Capturing Incarceration: A phenomenological study of Recidivism in Convicted Women

Abstract

The present study aimed to find out psychosocial determinants of recidivism in female convicts. Previous literature on recidivism suggested several psychosocial factors behind recidivism e.g. poverty, low self-esteem, personality, and familial factors (Bird, Hussain, & Joyce, 2004). However, the present study used a qualitative approach to find out psychosocial determinants of recidivism, specifically guided by the phenomenological approach. The data was collected from two women's prisons. Six (N=06) semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted. The findings revealed two major themes; psychological factors (personality and social exclusion) and social factors (social demographic factors, familial factors, societal constituents, and judicial system) behind recidivism. This study is helpful for determining the underlying factors behind criminal acts and recidivism and it will help the prison department to consider these psychosocial determinants of recidivism and reentry to prisons and will also help in the psychological assessment of prisoners at their first entry to prison.