Reintegration Success and Failure: Factors Impacting Reintegration Among Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women

Criminologists have explored the reentry experience of formerly incarcerated adults, documented the pressing challenges of reentry, the correlates of recidivism, and the causes of desistance. Given scholars' focus on reentry to explain what factors impact criminal outcome, this raises the interesting question of whether and how such factors shape the process and outcome of reintegration. The current study uses official records and survey and in-depth interviews of 50 current and formerly incarcerated women to assess their accounts of what shapes reintegration success and failure. Results highlight the utility of an intragender approach and have import for policy aimed at women.