The ex-prisoner's dilemma : how women negotiate competing narratives of reentry and desistance /

Leverentz (Univ. of Massachusetts, Boston) provides a comprehensive overview of how a sample of women leaving prison negotiates a world of competing messages regarding parenting, recovery from substance use, family dynamics, education, and employment. Using qualitative research methods, the author analyzes 49 previously incarcerated women to provide much-needed insight into the processes in which they navigate reentry to the community after serving prison terms. Leverentz discusses multiple interviews conducted over time, research methodology, and subsequent analyses in relation to participant characteristics and environment. She examines the women's narratives in a framework of family, friends, and co-workers to create a candid picture of how their experiences shape future expectations for negotiating a complex societal system. The women's complicated lives and interpreted experiences serve as a window through which to explore implications for social justice, behavioral interventions, substance abuse treatment, gender-appropriate step-down programs, and community living. Practitioners will take away valuable insights for rehabilitation and prevention of recidivism. Scholars in numerous disciplines will find this text a delightful addition to collections in criminal justice, social sciences, research methods, and counseling. --Raven James, Governors State University