Improving Social Networks Increases Successful Community Reentry for Formerly Incarcerated Women

Background and Purpose -The literature on incarcerated women demonstrates that loneliness is a predominant theme amongst the population due to detachment from home, family, and society. The lack of connections increases feelings of isolation, which in turn negatively impacts mental health and psychosocial functioning beyond incarceration. Formerly incarcerated women (FIW) are met with unique challenges and roadblocks to reentry success. The stigma of a criminal record, social expectations for women, and socioeconomic disadvantages hinder successful reentry amongst FIW and perpetuate cycles of recidivism. In addition, social withdrawal was the most common response to stigma, which predicted higher rates of mental health issues for up to one-year post-incarceration, highlighting the connection between stigma, self-esteem, and mental health for FIW. Social networks offer emotional support for FIW to navigate these turbulent times while providing linkage to opportunities, communities, and paths to change. Investigation of the social needs of FIW could illuminate a path to supportive services that, in turn, would impact all facets of reentry stability. Community reintegration necessitates a “series of concurrent social, behavioral, and cognitive changes.” These changes include forming a positive social support network, developing employment skills, recovering from mental health or substance abuse, appropriately distancing from negative influences to engage in a healthy, prosocial life, and contributing to the community. To gauge the isolation and internal feelings of self that may impact women, we recruited a sample of FIW for interviews.

Methods- This study used snowball sampling and recruited women who had recently returned from incarceration (< five years) and received services at agencies focused on reentry. Participants were recruited via a flyer, word of mouth, and recommendations from agency staff. Structured interviews were conducted to gather data. Scales measuring self-esteem, loneliness, and legal history were collected along with in-depth social network analysis.

Results- Participants reflected the makeup of Los Angeles, with 57% Latina, 28% African American, and 15% White. They had been incarcerated on average for 18 months and had been released and living in the community for an average of 12 months. The most common charged offense was weapon possession. 100% of the participants reported Mental Health problems, with 57% diagnosed with Bipolar and 28% with Depression. Participants averaged social networks of 20 people (sizes ranged from 7 to 53 people), and they were primarily comprised of family. As network size increased, there was a reduction in participant loneliness, but no effect on self-esteem was observed.

Conclusions- This exploratory study helped broaden our understanding of how women returning to the community from jail or prison build their social environment and the impact that has on their well-being. These findings suggest that an intervention targeting improving social networks can ameliorate loneliness, impacting mental health outcomes and reentry success. With this information, reentry services can incorporate new methods for expanding and developing supportive social networks for FIW to reduce recidivism.