Date of Conferral

5-5-2025

Date of Award

5-5-2025

Degree

Doctor of Public Administration (D.P.A)

School

Public Policy and Administration

Advisor

Lori Salgado

Abstract

Identifying gaps in reentry programs for formerly incarcerated women is challenging due to the lack of evaluations that include the perspectives of the transitioning women on which components most effectively support their reintegration. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to explore the experiences and perceptions of transitioning women who received reentry services, in order to assess program effectiveness in community reintegration and inform future interventions. The research question for this study was, how do women served by Organization A’s reentry program describe the program’s effectiveness in preparing them for community reintegration after incarceration? To answer the practice-focused research question, six former reentry participants described how effectively the program prepared them for community reintegration after incarceration. A researcher-generated online survey was used to collect descriptive qualitative data on participants’ reentry experiences. A thematic data analysis yielded two primary themes—what is working well and what needs improvement—along with four subthemes—holistic reintegration approach, targeted training and development, transitional housing assistance, and nonessential policy enforcement. The recommendation was to improve the deficiencies identified in the four subthemes. The study’s findings highlighted the complex and distinct challenges faced by formerly incarcerated women and emphasize the importance of gender-responsive interventions to improve reintegration outcomes. Implementing recommendations from the findings may help organizational leaders advance positive social change by reinforcing program strengths and mitigating barriers to women’s reintegration.

Download

Share

 
COinS