A qualitative exploration of reentry service needs: The case of fathers returning from prison

The challenge of community and family reentry after a parent's release from prison remains an under‐addressed area of collateral damage stemming from high rates of U.S. incarceration. Many fathers released from prison return to living with family, and later attribute family connections and pare...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Child & family social work 2020-08, Vol.25 (S1), p.63-72
Main Authors: Muentner, Luke, Charles, Pajarita
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Child Rearing
Childrearing practices
Correctional Institutions
Correctional treatment programs
Criminal justice
Ex-convicts
Families & family life
Family (Sociological Unit)
Family roles
fatherhood
Fathers
Human agency
Imprisonment
Inequality
Interviews
Mothers
parental incarceration
Parents & parenting
prison
Prisoners
Prisons
Reentry
reentry services
Relatives
Self care
Social services
Social support
Support services
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Summary:The challenge of community and family reentry after a parent's release from prison remains an under‐addressed area of collateral damage stemming from high rates of U.S. incarceration. Many fathers released from prison return to living with family, and later attribute family connections and parent–child contact as key factors in their postrelease success. However, reentry planning is hampered by a dearth of research on family‐focused reentry services, and consequently, often omits attention to resuming family and parenting roles. To address this gap, we conducted 38 semi‐structured interviews with 19 previously incarcerated fathers, 9 co‐parenting mothers, and 10 relatives to explore service needs of fathers during reentry. Findings suggest programs not only should be multimodal, emphasizing family connections complemented by socioeconomic, self‐care, and social support services, but also should be accessible and relatable, offered within the community, and engaging for fathers and family members. Findings reinforce the importance of self‐determination and human agency while underscoring the multiple challenges fathers face upon reentry. By including the voices of those most affected by incarceration, this study advances knowledge to shape reentry programs and policies, contributes to efforts addressing criminal justice inequities, and promotes well‐being among formerly incarcerated parents and their families.
ISSN:1356-7500
1365-2206
DOI:10.1111/cfs.12714