The effects of labeling and stereotype threat on offender reintegration

After their release from prison, offenders are faced with many hardships that hinder their reintegration efforts. Often, offenders are stereotyped and face community exclusion due to their criminal record. Much of the literature on reintegration has focused on the way in which society stereotypes offenders, but not how offenders interpret and internalize these stereotypes. This study examines the way offenders internalize the stereotypes associated with having a criminal record, and how this affects their reintegration. Data was gathered by conducting 18 in-depth interviews with offenders at the John Howard Society in Toronto. The interviews showed that all participants felt that they had been negatively labeled by others based on the fact that they have a criminal record and/or spent time in prison. Additionally, five participants indicated experiencing stereotype threat, and believed this phenomenon to have had a negative impact on their ability to reintegrate back into society.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Arts (MA)

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Criminology

Grantor

University of Ontario Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2011

Author dc:creator

• Breen, Amanda Hilary

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Cesaroni, Carla

• Offenders
• Labeling
• Reintegration
• Stereotype
• Threat
• Employment

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/10155/168

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:ontariotechu.scholaris.ca:10155/168