From Bars to Barriers: Mental Health Coping Post-Incarceration

• In Event: Collateral Consequences, Mental Health, and Emotional Wellbeing

Abstract

The challenges of reintegration into society can be overwhelming and contribute to ongoing mental health struggles. Those that reenter society encounter similar obstacles regardless of race. However, individuals from racial and ethnic minority groups in the United States often experience disproportionately negative mental health consequences due to the criminal legal system. There are also differential life course implications relative to formerly incarcerated populations reentering communities. Drawing on 50 semi-structured interviews with previously incarcerated men – 31 Black, 14 White, and 5 Other – I explore how formerly incarcerated men navigate the challenges that impact their mental health post-incarceration, if there are racial differences in how formerly incarcerated individuals navigate the challenges that impact their mental health post-incarceration, and if there are differences across the life course regarding how these men navigate the challenges that impact their mental health post-incarceration. There were nuances regarding how White and Black formerly incarcerated men described post-release stressors and how social resources (e.g. social support) and personal resources (e.g., coping mechanisms) mediated how they managed their mental health. Results can inform policies such as integrated healthcare plans that begin during the incarceration period and continue post-incarceration and can also inform resources that contribute to post-release success.

Author

• Marquianna Griffin, The Ohio State University