We've Come A Long Way Baby . . . Or Have We? The Lived Experience of Incarcerated Women with Community Reintegration

Purpose: The number of individuals incarcerated in the United States has increased dramatically over the past two decades (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2006). The increase in the population of incarcerated individuals has spawned an obvious increase in those who will be released and re-integrating into the community. The body of research that exists on the issue of community reintegration is vast, but has focused more on males than females (Flannigan, 1992). In addition, the literature that does focus on re-entry tends to center on issues of recidivism rather than the process and struggles of reentry into the community. (Visher and Travis, 2003). With the increased number of incarcerated and, subsequently, reintegrating females, a great need exists to gain more understanding of this process. The current study examined the lived experience of a group of women, who have been incarcerated on more than one occasion, with the phenomenon of community reintegration.

Methods: A qualitative design and a phenomenological mode of inquiry were used to examine the process of community re-integration in currently incarcerated women. Criterion sampling was used to identify ten women incarcerated in a southern county jail. Interviews were conducted using in-depth, semi-structured interviews regarding their experiences with re-entering the community after a period of incarceration. The protocol was developed from an expansive review of the literature and the researcher's personal experiences working for five years in the local criminal justice system. The interviews comprised questions relating to pre-incarceration, incarceration, and post-incarceration experiences. Interviews were conducted over a six month period. The five women who were still incarcerated after initial data analysis were utilized for member checking.

Results: Ten interviews were transcribed and coded by hand prior to being entered into Atlas t.i. software. The majority of data coding was conducted by hand and the software was utilized more for organizational purposes. Data analysis revealed that abusive relationships and the resulting lack of support was the overarching theme that connected the lived experiences of these ten incarcerated women. These abusive relationships began in childhood with their families and extended into romantic relationships during adulthood. Further examination of these relationships revealed many resulting feelings (frustration, fear, lack of self esteem) and behaviors (substance abuse, crime) which affected them prior to, during, and after their previous incarcerations. Further, their experiences in jail (treatment by staff, lack of programs) influenced their previous attempts at re-entry. Finally, these prior attempts at re-entry provided them with enough knowledge to be somewhat fearful of their upcoming release, but also the practicality to understand the importance of a personalized discharge plan.

Implications: Data analysis provided information which could prove very helpful to jails and prisons in the development of programs for women both during their incarceration and after their release. Further, results demonstrated that in order to fully assist in eventual community re-integration, programs need to address issues spanning from childhood to their current incarceration. Finally, these results will provide clinicians and academicians with much needed information about this growing population.