated parents imprisoned for purely nonpolitical offenses or offenses under the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Data was collected by interviewing the children of 17 prisoners. The analysis of the data led to the emergence of the following key themes: denial vs shame, ambiguous loss, impoverishment of the prisoner's family, experiencing stigma, living in constant fear of reprisal from the victim's family, and coping mechanisms used by the children to overcome the challenges developed due to their parental incarceration.
