Examining recidivism during reentry: Proposing a holistic model of health and wellbeing

Mental and Physical Health, Psychosocial Maturity, and Desistance in Young Adulthood

“…It is noteworthy that the concept of “health” is widening to include more holistic considerations (see Fahmy & Mitchell, 2022 ), which is consistent with arguments that correctional programming for adult offenders with narrow focuses on physical health alone may be insufficient for meeting often complex and multi-faceted health needs (Wallace & Wang, 2020 ). At a minimum, frameworks for health-based desistance should seek to consider the impact of both physical and mental health (Link et al, 2019 ; Wallace & Wang, 2020 ) as well as consider possible indirect developmental processes by which health states may promote desistance (Link et al, 2019 ).…”

“…Complementing important research examining the role of physical health as a facilitator of crime (Stogner & Gibson, 2010 ; Stogner et al, 2014 ), scholars have begun to unpack the effects of both mental and physical health for reentry and reintegration success and desistance (Fahmy & Mitchell, 2022 ; Link et al, 2019 ; Mallik-Kane & Visher, 2008 ; Wallace & Wang, 2020 ). For example, drawing widely on research in criminology and other disciplines, Link et al ( 2019 ) advanced a “health-based model of desistance” that draws attention to the roles that mental and physical health may play in a successful exit from crime.…”

“…As delinquent youth with mental health needs are especially likely to experience difficulties adjusting to adult roles (Steinberg et al, 2004 ), it is critical to understand how health states indirectly influence offending during the transition to adulthood. While there is a growing literature on the role of health for life-course achievements and behavior change (e.g., Fahmy & Mitchell, 2022 ; Link et al, 2019 , 2020 ; Mallik-Kane & Visher, 2008 ; Wallace & Wang, 2020 ) and strong evidence linking psychosocial maturity to offending (Monahan et al, 2009 ; Monahan et al, 2013 ; Ozkan & Worrall, 2017 ) and substance use (Fischer et al, 2007 ; Ozkan & Worrall, 2017 ; Riggs Romaine, 2019 ), it remains empirically unclear whether experiencing poor health may diminish individuals’ development of psychosocial maturity and thus stall normative desistance processes.…”

“…Regarding physical health, for example, well over half of young adults are either obese or overweight (Ellison-Barnes et al, 2021 ). Adding to a small body of research on possible sources of stunted psychosocial development, such as incarceration (Dmitrieva et al, 2012 ), the present research draws on health-related criminological perspectives (Fahmy & Mitchell, 2022 ; Jackson & Vaughn, 2018 ; Link et al, 2019 ; Link et al, 2020 ; Mallik-Kane & Visher, 2008 ; Wallace & Wang, 2020 ) and multidisciplinary research on psychosocial development, health, and health behaviors (Galambos et al, 2008 ; Kuiper et al, 2018 ; Reysen et al, 2020 ; Westenberg et al, 1999 ; Pailing & Reiners, 2018 ) to examine whether and to what extent poor mental and physical health stall normative development and contribute to persistence in offending among a sample of justice-involved adolescent offenders. We begin by reviewing core ideas in health-based desistance and then explicate their relevance for the development of psychosocial maturity.…”

Community integration as reentry: Understanding functioning, vocational identity, and core self‐evaluations

“…While employment has been found to be a significant predictor of reentry success, difficulties in obtaining and maintaining employment put individuals at a higher risk to end up reincarcerated (Graffam et al., 2014; LaCourse et al., 2019; Sampson & Laub, 2005; Varghese et al., 2018). Furthermore, difficulty in establishing critical connections in the community, such as stable and meaningful employment, impedes individuals from successful reentry and community integration (Fahmy & Mitchell, 2022).…”