Full Description
The Journey from Prison to Community: Developing Identity, Meaning and Belonging with Men in the UK provides a practical guide for practitioners working with men to successfully make the transition between prison and the community.
This transition presents significant challenges, especially for those who have served many years in prison; for those who have experienced multiple cycles of release/recall; for those whose personality traits make it harder for them to build relationships and cope with strong emotions; and for those whose lives have been characterised by trauma, chaos, crime and institutionalisation. Drawing on the authors' clinical expertise and the lived experiences of real service-users, alongside the latest research in the field, the book identifies key issues in transition and explores the impact of these issues. Crucially, it provides guidance, tools and support to professionals working with men in the UK to build a crime-free, socially integrated and meaningful life after incarceration, featuring real-life stories of those who have made the transition.
This is an essential read for professionals working in a range of settings across prison and community environments, while the wide variety of professional experience represented in the book broadens its appeal to forensic and clinical psychologists, occupational therapists, probation officers, prison staff and those working in the third sector. It is also valuable resource for qualified professionals, those in training, support roles, and managers involved in planning strategy and service delivery.
Contents
Part 1: Stages in Transition 1. One more step along the road to freedom. 2. "I can see freedom but I can't have it": Supporting people in the immediate aftermath of release 3. Recall, recovery and re-release Part 2: Specific Issues in the Transition Journey 4. Trauma and release from prison: Understanding and navigating trauma responses in the community 5. "180 prisoners and the noise... it hits you, BANG!!": Sensory systems, incarceration and resettlement 6. Away from the chemical embrace: Navigating substance dependence from custody to community 7. "How could I know what to do?": Supporting people in building practical skills for resettlement and reintegration 8. "I don't have relationships anymore...": Navigating licence conditions and transition into the community for men with sexual convictions Part 3: Professional Approaches to Resettlement 9. "It's not just words, it's something you can feel": How therapeutic relationships can support prison-community transitions
10. "They spoke to me like I was a human, so I behaved like a human": Mattering, hope and release from prison
Afterword: Breaking down barriers to resettlement: Acknowledging and overcoming the "them and us" mindset
