Anticipated Stigma and Stigma Management Among Those to be Labeled “Ex-con”

Stigma, Secrecy and Race: An Empirical Examination of Black and White Incarcerated Men

“…He found that disclosure of one's status as an ex-convict depends on self-identity and structural constraints. Similarly, our investigation of incarcerated men (Winnick and Bodkin 2008) found factors related to exclusion, namely perceived stigmatization and difficulty in getting a job, associated with secrecy and withdrawal, while factors related to inclusion, namely support from those who are "wise" (in Goffman's (1963) sense), associated with reduced secrecy and withdrawal and increased preventative telling, net of offense related variables. Race effects, while nonsignificant in full model specifications, were not trivial.…”

“…We focus on secrecy rather than withdrawal or preventative telling, because subjects in our earlier study (Winnick and Bodkin 2008) were ambivalent about this approach. Respondents expressed significant rejection of secrecy, yet explanatory variables were strongly related to its endorsement.…”

“…In research presented elsewhere (Winnick and Bodkin 2008), we showed that incarcerated men, most of whom will eventually exit prison with the label exconvict, endorse each of these strategies, and what influences those choices. Here we focus on the strategy of secrecy because ex-convict is a discreditable stigma (Goffman 1963).…”

Anticipated Stigma and Defensive Individualism During Postincarceration Job Searching*

“…Moreover, from a stigma management perspective we might conclude from these respondents that by even talking about stigma these respondents were engaging in a type of preventative telling (Winnick and Bodkin 2008). Yet, many participants did not anticipate stigma (n=13).…”

“…Winnick and Bodkin (2008) examined the process by which returning prisoners anticipate, manage and overcome stigmatization and found that individuals with high levels of perceived stigma tend to use adverse coping strategies such as withdrawing or keeping their criminal history secret to avoid negative reactions. However, the authors also highlight the importance of social networks in coping with stigma finding that returning prisoners with positive social relationship were more likely to anticipate using positive coping strategies (Winnick and Bodkin 2008).…”