Abstract:
The current study explored the phenomenon of community re-integration with incarcerated women. Each of the women were six months or less from release and had at least one prior experience with community re-integration. Qualitative methodology and a phenomenological mode of inquiry were used to explore the pre-incarceration, incarceration and post-incarceration experiences of these ten incarcerated women. The following themese emerged from data analysis: 1) Family relationships, 2) Traumatic events, 3) Change, 4) Treatment from jail staff, 5) Programs/Classes, 6) Anxiety, and 7) Motherhood as motivation. These themes are discussed as they relate to each research question; as well as their relationship to the pre-incarceration, incarceration, and post-incarceration experiences of the participants. Implications for social work practice include the improvement of rehabilitative services to incarcerated women, as well as, the development of a discharge plan that could be used to begin the process of community re-integration on the first day of incarceration
