Research Proposal

5

Annotated Bibliography on Incarceration Effects on Society Reentry after Prison

Temeika Williams

American Military University

SSGS300

Professor Anthony Galante

January 23, 2022

Annotated Bibliography on Incarceration Effects on Society Reentry after Prison

Wallace, D., & Wang, X. (2020). Does in-prison physical and mental health impact recidivism?. SSM-population health, 11, 100569.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmph.2020.100569

Wallace and Wang's articles highlight the health and mental effects prisoners experience in reentry to society after incarceration. Their study aims to analyze the health effects that released prisoners encounter after prison time and their impact on recidivism. These impacts will enhance understanding of how incarceration affects the life of prisoners mentally and lead to rearrests due to repeated behavior within one year after their reentry into society. Wallace and Wang's thesis observed the severe and violent reentry initiative data, which helps follow-up male prisoners after their release into the community. The use of survey waves to collect data on released prisoners' health was also applied by Wallace and Wang in their study. The result shows that incarceration health issues affect reentry behavior and lead to the recidivism of some prisoners who experience poor health concerns while in prison.

The study relates to my findings on recidivism behavior which is the high effect of poor health issues of prisoners during incarceration. Mostly, detention is linked with poor health, which affects prisoners' mental health. Some reports have shown a high rate of torture of prisoner's which impacts their mental health. Upon release, offenders find it hard to cope with the outside environment and end up committing or resuming their behavior, leading to recidivism.

Charles, P., Muentner, L., & Kjellstrand, J. (2019). Parenting and incarceration: Perspectives on father-child involvement during reentry from prison. Social Service Review, 93(2), 218-261. DOI/full/10.1086/703446#1st_rf1R

Charles, Muentner, and Kjellstrand's articles argue that incarceration affects parents' reentry to society after prison time. The study aims to analyze the fathers-child relationship, mainly basing the argument on how fathers' incarceration period impacts their parenting behavior. Charles, Muentner, and Kjellstrand used the qualitative method to collect data and interviews of male prisoners after their release in jails. This study helps understand how fathers are affected by incarceration with poor preparation of after-release parenting roles. The study results show that most parents (fathers) may encounter recidivism due to poor relationships with their children in the reentry period due to constraints like low-income family support and guilty attitudes.

The study relates to my findings on how parents get affected by incarceration during their prison time. Mostly, parents encounter some mental challenges as they do not get parental counseling and guidance while in prison. Some may even have low-income family relationships during incarceration time, which can negatively affect their children's connections in the reentry to society. Lack of financial stability, job opportunity, and social support to some fathers after release affects their relationship with their children and can lead to recidivism.

L Runell, L. (2020). Becoming a social work professionally after incarceration. Journal of Social Work, 20(3), 307-320.https://doi.org/10.1177%2F1468017318815293

Rudell's article is more concerned with highlighting the positive effects of incarceration on inmates in reentry after prison. During imprisonment, most prisoners are trained on the social aspect of life and how to become resourceful citizens after prison time. Renell tries to show that prisoners arrested or jailed while in school can get back to society and continue with their studies to enhance their social acceptance in society. The study used the interview method to collect data from past and present members of higher education programs who have insight into previously incarcerated individuals with a need to continue with their studies after jail. Renell's research results show that a certain percentage of offenders identify their social work skills while in prison and use them to continue transitions from prison to law-abiding citizens.

Renell's study relates to my findings that some incarceration training and programs positively impact prisoners. Those arrested due to misconduct while in school tend to resume their studies to better their social life after prison time. Incarceration has insight into offenders' future social life as they get some technical skills like carpentry, construction, and masonry, which can be used to better their reliability in the reentry period. Therefore, understanding the effects of incarceration on prisoners' reentry into society is vital as it has both positive and negative impacts on after prison behavior. Some individuals may experience a negative perception of the environment and recidivism. In contrast, others can get positive growth and rely on social work trained while incarcerated to enhance their transition to everyday life while abiding by the law.