An Exploration of Employment-Related Personal Projects Undertaken by Women on Probation and Parole

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Women transitioning from jail contexts have cited employment as their greatest priority, though this population often has difficulty finding and maintaining employment. Using an applied thematic analysis and a sample of 60 women leaving substance use treatment after spending time in jail, this research identifies common barriers to employment, as well as strategies used to overcome these barriers. The most common barrier faced by women was transportation, followed by justice system involvement and physical disabilities/mental health concerns. Though transportation barriers were most often mentioned, women were also most likely to mention strategies to address them. Women were least likely to mention strategies to navigate caretaking responsibilities and physical disabilities/mental health concerns. Finally, this work identifies several facilitators of employment for women who did not experience barriers to finding work. The results of this research promote gender-responsive approaches to employment-related programming.

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Barriers and Strategies to Finding Employment for Substance-Involved Women Leaving Jail: A Feminist Analysis

Roddy

2023

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“…Personal projects research has primarily examined the goal pursuit of privileged populations, for example, college students and employees in the workplace (e.g., see McGregor & Little, 1998;Sheldon & Kasser, 1998). Recently, my colleagues and I introduced theory on personal projects to criminological research to explore the nature of court-involved women's employment-related project pursuit (see Roddy et al, 2021). Results revealed features of women's employment projects which affected well-being, and structural barriers that impacted project outcomes.…”

Section: Integrating Theory On Personal Projects To Explicate Women's...mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The resulting qualitative data were used for the present analysis. Preceding the present article, one other (aforementioned) analysis of the data collected from this specific measure has been published, which focuses exclusively on women's employmentrelated efforts to improve their lives (see Roddy et al, 2021). The present study contributes to the literature beyond the prior analysis of employment-related projects by expanding theoretical knowledge about the common agentic projects and outcomes of women on probation and parole beyond employment-focused projects and makes an important contribution to desistance research examining the function of agency in the desistance process.…”

Section: Datamentioning

confidence: 99%

“I’m Going to be Successful Someday”: Women’s Personal Projects to Improve Their Lives, and Implications for Clarifying the Nature of Agency in Criminological Theories of Desistance

Hoskins

2022

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Women’s agency to construct prosocial lives remains understudied in criminology. This qualitative inquiry explores the nature and outcomes of women’s personal projects, which reflect their agency. In up to five interviews, 401 women on probation and parole explained efforts to improve their lives. Psychological theory on personal projects guided analysis that revealed information on project meaning and facilitators and barriers to project pursuit. Women shared a motivation to avoid trouble and establish prosocial lives. Outcomes were improved by social support and prosocial opportunities. Findings have implications for defining and analyzing agency in desistance research and for correctional responses to women.

“…Criminalized women experience barriers to finding employment including the double stigma of being a woman with a criminal record (Grace, 2022). Feminist research on pathways to crime indicate additional barriers such as childhood victimization and associated traumas, extreme economic marginalization and dysfunctional intimate relationships which Roddy et al (2021, p. 6) suggest ‘impact women’s efforts to carry out their employment-related personal projects’. This indicates criminalized women’s structural disadvantage in access to the workplace.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Working Together? Gendered Barriers to Employment and Desistance From Harm Amongst Criminalised English Women

Barr

2023

Drawing on narrative interviews with 16 criminalized women and a year of observation at English Women’s Centers, this study explores the women’s qualitative experiences of employment and volunteering. Findings indicate traditional perspectives on desistance from crime ignore the intersectional disadvantages women face. Criminalized women experience trauma and stigma that have long-lasting effects on their mental health. Women present as desisting from crime by taking on unpaid employment. This reinforces perspectives on desistance which disregard the many generative roles which women are often quietly involved in. This article contributes to emerging discourse around critical anti-carceral, intersectional feminist desistance ( Hale, 2020 )