Abstract
BEYOND THE PRISON BARS: REINTEGRATION AND RESILIENCY AMONG FORMERLY INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS
The purpose of this study was to examine how formerly incarcerated individuals navigate reintegration, focusing on the factors that influence their experiences during and after release. A qualitative content analysis approach was used to examine the data collected from 10 interviews. Participants from Sacramento, Vallejo, Bakersfield, and Santa Rosa were selected using a snowball sampling method. Three primary themes were identified: access to services during and after incarceration; structural barriers with a subtheme of agency and mindset; and the role of social support in reintegration, with a subtheme of support during and after incarceration. A key finding in this study was that reintegration outcomes are influenced by individual agency, social support, and structural conditions. The implications for social work policy and practice are discussed.