This is what we have, this is what we don’t have, this is what we need : The post-incarceration experiences of formerly incarcerated Black women in Canada

In recent decades, the burgeoning population of racialized women in Canadian prisons has begun to capture the attention of scholars. While there is widespread and growing awareness that Black women are disproportionately represented within these prisons, the research literature on the post-incarceration experiences of this population remains scant. The challenges that Black women encounter post-incarceration are riddled with sequelae of the structural discrimination that Black women experience both inside and outside of prison walls. The current work aims to uncover the diverse challenges that Black women face on their trajectory towards rebuilding their lives after prison in order to bolster our understanding of the uniquely complex and intersectional post-incarceration experiences of Black women in Canada. This study will also investigate the efficacy of ongoing initiatives and programming available to support formerly incarcerated women with reintegration into their communities. To address these aims, I adopted a qualitative study design utilizing a semi-structured interview approach to examine the post-incarceration experiences of 18 relevant stakeholders as they relate to the experiences of reintegration of formerly incarcerated Black women, with a specific focus on the impact of race, gender, and socioeconomic status. The sample was comprised of formerly incarcerated Black women (n = 13), non-Black formerly incarcerated women (n = 1), community organization members (n = 1), prison rights advocates (n = 2), and politicians (n = 1).

Drawing upon fundamental Black feminist theories of law (e.g., intersectionality and critical race theory), I analyzed qualitative interview data by employing content analysis to uncover salient themes. The results indicated that for formerly incarcerated Black women, reintegration involves overcoming robust structural barriers, including difficulties securing employment, stigmatization, and lack of effective support. The insights shared by participants in the current study highlight the extent to which Black women’s marginalized identities adversely shape their experiences pre- and post-incarceration. Evidently, the reintegration experiences of formerly incarcerated Black women are unique and shaped by a multitude of factors. The current work shines light on the need for further investigations and efforts to mitigate post-release challenges in order to promote equitable post-incarceration experiences.