Date of Conferral
2022
Degree
Ph.D.
School
Psychology
Advisor
Stephen Hampe
Abstract
Reentering society after incarceration can be difficult for all ex-convicts but worse for African American women. Once released from prison, these women face the challenges of reintegrating back into the community and rebuilding their lives. When released, most African American women are disproportionately under-educated, have low income, and possess little to no employment skills. As mothers, these African American women have the additional challenge of supporting a family while integrating into society. This study was conducted to examine the experiences and perspectives of African American matriarchs reentering society after incarceration. A qualitative phenomenological design guided this investigation exploring 15 African American matriarchs’ experiences reentering society after incarceration. Using critical race theory, the effect of race and socioeconomic status of these women was emphasized to identify their impact on this targeted group of ex-offenders. A questionnaire and a series of follow-up interviews were employed to collect the participants’ experiences. The findings identify the factors that most impacted these women when they attempted to reenter society after incarceration; themes included belief in self, finding housing, finding employment, family support, and reentry experiences. Subthemes included ethnicity, education, getting custody of children, reentry services, and job readiness. The results can inform public policies and social programs that address ex-offenders and their ability to obtain public funding or other services when reentering the community.
Recommended Citation
Little, Denise, "African American Matriarch's Experiences with Reentry after Incarceration" (2022). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 12756.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/12756
