Reentry and reunification: Investigating the influence of children in the reentry experience of mothers released from short-term jail stay

Background: The incarceration rate of women has increased 800% in the last 30 years, and 80% of incarcerated women are mothers of children (<18 years of age). Research on community reentry for mothers released from prison has shed light on how social determinates of health—such as social support, housing, and employment—relate to successful reunification with children. Successful prison reentry has been linked to improved health and social outcomes for both the mother and child. However, little is known about maternal reentry following release from jail, which is markedly different from prison, characterized by a shorter stay, uncertainty awaiting sentence, and access to fewer resources. Purpose: 1) To investigate the reentry experience of mothers released from a jail-stay; explore the role of the maternal-child relationship in the reentry experience; and identify participant-generated maternal-child health goals following release from jail. 2) To inform interventions to increase the rate of successful reentry and associated social and health outcomes. Methods: Women with a history of recent release from jail were recruited from a maternal-child health organization in Philadelphia to participate in a qualitative study designed to explore maternal perceptions of the reentry experience. In-depth interviews were conducted (N=15), audio-recorded, and transcribed verbatim. Common coding methods were facilitated using NVivo10. Interviews ranged from 60 to 120 minutes. All interviews were triple coded, and inter-coder discrepancies were resolved through consensus. Results: Participants explained that their children served three primary roles in their reentry: providing access to emotional, informational, and instrumental social support; generating motivation for goal-setting and probation compliance; and strengthening the sense of maternal identity. Many of the participants’ goals were directly related to the behavioral health of either the mother or child or social determinates of health, such as housing, employment, and education. Conclusions: Strong maternal-child relationships could help diminish reentry barriers for mothers and improve outcomes for both women and children directly related to the social determinates of health. Children motivate their mothers to try to stay out of jail and provide a reason for mothers to strive to reach social and health goals. Thus, mothers in jail or those recently released from jail could be a promising population for policy interventions that support the mother-child relationship in order to decrease recidivism and promote maternal-child health.