Beyond Recidivism

Abstract

This study explores how formerly incarcerated women define success. Qualitative analysis of data from in-depth interviews with 30 women who had been released from prison at least 3 months prior to the interview suggests that avoiding recidivism is only one aspect of success for this population. Success is defined as having their own place, helping family members and others, living free from criminal justice surveillance, persevering through challenges, and living a ''normal life.'' Ways in which these conceptualizations expand traditional notions of success for this population are discussed. Limitations and suggestions for future research are offered.

Mothering and Incarceration: A Conceptual Model Supporting Maternal Identity

“…Successful reentry is most often defined by recidivism rates (Heidemann et al, 2016), with limited attention given to well-being, self-esteem, and reunification with family and communities. In the most current Bureau of Justice Statistics report, 2018, among the 401,288 persons released from state prisons, 44% were arrested within the first year of release and 10.7% of those arrested were women (Alper et al, 2018).…”

When in doubt: the value of uncertainty for release success among incarcerated women

“…Perceptions are critical to the corrections and desistance works of literature, but we acknowledge the importance of determining whether perceptions predict behavior in the form of recidivism. We do share the concerns of others who believe that an exclusive focus on recidivism reduction limits an opportunity to identify other indicators of success such as educational achievement, providing social support to others, and financial independence (Heidemann et al, 2016;Wright et al, in press). Nevertheless, we know the degree to which perceptions of uncertainty catches on in the scholarly literature is contingent on the degree to which it is associated with actual behavior.…”

“…Men and women who perceive difficulties after release may be those who are most likely to encounter them, as a number of risk factors associated with recidivism are also associated with perceptions of success (Dhami et al, 2006). It is important to note that while the criminal justice system and desistance works of literature have defined success as the avoidance of crime, women who are reentering the community see the avoidance of crime as only one component of being successful after prison (Heidemann et al, 2016). Still, both non-criminal and conventional aspirations prior to release can only be useful for future outcomes when they are accompanied by successes in these domains after release (Doekhie & Van Ginneken, 2019).…”

Prisoning Indigenous Women: Strength and Resilience in the Face of Systemic Trauma

“…In effect, non-association conditions may be harmful to women as they reintegrate because they prevent the women from accessing important sources of support, including housing and emotional support. Research shows that social connections with those who share a history of incarceration can be critical in providing support and encouragement to women as they reintegrate (Heidemann, Cederbaum, and Martinez 2016;Opsal 2015;Turnbull and Hannah-Moffat 2009), yet parole conditions can and do restrict the circle of those with whom women can associate. As Turnbull and Hannah-10 Research on the power of subcultures (e.g.…”