Chapter 1: Homeward
Who is the majority population in the respondent sample and in the criminal justice system?
Young Black men
What was the driving incentive to join the study in the beginning v. the end?
Money... then to help the research
Discussion Question #3
Which subgroup of people aids the most in the reentry period?
Older female family members
True or False:
The majority of those released from prison live below the poverty line
True
Who is the main source of private informal social control?
The fam
How does the narrative of reentry contrast with public perceptions of freedom after incarceration?
Depression, anxiety, homelessness, difficulties regarding addiction
What are some ethical considerations of researching formerly incarcerated individuals?
Reliving trauma, data concerns, consent, etc.
*(Scenario Activity)*
What are the options for the respondents with no family after release?
Men's/women's shelter; homeless; couch surfing
Discussion Question #5
What are TWO examples of how families can support people when they are released from prison?
Material and emotional support; other answers will be considered
Explain the differences between human capital, social capital and social networks
Answers may vary
(Activity)
What is the purpose of the Bruce Westerns study?
Bruce Western’s research in Homeward aims to uncover how incarceration and reentry shape the lives of individuals, families, and communities, highlighting the deep social and economic costs of mass incarceration.
How does Bruce Western's research methodology help reveal the long-term impacts of imprisonment on individuals after their release?
Western was able to follow his participants over an extended period capturing nuanced accounts and social patterns
Discussion Question #2
What are CORI-Friendly jobs?
Jobs that work with the justice system to employ formerly incarcerated people
What kind of participants transitioned the easiest (economically) and why?
Older white respondents, members of labor unions, or those with work release
Better chances economically, stability confidence
What are the 3 indicators of social disorganization?
1) Levels of poverty
2) Ethnic heterogeneity
3) Mobility
Why are big national data sets and quantitative data sets unhelpful when studying the effects of incarceration?
Missing data due to the elusiveness of criminals and nomadic lifestyle contributed by poverty
Discussion Question #1
How did Western's research teams keep in contact with the participants? What about participants with housing instability?
Phone calls, texts, letters, family and friend connections, etc.
How does reentry of a formerly incarcerated individual impact their family members emotionally and financially?
Draining, impacts family dynamics
Besides a criminal record, what hinders people released from prison from getting a job during their reentry period?
Skill differences, social networks, economic status
A pattern in which individuals are repeatedly taken in and out of the communities through cycles of incarceration is known as what?
What is:
Coercive mobility
(Activity)
How does the duration of imprisonment affect the support networks for people when they leave prison?
Reduced social networking, loss of skill and certifications, technological deficits
Why does the feeling of lost identity impact the rate of reentry for formerly incarcerated individuals?
Displaced in life, different people are on different paths, alienation
Family support can ease these challenges post release:
Emotional struggles, social reintegration, etc. *(Transition Activity)*
What kind of benefits do formerly incarcerated people rely on when they get out to get back on their feet?
State programs such as probation and formalized reentry services
*(Reentry Activity)*
What happens to a community/neighborhood with no collective efficacy?
Lack of community cohesion; more crime; fewer opportunities for social networking