Challenges to reintegration Barriers to reentry encountered by ex-convicts in halfway houses

Abstract

Reintegration is a difficult process and individuals who have been affected by the justice system can benefit from interventions that help them to be autonomous, law-abiding, and integrated into their communities. Current research, however, seldom goes beyond identifying the difficulties in this process. Our qualitative study was an in-depth exploration of the challenges encountered by ex-convicts who had been pro vided with lodging in halfway houses as part of their reentry process. Six categories of challenges were identified following a content analysis of the interviews (n=16) : Return to society, financial and occupational situation, social network, personal development, stigmatization, and living in halfway houses. Experiences specific to certain profiles (length of sentence, sexual delinquency) are noted. Results are discussed in relation to desistance theories. Among other things, the study highlights the ways in which legal conditions and the stigmatization of offenders can lead to counter-productive outcomes.