Fulfilling the Needs of Reentry: The Provision of Social Support in Social Service Environments

Faced with discrimination and isolation across society, ex-convicts are often left with few options to support themselves other than resorting to crime again. This study investigates what forms of social support are beneficial in the context of reentry, and how support can ameliorate ex-convicts' outcomes. Social service organizations are some of the only places to which ex- convicts can consistently turn for both material and psychological support; however, there is little sociological research investigating the perspectives of the staff that provide this support. This study uses semi-structured interviews with nine social service staff to investigate their perspectives in providing this support, and compares such perspectives with the literature on social support in reentry, to produce a more comprehensive picture of social support. Staff viewed the support they provide in direct relation to the systemic barriers faced by their clients. Organizations provided expressive (emotional) support to support their clients in the short term, stopping illicit actions at moments of crisis, and in the long-term, repairing their self-esteem and giving them hope. They also provided instrumental (material) support, helping their clients access services while also building up organic support and setting up their clients' mentality for long-term success. Many of these forms of support are consistent with existing literature: staff generally described the forms and effects of social support the same way as the literature. However, these perspectives also advance existing literature by: investigating ex-convict outcomes other than recidivism, analyzing the similarities between formal and informal support environments, and finding that many forms of support benefit multiple outcomes for ex-convicts.