Thomas Baker
Associate Professor, University Of Central Florida
Key Findings
- Incarcerated women were most concerned about finding employment and financial matters after being released.
- Women also indicated they had substantial worry about dealing with the perceived family challenges and stigma once they were released.
- Receiving letters from children and parents decreased prisoner concern about reentry.
- Older women had less concerns about family and future employment outcomes associated with reentry.
- White women, especially those with children, expressed more concern about family.
- Visitation of all types was associated with a reduction in employment fears about reentry.
- Female offenders with higher education levels expressed more concern with employment after release than women with lower education rates.
- Female offenders in a relationship expressed less concern with financial concerns in reentry.
- Visits from children and friends decreased women’s perception of stigma after release.
- Whites and individuals with higher levels of education expressed greater fear of stigma than non-Whites and individuals with lower education backgrounds.
Description
In the article, “Examining External Support Received in Prison and Concerns About Reentry Among Incarcerated Women,” Baker and his co-authors examine how social connections and support can influence concerns about reentry in female offenders. To conduct their study, the researchers surveyed more than 600 female offenders in a medium security facility in Florida. The results found that incarcerated women were most concerned about finding employment and financial matters after being released. Women also indicated they had substantial worry about dealing with the perceived family challenges and stigma once they were released. Receiving letters from children and parents decreased prisoner concern about reentry. Older women had less concerns about family and future employment outcomes associated with reentry. White women, especially those with children, expressed more concern about family. Visitation of all types was associated with a reduction in employment fears about reentry. Female offenders with higher education levels expressed more concern with employment after release than women with lower education rates. Female offenders in a relationship expressed less concern with financial concerns in reentry. Visits from children and friends decreased women’s perception of stigma after release. Whites and individuals with higher levels of education expressed greater fear of stigma than non-Whites and individuals with lower education backgrounds. In conclusion, the authors note that these findings will help policymakers understand the type of support incarcerated women need to succeed in rejoining society after incarceration. Additionally, they hope additional research will include external support measures into the analysis.