Fatherhood, Reproductive Health, and Incarcerated Men: A Qualitative Study With Implications for Reentry

Abstract

It is important to understand how incarcerated men conceptualize fatherhood for reentry. Sixteen interviews explored attitudes and feelings about parenthood, family planning, and challenges and strengths regarding fatherhood. Transcriptions were analyzed for themes using open coding. Parenting themes: being active in children’s lives, financial stability, and giving children better lives. Family planning themes: preventing sexually transmitted infection, creating stable families, importance of family planning, and birth control methods. Men were motivated to be stable fathers and utilize family planning to create stability; men expressed need for better partner communication. Fathers struggled to provide support/stability for children but expressed openness to learning parenting skills and family planning methods. Reentry strategies may address these themes to rehabilitate men and enhance family planning.

Motivational interviewing for family planning and reducing risky sexual behavior among incarcerated men nearing release: A randomized controlled pilot study.

“…The intervention was modified from work involving boys found in high-risk settings, including incarceration (Bassett et al, 2021). It was adapted specifically for incarcerated men to address their particular family planning needs (see Laird et al, 2020). A PhD-level behavioral scientists with almost 30 years of experience tailored the intervention based on prior work in MI, the Trans-Theoretical Model (TTM), and work in incarcerated settings.…”

“…This population already deals with financial insecurity and employment difficulty which put them at risk for recidivism (Berghuis, 2018). Furthermore, in a recent qualitative study (Laird et al, 2020) with incarcerated men, many participants expressed wanting to learn more about and to receive resources on family planning, as well as wanting to achieve financial stability before having any or more children.…”

“…Findings from these studies emphasize the need to further develop and test interventions that target sexual health among incarcerated men. Furthermore, to our knowledge, no study has yet examined an intervention with incarcerated men that incorporates discussions around family planning and behaviors incarcerated men can change to reduce unplanned pregnancies, despite men being in need and interested in such services (Laird et al, 2020).…”

Reclaiming Parenthood After Incarceration: The Nexus of Determination to Desist, Fulfillment of Parental Responsibilities, and Recidivism

“…Studies on men and women justice-involved individuals suggest that a good returning father is expected to work hard to provide for the children financially (Laird et al, 2020). For example, a recent study based on a group of incarcerated fathers revealed that respondents considered financially supporting their children to be the main task in reentry (e.g., Laird et al, 2020). One respondent said that “I can’t go back to that life, I have to work 10 times as hard, so I can support her and support myself” (Laird et al, 2020, p. 271).…”

“…For example, a recent study based on a group of incarcerated fathers revealed that respondents considered financially supporting their children to be the main task in reentry (e.g., Laird et al, 2020). One respondent said that “I can’t go back to that life, I have to work 10 times as hard, so I can support her and support myself” (Laird et al, 2020, p. 271). Another respondent said that he would make sure to provide for his children so they would not end up in prison as he did (Laird et al, 2020, p. 271).…”