ABSTRACT
Experiences directly linked to the prison sentence, such as the harshness of the sentence and rehabilitation programme participation, have been found to impact incarcerated individuals’ optimism about reentry. According to desistance studies, being optimistic about reentry is an important factor in achieving positive reintegration into society. Therefore, this chapter explores men’s and women’s perceptions of the impact prison has on their reentry process. Men and women identified how their prison experiences and the prison’s practices had both positive and negative impacts on their person and/or life. It is important to mention that the negative aspects clearly outweigh the positive aspects and are presented as one of the explanations for post-release involvement in criminalised activities. Gender differences are addressed, revealing several convergences and differences. In narratives consistent with redemption, men reiterated overcoming their addictions and staying strong for their children. However, women’s narratives of redemption discussed having time to change their way of thinking and see how ‘crime does not pay’. In narratives consistent with themes of contamination, men discussed being introduced to new ‘criminal’ networks and were more critical of the lack of support provided by prison staff. Women were more likely to describe extreme emotional turmoil at the disruption to their relationships with their children.
