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Aging On Parole: An Empirical Analysis Of Reentry, Reintegration, And Life Satisfaction, Angela Silletti Murolo

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

As the prison population grays, so too does the people leaving prison. In New Jersey and New York, 35% and 26% of people on parole are over the age of 50 respectively. While older persons have lower recidivism rates compared to younger persons, there are physical, mental, and societal challenges that come with advancing age that can make reentry and reintegration a particularly difficult experience compared to younger persons. The aim of this dissertation is to explore the experiences of older adults on parole and the parole officers that assist them in their reentry and reintegration.

This study is unique …

Trauma Exposures Across The Life Course For Individuals Who Experience Incarceration, Maria Morrison

Brown School Theses and Dissertations

The U.S. incarcerates more people than any other country in the world, with 2.2 million people currently behind bars, 60% of whom are people of color. At the same time, there is an unprecedented political consensus to develop strategies for reducing the incarcerated population and safely returning the majority of incarcerated individuals to society. While there has been a substantial research focus on the potential of this population to commit acts of violence post-release, this tells only half the story. This dissertation hopes to provide a more complete picture of the role of violence in the lives of individuals released …

Us Helping Us: The Evolution Of A Peer Support Group For Formerly Incarcerated People, Will Boles, Thad Tatum, Jarrod Wall, Lauren Nguyen, Alexandria Van Dall, Claire Mulhollem, Anna Sacks, Ashley Wennerstrom, Bruce Reilly, Anjali Niyogi

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Introduction: Physical, psychological, and emotional trauma experienced while incarcerated influences subsequent mental health outcomes. Upon release, there is a fragmented landscape of mental health services and many of the existing services do not account for the root causes of challenges faced by formerly incarcerated people (FIP). To address the unmet social, psychological, behavioral, and emotional needs of FIP in Louisiana, the Formerly Incarcerated Peer Support (FIPS) Group developed a twelve-unit curriculum in 2019. Methods: We detail the evolution, development, and evaluation of the FIPS Group program. Additionally, we describe the community-driven process for developing the curriculum. Results: The FIPS Group …

A Phenomenological Examination Of Probation Officers' Perception On Black Female Ex-Offenders Transition And Successful Reentry Into Society, Anita Michelle Bryant

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the experiences of probation officers who provided supervision in a reintegration program for post-release Black female offenders concerning their efforts to reduce recidivism. The feminist theory guided this research study, as it shed light on the barriers encountered by female offenders in the United States and expounded how they were specifically unique from the barriers faced by male offenders. The research questions were: what are probation officers’ perceptions of how reentry programs contribute to Black female ex-offenders’ successful transition back into the community, what are the probation officers’ perceptions of how …

The Need For Continuity Of Care In The Criminal Justice System, Jason R. Trautwein, Kelly Moore Phd, Ricki Dierenfeldt Phd, Jim Hart, Duane Slone, Jeremy Kourvelas, Jennifer G. Tourville Dnp

SMART Policy Briefs

People with mental health and substance use disorders who would benefit from treatment are overrepresented in the criminal justice system. It has been reported that 63% of individuals in jail and 58% of individuals in prison meet the criteria for having a substance use disorder, and 36% of the population serving a state prison sentence were being treated for a mental health disorder, which is 17% higher than the general population in Tennessee. Justice-involved individuals with mental health and substance use disorders have a higher risk of recidivism, especially when they lack access to medications and behavioral health treatments both …

Impacts Of Post-Incarceration Programming For Women's Lives And Local Communities, Megan Greenslade

Sociology and Criminology Undergraduate Honors Theses

Previous research on reentry programming has focused mostly on male inmates and less attention is given to female inmates. In Arkansas, where female reentry rates have recently increased, research is needed to add to the conversation surrounding effective programming for previously justice-involved women, its impact on their lives and behaviors, and how this can influence the likelihood of recidivism. This qualitative study also aims to discover whether reentry programming can have a positive impact on the local community. Residents and staff at a local Northwest Arkansas transitional housing facility for previously justice-involved women were interviewed to analyze the effects of …

Juveniles, Transferred Juveniles, And The Impact Of A Criminal Record On Employment Prospects In Adulthood: An Experimental Study, Joanna Daou

Theses and Dissertations

Previous research shows that a criminal record reduces an individual’s employability. The impact of a juvenile record on employability as a young adult, however, has rarely been examined, and no previous studies have estimated the effect of a criminal record when a juvenile was waived to the adult court. The current study seeks to fill these gaps in the literature using an experimental correspondence approach. The results of this research indicate that the effects of a delinquency record on employability for juveniles and young adults are comparable to the effects of a criminal record for adults.

Bars To Bridges: Culturally Responsive Education Advocacy, Micaella Flores, Christine Otto

National Youth Advocacy and Resilience Conference

We'll explore tangible ways to advocate for BIPOC students who've experienced educational disruptions. We’ll discuss the methods and model The Bars to Bridges Program uses to successfully transition justice involved youth into their academic settings and maintain engagement in education.

Race And Washington’S Criminal Justice System: 2021 Report To The Washington Supreme Court, Task Force 2.0

Washington Law Review

RACE & WASHINGTON’S CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM:

EDITOR’S NOTE

As Editors-in-Chief of the Washington Law Review, Gonzaga Law Review, and Seattle University Law Review, we represent the flagship legal academic publications of each law school in Washington State. Our publications last joined together to publish the findings of the first Task Force on Race and the Criminal Justice System in 2011/12. A decade later, we are honored to join once again to present the findings of Task Force 2.0. Law journals have enabled generations of legal professionals to introduce, vet, and distribute new ideas, critiques of existing legal structures, and reflections …

The Family Connection: Examining The Transitional Impact On Family Members Of Returning Citizens Reentering Society, Leon Rankins

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to define and measure more extensively the personal barriers of family members of returning citizens recently released from incarceration in the United States. Also sought was examining the returning citizen's family members' perspectives of their issues relating to their loved ones in the reintegration process and how their challenges and barriers impacted their desire to provide transitional support to the returning citizen. The theory guiding this study is Bowen's family system theory as it suggests that individuals cannot be understood in isolation from one another, but rather as a part of their …

Black Males Incarcerated And The Effect Upon Children Left Behind, Cathy Marie Crutchfield

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Black men in the United States have been disproportionately removed from the lives of their families by means of incarceration for generations. Aggressive drug laws, racist policing strategies, and sentence disparities are contributing factors. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to examine how formerly incarcerated Black males perceived their incarceration affected the children they left behind while incarcerated. The research sample consisted of six former offenders. Each participant was at least eighteen years of age, Black, a parent at the time of incarceration, and a resident of Guilford County, NC, at the time of the offense. Each participant …

The Need For Belonging For Previously Incarcerated Probationers, Alaina Elam

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research on offender rehabilitation has primarily focused on providing those who are incarcerated with programs and resources to mitigate the circumstances that would lead to recidivism. There is an absence of research on how the need for belonging could reduce recidivism in probationers. Recidivism remains a social problem for many U.S. communities, as those being released are not properly equipped for their transition. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of probationers regarding their transition into their community, recidivism, and their need for belonging. As individual fulfillment and human motivation were examined, Maslow’s self-actualization …

An Evaluation Of The County Of Santa Clara’S Reentry Alcohol And Drug Studies Peer Mentor Program, Sarah Oliveira

Master's Projects

In the United States, incarceration rates have increased dramatically over the last three decades, soaring above any other country. Significant factors contributing to the increase include changes in sentencing laws and policies that target drug-related offenders and prioritize punishment over rehabilitation. Strict sentencing laws have led to mass incarceration, which has caused severe prison overcrowding and led to the infringement of fundamental human rights in prisons (Gottesdiener, 2011).

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, approximately 600,000 individuals are released from federal and state prisons each year (Carson, 2018). In California, an estimated one in three adults has an arrest …

Correctional Career Pathways: A Jail Reentry Program Evaluation, Grace Gass

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There are numerous types of reentry programs available to inmates to help avoid the cycle of recidivism. There is little research on the impacts of reentry programs in jail populations. This current study sought to provide more research in this area by evaluating a local jail reentry program’s effect on recidivism. A quasi-experimental design was used to estimate the program’s effectiveness by comparing the recidivism statistics of inmates that have participated in the reentry program to a control group of inmates that did not. Inmates in the control group were matched according to their gender, age, race, and current offense …

The Influence Of Demographic Information On Public Attitudes Towards Individuals Who Commit Sexual Offenses, Emily Bogdan

Student Theses

Research exploring the factors that shape public attitudes towards individuals who commit sexual offenses is needed to inform policy and reduce stigma that these individuals face as they reenter society. Prior research has explored demographic factors of those who offend and have been victimized, but few have studied how these variables may interact with one another to shape attitudes toward people who commit sexual offenses. The current study explores whether offender gender, victim gender, and victim age shape the public’s attitudes towards these individuals. Participants were presented with a vignette describing the offense and then they were asked to respond …

Rethinking Social Reintegration And Prison: A Critical Analysis Of An Educational Proposal For An Alternative Model In Brazil, Sergio Grossi

Journal of Prison Education and Reentry (2014-2023)

The call for social reintegration of prisoners, in many cases, does not work or has been abandoned, leaving the question of inclusivity regarding the imprisoned an open challenge in contemporary societies. My study provides a critical analysis of a model defined as an educational system of social reintegration, which aspires to be an alternative to imprisonment in Brazil and worldwide by proposing a reduction in the recidivism rate at a lower cost. I discuss the possibilities of social reintegration and the educational conceptions and practices that can emerge from it, though a document analysis and ethnography of two model units. …

Religious-Based Programming And Reentry Success: An Examination Of Spirituality And Its Effects On Post-Release Engagement, Employment, And Recidivism, Allie C. Bosi

Theses and Dissertations

This study uses data from HopeWorks, a Christian, faith-based vocational program inside the Shelby County Division of Corrections in Memphis, Tennessee, to examine factors affecting reentry success. Specifically, this research examines how spirituality - using measures that assess both spirituality (measured at the end of the program) and change in spirituality (measured as the difference between pre- and post-program measures of spirituality) - affects released offenders' reengagement with the program, ability to obtain employment, and ability to refrain from reoffending.

The Impact Of Criminal Justice Involvement: Examining Experiences In A Housing First Program., Amanda N. Denton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Individuals who come into contact with the criminal justice system are more likely to experience housing instability and homelessness, which, in turn, increases the likelihood of subsequent criminal justice involvement. Due to a lack of federal funding, as well as disjointed and inconsistent policies regarding eligibility criteria, people with criminal records are unlikely to receive federal rental assistance. While the exclusion of people with criminal histories is presented as necessary to protect communities and residents from crime, improving access to stable housing may reduce recidivism, incarceration rates, and correctional costs and increase public safety. The present study examined the differences …

Planting Seeds For Success: An Evaluation Of Agricultural Reentry Programming For Formerly Incarcerated Individuals, David J. Jefferson

Master's Projects and Capstones

Black and brown communities are over-incarcerated and are much more likely than their white counterparts to be involved with the criminal justice system. Hundreds of thousands of incarcerated people are released each year and they face substantial barriers to reentry such as lack of employment opportunities, difficulty securing housing, accessing education, and just simply reintegrating back into society. The criminal justice system within the United States is fueled by systemic racism and overt discrimination towards people of color, and the same can be said for the food system within the United States as well. They share a history of oppressive …

Provider Perspectives: Working With The Male Lifer Reentry Population, Laura R. Marker Dr.

Doctoral Dissertations

The passage of Proposition 57 in California creates a path to parole for individuals who experienced long-term continuous incarceration. For the first time, men who experienced long-term incarceration are joining reentry populations in California, establishing an emerging subpopulation of men on parole who were incarcerated for life sentences or experienced long-term continuous incarceration. In the San Francisco Bay Area, most of these men will receive mental health services provided by Community Mental Health agencies or California Department of Rehabilitation and Correction (CDRC). Research suggests that men who experience continuous long-term incarceration may have symptoms of Post-Incarceration Syndrome (PICS).

However, few …

From Bunks And Bars To Sidewalks And Skies: Support For Reentry From Incarceration, Ashley Ann Steen

Theses and Graduate Projects

Currently, there are over 2.3 million inmates in the prison system throughout the United States (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2018). Over 10,000 ex-prisoners are released from America's state and federal prisons every week and studies show that approximately two-thirds will likely be rearrested within three years of release (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2018). This scholarly project will explore the literature on why inmates face such a high rate of recidivism. It will further explore the current programming that is provided to inmates prior to release back to the community and offer a questionnaire to utilize in all reentry programs to …

The Plan Starts Now: A Study Of Juvenile Delinquency And A Re-Entry Program Back Into The Community, Lynell Porch

College of Education Theses and Dissertations

African American youth are five times as likely as whites to be detained or committed to youth facilities; 1 out of 10 high school dropouts are institutionalized. $8–21 billion is spent locking up juvenile delinquents. The educational system has failed many African American youth, which can lead them into delinquency. These youth are disregarded in the educational system, placed in overcrowded classrooms, and often dismissed as unable to learn. The results of this are school to prison pipeline. Many youths have learning disabilities that are not addressed by teachers, so youth began acting out. These are acts of attention and …

Reentry As Experienced By Women In Jail: Advocating For Change, Robert A. Dobmeier, Swaroop Kumar Korni, Claudette Brown-Smythe, Rafael L. Outland, Patricia Williams-Mcgahee, Anna N. Ladelfa, Joanna White

Adultspan Journal

No abstract provided.

Recidivism: A Case Study Of Reentry Resources And Their Impact On Successful Reentry Post-Incarceration, Marissa L. Sulmeisters, Lisa J. Pasko

DU Undergraduate Research Journal Archive

This thesis details a case study regarding reentry resources available to returning citizens and their influence on recidivism (returning to prison) likelihood among people released from prison. It explores existing research on recidivism, describes the interviews conducted by the researcher, discusses the implications of this research, and suggests further avenues for research and exploration to better inform policies and future actions regarding reentry resources. Ultimately, this thesis concludes that the most useful resources for returning citizens include resources directed towards meeting basic needs like food, clothing, and transportation, housing resources, support/mentorship groups, family support, and employment organizations. Following further research …

Understanding Resilience And Protective Factors Among Released Offenders, Vanke'via Garner

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Approximately 650,000 offenders are being released from prison or jail per year in the USA. After incarceration, released offenders encounter a myriad of challenges that prohibit successful transition into the community. Research has focused on the risk factors that contribute to recidivism – relapse into criminal activity, with limited focus on protective factors that contribute to desistance from criminal activity. Existing research has relied on several theories to hypothesize and explain the causes of desistance, with research suggesting that individual subjective factors and social factors are essential to the desistance process. This study was therefore guided by two theories – …

Reentry Services For Individuals Wrongfully Convicted And Exonerated, Karlene Patsy Blackman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite research summarizing the causes of wrongful convictions, there are limited works on factors influencing exonerees’ reintegration into society. Although reentry services are provided to ex-offenders, the problem is that reentry services are not provided to individuals who are wrongfully convicted and exonerated. This study used state harm as a theoretical foundation. The general qualitative study determined if support or reentry services, if any, would have enhanced or increased the chances of a successful transition into society for individuals wrongfully convicted and exonerated. Specifically, it was an investigation of how a lack of reentry services associated with life, employment, shelter, …

Racial Bias Still Exists In Criminal Justice System? A Review Of Recent Empirical Research, Yu Du

Touro Law Review

The debate on whether racial bias is still embedded in the criminal justice (CJ) system today has reached its plateau. One recent article in the Washington Post has claimed an overwhelming evidence of racial bias in the CJ system. Whereas some scholars argue that racial disparity is an epitome of real crime rates, others indicate that implicit and/or explicit racial bias against Blacks held by law enforcement agents persists in the system. This review considers both supporting arguments and relevant counterarguments. After evaluating empirical and rigorous research during the past five years, the review maintains that racial bias still exists …

Reentry Challenges Of Formerly Incarcerated African American Adult Men In Louisiana, Marquita Higgins

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although African Americans make up most of the habitual offender population in Louisiana state prisons, there is a dearth of information about the reentry challenges of formerly incarcerated African American men in Louisiana and how they perceive those challenges to impact their reentry into the community after imprisonment. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological research study was to better understand how formerly incarcerated African American men in Louisiana perceive their challenges when they transition back into their communities and how they make sense of those challenges in relation to recidivism. The theoretical framework for the study was critical race theory. …

How Women Who Have Recidivated Describe Their Readiness For Employment After Release From Prison, Simba Kathleen Fox

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Since the 1980s, the population of women prisoners incarcerated in the state of California had significantly increased by 500% more than that of the male prisoners. The United States had more incarcerated women than any other country. Along with this alarming rise in female incarceration, recidivism rates were also higher among female inmates. This problem has negatively affected women in California; whereas 57% of the women released from prison were rearrested within three to seven years. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological research study was to investigate how 18 women who had recidivated with the same or a different criminal …

The Use Of Vocational Services By Formerly Incarcerated Citizens Who Obtained Employment, Marianne Gonta

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Almost 2.3 million people are incarcerated in correctional facilities across the United States. More than 95% of this population will be released to return to society at some time. People returning from prison can be at a disadvantage as they compete for work. They might be challenged by known barriers to employment, like restrictions on work opportunities and powerful stigma, resulting in a social problem. While some correctional facilities provide vocational services, 75% or more of citizens returning to U.S. communities from prison cannot obtain sustainable wage employment. Yet, it appears there is little research illuminating the pathways used by …