U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.

NCJRS Virtual Library

The Virtual Library houses over 235,000 criminal justice resources, including all known OJP works.
Click here to search the NCJRS Virtual Library

Formerly Incarcerated Persons' Use of Advocacy/Activism as a Coping Orientation in the Reintegration Process (From How Offenders Transform Their Lives, 165-187, 2009, Bonita M. Veysey, Johnna Christian, et al. eds., - See NCJ-229365)

NCJ Number
229375
Author(s)
Thomas P. LeBel
Date Published
2009
Length
23 pages
Annotation
This chapter examines how formerly incarcerated persons attempt to overcome the 'character blemish' by supporting and/or becoming involved in advocacy-related activities to change the public's perception and treatment of prisoners and former prisoners.
Abstract
Preliminary evidence shows the benefits of formerly incarcerated persons support for and/or involvement in advocacy as a coping orientation. The results indicate a basic incompatibility between an advocacy/activism orientation and criminal attitudes and behavior suggesting that involvement in advocacy-related activities might have potential in facilitating the successful reintegration of some formerly incarcerated persons. There is a lack of literature on formerly incarcerated persons, support for and/or involvement in advocacy-related activities. Largely exploratory in nature, this study examined the advocacy/activism orientation of formerly incarcerated persons. The objective is to address 1) to what degree do formerly incarcerated persons support and/or engage in advocacy to change public perceptions of prisoners and former prisoners; 2) what factors account for any differences in the advocacy/activism orientation; and 3) is the endorsement and reported use of advocacy related to psychological well-being, criminal attitude, and the forecast of rearrest? Tables, appendix, and references