Co-Constructing Community: A Conceptual Map for Reuniting Aging People in Prison with Their Families and Communities

This two-phase qualitative study explores key stakeholder perspectives on the historical roles of family and community that shape the current reunification experiences of older adults released from prison. In phase one, 16 service providers from 16 community reentry programs responded to an online s...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Traumatology (Tallahassee, Fla.) Fla.), 2015-09, Vol.21 (3), p.208-218
Main Authors: Maschi, Tina, Koskinen, Lindsay
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aging
Communities
Family
Female
Human
Incarcerated
Male
Prisons
Social Integration
Social Justice
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Summary:This two-phase qualitative study explores key stakeholder perspectives on the historical roles of family and community that shape the current reunification experiences of older adults released from prison. In phase one, 16 service providers from 16 community reentry programs responded to an online survey that included open-ended questions about what factors influenced the community reunification of older adults. In phase two, 31 formerly incarcerated older men and women participated in one 90-min in-depth semistructured interview. The qualitative data were analyzed using constant comparative methods. The participants shared their personal experiences about the factors that influenced their life before, during, and after their most recent incarceration. Both staff and formerly incarcerated adults most commonly reported structural barriers, such as employment and housing (i.e., homelessness) that posed a challenge to successful reunification. They also reported personal and social barriers that included a history of substance abuse and lack of family and other social supports. These findings suggest that the quality of informal and formal caregiving before, during, and after prison had a powerful influence on formerly incarcerated elders' notions of family and community and how they navigated their most recent community reunification experience. A conceptual model for reuniting returning senior citizens from prison with their families and communities and promotes health equity and justice is presented to guide prevention, assessment, and intervention.
ISSN:1085-9373
1085-9373
DOI:10.1037/trm0000026