Presenter(s)

Kathryn E. Hurley

Comments

Presentation: 2:20-2:40, Kennedy Union 211

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Description

The U.S. has one of the highest levels of incarceration and recidivism in the world (American Civil Liberties Union, 2022; U.S. Department of Justice, n.d). Several factors contribute to recidivism, including the loss of monetary funds and loss of housing upon incarceration. Homelessness especially predicts recidivism. It has been found to increase the risk of recidivism by almost 50% (Jacobs & Gottlieb, 2020). Within the context of a long-term ongoing participatory community action research project in homeless shelters (Reeb et al., 2024), this study examined the benefit of reentry support sessions within the homeless shelter environment, with an attempt to overcome barriers in utilizing community resources. Twenty previously incarcerated, unhoused men participated in a reentry support session within St. Vincent De Paul’s Gateway Shelter for Men (Dayton, Ohio). The reentry support session was developed in collaboration with the Montgomery County (Ohio) Office of Reentry. Participants completed a measure of self-efficacy for community reentry at pre- and post-session, followed by a brief interview to identify their plans for obtaining reentry services in the community. In support of Hypothesis 1, it was found that the self-efficacy for coping with community reentry improved from pre- to post-intervention. Consistent with hypothesis 2, residents both with and without a disability benefited from the session at approximately equal levels. Post-session interviews revealed that a majority of residents expressed intentions to obtain additional reentry-related resources. Keywords: recidivism, community reentry, homeless, disability, self-efficacy, participatory community action research in homeless shelters

Publication Date

4-17-2024

Project Designation

Honors Thesis

Primary Advisor

Roger N. Reeb

Primary Advisor's Department

Psychology

Keywords

Stander Symposium, College of Arts and Sciences

Institutional Learning Goals

Community; Scholarship; Critical Evaluation of Our Times

Benefits of a Community Reentry Intervention for Reentry Self-Efficacy in Homeless Shelter Residents With Past Incarceration

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