Date of Conferral

2021

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Psychology

Advisor

Kristen K. Beyer

Abstract

AbstractNonviolent ex-offenders in Singapore of Malaysian descent face many challenges with reintegration into the community following incarceration. The Malaysian ethnic group comprises a small part, only 14%, of the Singaporean population, but they are overrepresented in the criminal justice system, which creates challenges for the Singapore government. The Malaysians face challenges such as the lack of support, academic underachievement, and economic and socioeconomic disparities. There is a literature gap regarding the Malaysian nonviolent ex-offenders who are experiencing problems with reintegration into society and have more limitations than other ethnic groups in Singapore. There are currently no studies focusing on clarifying the connection between being a Malaysian nonviolent ex-offender and recidivism in Singapore. This qualitative phenomenological study was designed to examine the lived experiences of how Malaysian nonviolent ex-offenders made their transition into the community after their release from prison. The foundational framework for this study was the risk-need-responsivity (RNR) for the adults and the Good Lives Model (GLM). The study used interpretative phenomenological analysis. Semistructured interviews with open-ended questions were conducted with eight participants. Three themes were identified from the data: feeling excluded from the community, having difficulty finding a job, and being Malaysian is not easy in Singapore. These three themes are the result of the experiences of the participants in this study and supported the importance of breaking the cycle of recidivism, which may lead to a positive social change for this specific group of Malaysian nonviolent ex-offenders in Singapore.

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