Beyond the Sentence: The Mental Health of Exonerated Individuals Post-Incarceration

• In Event: The Physical and Mental Health Impacts of Incarceration

Abstract

Every year there are hundreds of people exonerated from crimes they have been wrongfully convicted of. This adds up to thousands of years spent in prison for crimes people did not commit. Being incarcerated takes a toll on the body, both mentally and physically, no matter the circumstances of the incarceration. This study examines the incarceration and post-incarceration experiences of exonerated people, focusing on the physical and mental health changes and outcomes. Relying on qualitative and quantitative data from a local innocence network organization, this study examines what parts of participants’ journeys have contributed to a change in mental health and how their experience while incarcerated affects functioning post-release. Findings identify areas for continued support and intervention for people who are wrongfully convicted and reentering the community.

Author

• Rowan Konstanzer, San Diego State University