Open AccessTransitioning into the Community: Perceptions of Barriers and Facilitators Experienced By Formerly Incarcerated, Homeless Women During Reentry—A Qualitative Study
Author(s) -
Benissa E. Salem,
Jordan Kwon,
Maria Ekstrand,
Elizabeth Hall,
Susan Turner,
Mark Faucette,
Regina Slaughter
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
community mental health journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.639
H-Index - 66
eISSN - 1573-2789
pISSN - 0010-3853
DOI - 10.1007/s10597-020-00748-8
Subject(s) - psychological intervention , focus group , prison , qualitative research , community integration , psychology , gerontology , medicine , psychiatry , sociology , criminology , social science , anthropology , physical therapy
Formerly incarcerated, homeless women on parole or probation experience individual-and structural-level barriers and facilitators as they prepare to transition into the community during reentry. A qualitative study was undertaken using focus group methods with formerly incarcerated, currently homeless women (N = 18, M age = 37.67, SD 10.68, 23-53 years of age) exiting jail or prison. Major themes which emerged included the following: (1) access to resources-barriers and facilitators during community transition, (2) familial reconciliation and parenting during community transition, and (3) trauma and self-care support during community transition. These findings suggest a need to develop multi-level interventions at the individual, program and institutional/societal level with a gender-sensitive lens for women who are transitioning to community reentry. It is hoped that providing such resources will reduce the likelihood of homelessness and reincarceration.