Romance, recovery and community re-entry for criminal justice-involved women: conceptualizing and measuring intimate relationship factors and power

Abstract

Researchers have suggested that interpersonal relationships, particularly romantic relationships, may influence women’s attempts at substance abuse recovery and community re-entry after criminal justice system involvement. The present paper evaluates relational and power theories to conceptualize the influence of romantic partner and romantic relationship qualities on pathways in and out of substance abuse and crime. The paper then combines these conceptualizations with a complementary empirical analysis to describe an ongoing research project that longitudinally investigates these relational and power driven factors on women’s substance abuse recovery and community re-entry success among former substance abusing, recently criminally involved women. This paper is designed to encourage the integration of theory and empirical analysis by detailing how each of these concepts are operationalized and measured. Future research and clinical implications are also discussed.

Empowerment and Social Support: Implications for Practice and Programming Among Minority Women with Substance Abuse and Criminal Justice Histories

“…Gendered frameworks of development have historically focused on the importance of women’s relationships to their well-being (e.g. 17–19 ). In this context, women are empowered through their ability to form interpersonal relationships that are reciprocal and grounded in connection to others (e.g.…”

An Injustice to the Justice-Involved

“…Existing literature shows that incarceration and criminal justice involvement disproportionately affect Black women (Walt & Jason, 2017). Although there is no significant difference between the likelihood of reporting engagement in criminal behavior between Black and White women, Black women have a higher likelihood of experiencing incarceration at least once in their lifetime in comparison with White women (Bloom et al, 2004;Walt & Jason, 2017). Institutionalized and systemic racism further disadvantages ethnic minority women.…”

“…Institutionalized and systemic racism further disadvantages ethnic minority women. Other related socioeconomic factors, such as level of poverty, loss of resources, and availability of housing, contribute to the overall likelihood of criminal justice involvement (Walt & Jason, 2017). In understanding the racial disparities across incarceration rates and TBI diagnosis and treatment separately, there is potentialfor further researchto be done in measuring health outcomes after TBI in incarcerated mothers of marginalized populations.…”