Work, Family, and Masculine Identity: An Intersectional Approach to Understanding Young, Black Men’s Experiences of Reentry

Abstract

Through a qualitative study of the reintegration experiences of African American men, aged 18–25, we heed Fader and Traylor’s call for intersectional analyses of desistance and reentry. The current study draws from prior works to analyze the processes of “adultification” among economically disadvantaged African American young men and the impact of postincarceration employment challenges on masculine identity during young adulthood. We extend earlier research by incorporating the perspectives of family members, allowing for an in-depth examination of the processes that occur during the postrelease transition to adulthood and the complications that may emanate from families. Our findings allow us to explicate an intersectional reintegration process in light of early adultification processes, particularly relating to employment and family relationships. We highlight the overlay of adultification processes for disadvantaged youth, their subsequent offending, the multilayered and intersectional challenges of reintegration, and how they overcome these challenges. The implications for an intersectional approach to reentry are discussed.