Employment and Housing Challenges Experienced by Sex Offenders during Reentry on Parole. Issue 1 (2nd January 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Rydberg, Jason
• Is Part Of: Corrections. Volume 3:Issue 1(2018)
• Page Start: 15
• Page End: 37
• Publication Date: 2018-01-02
• Subjects: Parole -- reentry/reintegration -- sexual assault; Punishment -- United States -- Periodicals; Criminal justice, Administration of -- United States -- Periodicals; 364.60973
• DOI: 10.1080/23774657.2017.1369373
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2377-4657

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Although the general offender populations are known to experience numerous barriers to successful community reentry from prison, existing research suggests that barriers for sex offenders may be particularly acute. This research qualitatively examines the barriers to two key reentry dimensions—employment and housing—experienced by a sample of sex offenders ( n = 65) during reentry on parole, while also drawing on a comparison sample of nonsex offenders ( n = 30) to contextualize the results. The findings suggest that social stigma and sex offender supervision compound reentry challenges experienced by general offender populations, increasing strain during the reentry process. For this sample, sex offender–specific conditions limiting access to computers and difficulties surrounding transitional housing facilities were cited as especially problematic. Implications for future research and reentry practice are discussed.