prisoner re-entry programs: age variation in attitudes and experiences among street life oriented...
DESCRIPTION
A secondary data analysis was conducted on the Wilmington Street PAR project, a larger street ethnographic study organized examine physical violence in Wilmington, DE. This analysis specifically explored attitudes and experiences with prison reentry among male participants who were street identified and/or formerly of the criminal justice system across age.TRANSCRIPT
31% of Black men are on probation (Bureau of Justice
Statistics, 2011);
1 in every 15 Black men are incarcerated in
comparison to 1 in every 106 white men (Kerby, 2012);
67.5% of inmates were rearrested at least once
within the first three years of release (Atkin &
Armstrong, 2013).
Demographic Profile National
8 in 10 Delaware inmates sentenced to more than a year in prison are rearrested for a serious offense within three years of their release (Barrish, 2013);
71% of released prisoners are convicted of a serious crime within three years of release, and 68% return to prison for at least one day (Barrish, 2013);
Joblessness is as high as 50% among Black men in their twenties (Hope Commission, 2011);
Each year over 1,200 Black ex-offenders are released from Delaware prisons, into Wilmington (Hope Commission, 2011);.
Demographic Profile Local
What is Participatory Action Research (PAR)?
(I.) Participatory Action Research (PAR) projects includes on the research team, members of the population under study. Once such members are identified, they then are offered the opportunity to participate in all phases of the research project (e. g. theoretical framing, literature review, analysis, publication, presentation, monetary compensation, etc.); &
(II.) PAR projects require an social justice based response
to be organized in response to the data collected by the study.
Research + Social Activism = PAR
Payne, 2011
RESEARCH QUESTION
To what extent does age influence attitudes and experiences toward reentry programs in Wilmington among street identified African
American men?
Prisoner Re-entry: Programs and Services (Seiter &
Kadela, 2003; Thompkins, 2010)
Barriers in Prisoner Re-entry: Recidivism and Incarceration (Marbley & Ferguson, 2005; Raphael, 2011)
Employers Attitudes towards Ex-offenders and Employment (Smith & Hattery, 2011; Atkin & Armstrong,
2013)
Literature Review
“…correctional programs from prison to community that have
initiated treatment [or social development] in a prison setting and
have linked with a community program to provide continuous care”
(368).
What is Prisoner Reentry?
Seiter & Kadela (2003)
Street Ideology
Centered on personal and economic survival;
Developed from increased value and meaning in the overall code of the streets;
Activities:
Bonding activities:
Joking, “hanging on the block,” or playing basketball, to organizing and sponsoring events in the local community
Illegal activities:
Burglary, interpersonal violence, and use and sales of narcotics
Site of Resilience: What is Street Life?
Payne, 2011
Sites of Resilience: Theoretical Model
Payne, 2011
Structural Condition: Prison
Gander Hill
Howard R. Young Correctional Institution also known as Gander Hill
1301 E. 12th Street
Wilmington, DE 19801
Project Design Interview/Qualitative Data
Age Range
Individual Interviews
18-29 6
30-35 5
Age Range
Dual
Interviews
Group
Interviews
18-22 ---
4 (of 4 participants)
28-35 1 (of 2 participants)
1 (of 4 participants)
Coding Scheme
1st Phase of Qualitative Coding
2nd Phase of Qualitative Coding
3rd Phase of Qualitative Coding
Broad Domain Core Code Sub Codes
(1) Attitudes toward Reentry
Probation and Parole (1) Ineffective Programs and Services
(2) Surveillance
(2) Recidivism Employment/Criminal Record
(1) Lack of Opportunities/ Economic Survival
(2) Critical Reflections of Attitudes toward Employment
Protect the community;
Help victims;
Provide resources; &
Make sure probationers do not break the law or
violate the terms of their probation.
Probation and Parole
Younger age group (18-29)
Less concerned with accessing quality reentry programs;
More likely to be violated by probation.
Older age group (30-35)
Need for employment and specialized workshops;
Too much supervision; not enough preparation;
Cannot depend on programs; must do things on their own.
Attitudes Toward Reentry Programs based on Age
Aaron (29): “[Probation] won't put any steps
into place to help you get a job…keep a job…or maintain a job. Part of your probation should be ‘[you’re] on probation…for you to get a job…for us to maintain this job with you’ That should be part of probation…[you] should be able to have a job already set up…so [you] can maintain it once [you] get out.”
Experience with Probation
CODE: Ineffective Programs and Services
Rennie Rox (35): “You have a program that's in
place and it's not doin' what it's…supposed to be doin’… [people] depend on these programs to get their self together, but it's not there…when I came home [from prison]... the second time, [I realized] that I can't depend on no reentry program, I can't depend on probation and parole…It's just gonna be a disappointment and cause me to relapse outta frustration…So I don't do [reentry programs] no more.”
Effectiveness of Probation
CODE: Ineffective Programs and Services
Younger age group (18-29)
Impatience in wait for employment;
More likely to recidivate;
Less financial responsibilities.
Older age group (30-35)
Harder to find employment opportunities;
More likely to create their own job opportunities;
More financial responsibilities.
Attitudes Toward Employment based on Age
Byron (18): “I go back to the hood…there's nowhere for me to go…I'm boxed in, you look at Southbridge it's…like a box… with one little doorway out. Now, when you close [it], what do you want me to do?...a bunch of n****s [people are] out here hungry…kids are out there right now hungry.”
Finding Employment
CODE: Lack of Opportunities/ Economic Survival
Rennie Rox (35): “What I do is I try to create my own jobs…I clean carpets. I bought a carpet machine from Home Depot. It fits in the backseat of my car. I put my fliers up all across Newcastle County. Not just in the neighborhood…[but] down Route 40 where the white people [are], handin' out my fliers in the towns... They [people] give me calls…I go respectfully.”
Resilience – Personal Efficacy
CODE: Employment/Criminal Record
Generally, all of the Black men interviewed have negative attitudes toward reentry programs.
Data suggest that as the sample becomes older (30-35), attitudes toward reentry programs are increasingly becoming negative, with age.
Results: Probation
Data suggest that as the sample becomes older (30-35), their attitudes toward employment are increasingly becoming negative, with age.
With age (18-29 to 30-35), attitudes suggest employment becomes harder to find.
Results: Employment
Vocational Schooling/Trade Workshops Specialized Skills/Trade (30-35)
Family and Social Support Reduce Recidivism/Criminal Activity
Specialized Programs (in terms of age) Wants/Needs with Age Employment Opportunities In Prison Preparation
What Needs to Be Done?
Banks (27): “It's like if you have someone that's
willing to…be there for you…no matter what…if you fall short…willing to pick you back up and give support.” (positive)
Banks (27): “‘Uh, n***a you broke, you ain't got nothing, you can't do nothing, you ain't got no car… look at me, look at you’…so it's like all right I'm gonna show you what I'm about, I'm gonna get out here and do what I do and then I'm back over here again[ in the streets].” (negative)
Family and Social Support
Department of Black American Studies Dr. Yasser A. Payne
McNair Scholars Program Dr. Kimberly Saunders Tiffany Scott Natalie Cook Nicole Mozee Brooklynn Hitchens Deangie Davis
Wilmington Office of Probation and Parole Officer Debra Mason
Acknowledgements