Citation

LeMasters K, Camp H, Benson A, Corsi C, Cullins Z, Brinkley-Rubinstein L. SSM Ment. Health 2023; 4: e100269.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2023, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.ssmmh.2023.100269

PMID

38260174

PMCID

PMC10803075

Abstract

While incarceration has proven detrimental to mental well-being, it remains unknown if community supervision is better for mental well-being than incarceration. Our objective was to explore the individual- and community-level relationships between community supervision and mental well-being and to examine inequities by race. We conducted 20 in-depth interviews with individuals on community supervision (e.g., probation, parole) in North Carolina and conducted thematic analysis separately by race. For many, criminal legal involvement began at a young age, often due to substance use for White individuals or over-policing for Black participants. The themes were: (1) "It's a Thursday. Move on.": surviving over the life course in the context of the criminal legal system; (2) "Merry go round of death": the criminal legal system as a trap; (3) "I love you, but I have to love you from over here": social support as a double-edged sword while on community supervision; and (4) " [Probation] ain't nothing but a rope to hang yourself": mental health issues created and exacerbated by criminal legal involvement. Individuals' experiences on community supervision were often dehumanizing and difficult, preventing them from achieving well-being. This system must be redesigned to meet individual and community needs.

Language: en

Keywords

Mental health; Qualitative interviews; Mass supervision; Probation