The Role of Social Support Networks in Shaping Post-Prison Life
Abstract
This study examines the role of social support networks in shaping the reintegration experiences of formerly incarcerated individuals. Focusing on emotional well-being, economic stability, and recidivism, the research explores how different types of support—emotional, instrumental, informational, and appraisal—impact these outcomes. Conducted in Angeles City, Pampanga, the study employs a quantitative descriptive survey design, using structured questionnaires to gather data from 122 participants released from incarceration within the past two years. Convenience and snowball sampling methods were utilized to identify participants who accessed social support during reintegration. Results highlight the availability and effectiveness of support systems, barriers faced, and the perceived success of reintegration programs. The study underscores the importance of family ties, peer networks, and community organizations in fostering successful reintegration while addressing gaps in resources and systemic challenges. These findings aim to guide policymakers, rehabilitation experts, and community leaders in designing evidence-based, inclusive reintegration strategies that reduce recidivism and promote social inclusion.
References
Ajmal, M., & Arshad, M. (2024). Role of family and other social institutions for restoration, reintegration, and social support of ex-prisoners in Punjab, Pakistan. Remittances Review, 9(1), 1406–1422.
Arabyat, R. M., & Raisch, D. W. (2019). Relationships between social/emotional support and quality of life, depression, and disability in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: An analysis based on propensity score matching. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 53(10), 918–927.
Bellamy, C., Kimmel, J., Costa, M. N., Tsai, J., Nulton, L., Nulton, E., ... & O’Connell, M. (2019). Peer support on the “inside and outside”: Building lives and reducing recidivism for people with mental illness returning from jail. Journal of Public Mental Health, 18(3), 188–198.
Berghuis, M. (2018). Reentry programs for adult male offender recidivism and reintegration: A systematic review and meta-analysis. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 62(14), 4655–4676.
Brehmer, C. E., Qin, S., Young, B. C., & Strauser, D. R. (2024). Self‐stigma of incarceration and its impact on health and community integration. Criminal Behaviour and Mental Health, 34(1), 79-93.
Boles, W., Tatum, T., Wall, J., Nguyen, L., Van Dall, A., Mulhollem, C., ... & Niyogi, A. (2022). Us helping us: The evolution of a peer support group for formerly incarcerated people. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 13, 920640.
Bowman, S. W., & Travis, R. (2012). Prisoner reentry and recidivism according to the formerly incarcerated and reentry service providers: A verbal behavior approach. The Behavior Analyst Today, 13(1), 9–19.
Brown, K. E. (2024). Investigating key elements of peer support programs focused on recovery and reentry in community-based organizations: A qualitative implementation science study (Doctoral dissertation, The Medical College of Wisconsin).
Butler, L., & Taylor, E. (2022). A second chance: The impact of unsuccessful reentry and the need for reintegration resources in communities. COPS Office. https://cops.usdoj.gov/html/dispatch/04-2022/reintegration_resources.html
Burt, L. R. (2018). African American male ex-offenders' perceptions of a reentry program's impact on recidivating (Doctoral dissertation, Walden University).
Byers, T. (2020). The Impact of Caregiver Trauma on FBMHS: The Relationship between Caregiver Adversity and Eco-Systemic Structural Family Therapy Child Client Outcome. Shippensburg University.
Co, J. C., Estel, J. D., Portes, P. J., & Rondina, G. B. (2016). Bachelor of Science in Psychology. University Press.
Christian, J. (2022). The promise and challenge of local initiatives that support reentry and reintegration. The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 701(1), 191-203.
Chouhy, C., Cullen, F. T., & Lee, H. (2020). A social support theory of desistance. Journal of Developmental and Life-Course Criminology, 6, 204-223.
Devia, L. (2024). Transitioning identities: A comparative study of the social transition to civilian life of former armed group members reintegrating into Colombian society (2002-2018) from a social identity perspective (Doctoral dissertation, University of Pittsburgh).
Doleac, J. L. (2018). Strategies to productively reincorporate the formerly-incarcerated into communities: a review of the literature. Available at SSRN 3198112.
Fahmy, C., & Wallace, D. (2019). The influence of familial social support on physical health during reentry. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 46(12), 1738-1756.
Gaines, A. C., Hardy, B., & Schweitzer, J. (2021, September 22). How weak safety net policies exacerbate regional and racial inequality. Center for American Progress. https://www.americanprogress.org/article/weak-safety-net-policies-exacerbate-regional-racial-inequality/
Gilchrist, L., Jamieson, S. K., Zeki, R., Ward, S., Chang, S., & Sullivan, E. (2022). Understanding health and social service accessibility for young people with problematic substance use exiting prison in Australia. Health & Social Care in the Community, 30(6), e4735-e4744.
Goodstein, J. D. (2019). Employers and the reintegration of formerly incarcerated persons. Journal of Management Inquiry, 28(4), 426-430.
Hall, S. (2023). Global lessons learned on sustainable reintegration in rural areas. Food & Agriculture Organization.
Halushka, J. M. (2020). The runaround: Punishment, welfare, and poverty survival after prison. Social Problems, 67(2), 233-250.
Hector, J., Khey, D., Hector, J., & Khey, D. (2018). Release and Reentry. Criminal Justice and Mental Health: An Overview for Students, 163-187.
Hinck, A. R., Hinck, S. S., Smith, J. D., & Withers, D. S. (2019). Friends as a social support network for prisoners reentering society. Journal of Communication, 69, 33-48.
Hyde, J., Byrne, T., Petrakis, B. A., Yakovchenko, V., Kim, B., Fincke, G., ... & McInnes, D. K. (2022). Enhancing community integration after incarceration: Findings from a prospective study of an intensive peer support intervention for veterans with an historical comparison group. Health & Justice, 10(1), 33.
Humanitarian Legal Assistance Foundation. (2018). Life after jail: A forum on reintegrating former persons deprived of liberty back to the community. HLAF. http://hlaf.org.ph/life-after-jail-a-forum-on-reintegrating-former-persons-deprived-of-liberty-back-to-the-community/
Jolly, P. M., Kong, D. T., & Kim, K. Y. (2021). Social support at work: An integrative review. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 42(2), 229-251.
Keene, D. E., Rosenberg, A., Schlesinger, P., Guo, M., & Blankenship, K. M. (2018). Navigating limited and uncertain access to subsidized housing after prison. Housing Policy Debate, 28(2), 199-214.
Kiczkowski, U. H. (2011). Successful community reentry after incarceration: exploring intangible aspects of social support during the reintegration process. Columbia Social Work Review, 9(1), 73-85.
Kılıç, A., & Tuysuz, M. K. (2024). Exploring the challenges of reintegrating ex-offenders into society. Interdisciplinary Studies in Society, Law, and Politics, 3(3), 4-11.
Klyver, K., Honig, B., & Steffens, P. (2018). Social support timing and persistence in nascent entrepreneurship: exploring when instrumental and emotional support is most effective. Small Business Economics, 51, 709-734.
Larsen, B. K., Dale, K. Y., & Odegard, A. (2022). Interprofessional collaboration in reintegration after prison for prisoners with substance abuse issues: A scoping review. International Journal for Crime, Justice and Social Democracy, 11(2), 174-190.
LePage, J. P., Crawford, A. M., Cipher, D. J., Anderson, K., Rock, A., Johnson, J. A. P., ... & Ottomanelli, L. (2020). Blending traditional vocational services and individualized placement and support for formerly incarcerated veterans. Psychiatric Services, 71(8), 816-823.
Matthews, E., Bowman, R., Whitbread, G., & Johnson, R. (2020). DC Central Kitchen: Peer mentoring, structure and self-empowerment play a critical role in desistance. Journal of Offender Rehabilitation, 59(1), 22-43.
McLemore, M. R., & Warner Hand, Z. (2017). Making the case for innovative reentry employment programs: previously incarcerated women as birth doulas–a case study. International journal of prisoner health, 13(3/4), 219-227.
Nardi, P. M. (2018). Doing survey research: A guide to quantitative methods. Routledge.
Nickerson, C. (2023, October 10). Recidivism: Definition, causes & examples. Simply Psychology. https://www.simplypsychology.org/recidivism.html
Palmer, C., & Christian, J. (2019). Work matters: formerly incarcerated men’s resiliency in reentry. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: An International Journal, 38(5), 583-598.
Quandt, K. R., & Jones, A. (2021, May 13). Research roundup: Incarceration can cause lasting damage to mental health. Prison Policy Initiative. https://www.prisonpolicy.org/blog/2021/05/13/mentalhealthimpacts/
Ray, B., Grommon, E., Buchanan, V., Brown, B., & Watson, D. P. (2017). Access to recovery and recidivism among former prison inmates. International journal of offender therapy and comparative criminology, 61(8), 874-893.
Riep, A. (2019). The Effects of Culture and Punishment Philosophies on Recidivism: Comparing Prison Systems in the United States and Scandinavia.
Ruffin, J. R., Battle, N. T., & Monk-Turner, E. (2022). Formerly incarcerated people with disabilities: Perceptions of accessibility and accommodations in correctional programs. Journal of Correctional Health Care, 28(1), 59-65.
Russell, J. K. (2023). Reducing recidivism through rehabilitative reintegration education: A phenomenological study (Doctoral dissertation, National University).
Sakib, S. N. (2022). AN EXPLORATION OF BARRIERS TO OFFENDER REINTEGRATION: PROBATION AND PRISON OFFICER OPINIONS VS PUBLIC OPINION.
Sampson, R. J., & Laub, J. H. (1993). Crime in the making: Pathways and turning points through life. Harvard University Press.
Schnappauf, E. M., & DiDonato, T. E. (2017). From solitary to solidarity: Belonging, social support, and the problem of women’s recidivism. Modern Psychological Studies, 23(1), 7.
Simonds, R., Khade, N. B., & Young, J. T. (2024). Does paid transitional housing impact reentry outcomes during COVID-19 stay-at-home orders? Evidence from a natural experiment within an RCT. International Journal of Housing Policy, 24(2), 246-267.
Smith, J. M. (2021). The formerly incarcerated, advocacy, activism, and community reintegration. Contemporary Justice Review, 24(1), 43-63.
Standridge, R. L., Batastini, A. B., Leuty, M. E., & Mohn, R. (2024). The impact of formal education, specialized training, and offense type on perceptions of employability: can bias toward hiring a person with a criminal history be mitigated?. International journal of offender therapy and comparative criminology, 0306624X241247116.
Sveinsdottir, V., & Bond, G. R. (2020). Barriers to employment for people with severe mental illness and criminal justice involvement. Journal of Mental Health.
Tharshini, N. K., Ibrahim, F., Mohamad, M. S., & Zakaria, E. (2018). Challenges in re-entry among former inmates: A review. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 8(4), 970-979.
Travis, J. (2005). But they all come back: Facing the challenges of prisoner reentry. Urban Institute Press.
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. (2018). The prevention of recidivism and the social reintegration of offenders. United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. https://www.unodc.org/documents/justice-and-prison-reform/18-02303_ebook.pdf
Wellman, B., & Gulia, M. (2018). The network basis of social support: A network is more than the sum of its ties. In Networks in the global village (pp. 83-118). Routledge.
Whitehouse, H., & Fitzgerald, R. (2020). Fusion and reform: The potential for identity fusion to reduce recidivism and improve reintegration. Anthropology in Action, 27(1), 1-13.
Windholz, M. (2022). Reintegration Programming. SACAD: John Heinrichs Scholarly and Creative Activity Days, 2022(2022), 8.
Copyright (c) 2025 Katrina Angela Carreon Matias, Rhem Rick N Corpuz, Jonelle Macapagal Calaguas, Naidine Lopez Manalo, Dominic Marinas Dockery
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Copyright for this article is retained by the author(s), with first publication rights granted to the journal. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
