Implications for Occupational Therapy in Community Re-Entry

Abstract

The United States has the highest rates of incarceration in the world (Sawyer & Wagner, 2020). Long periods of incarceration lead to occupational deprivation, alienation, and decreased autonomy. A longitudinal study from 2005-2010 found that 67.8% of incarcerated individuals were re-arrested for a new crime within three years and 76.6% within 5 years (Durose et al., 2014). The purpose of this research is to further determine the role of occupational therapy within the criminal justice system and how it can promote occupational justice, improve overall well-being, and decrease the rates of recidivism. The continuous high rates of recidivism signal a call to action, to modify the programming in place to better serve those that it affects. This research took place over a 14-week period at both a work-release facility and a non-profit organization. An interest survey was sent out to participants who have utilized Public Advocates in Community Re-entry (PACE) resources. A total of 74 responses were collected and the data was analyzed to determine the levels of interest in different types of programming. Pre/Post-test surveys were also administered at Duvall Residential Center regarding the PACE career readiness course. Data was collected to identify gaps in knowledge, areas of improvement, and overall general feedback regarding the course. A total of 36 responses were collected. Occupational therapists can provide direct support as well as serve as a consultative role within this setting. OT’s can also provide client-centered and/or group-based programming to work with individuals to meet their personal and professional goals through a client-centered approach. While more research is needed to fully determine the role of OT within the criminal justice setting, survey results indicate that there is a need for OT.