Identity management post incarceration: the role of disclosure for desistance

More than 7,000 prison residents are released from federal institutions annually (Correctional Service Canada, 2019). Despite employment being considered critical to successful community re-entry and desistance from crime (Laub & Sampson, 1993; Visher et al., 2011; Uggen et al., 2005), formerly incarcerated individuals face stigma tied to their criminal identity that impedes their employability (Anazodo, 2019). To overcome this challenge, most formerly incarcerated individuals adopt disclosure strategies (Harding, 2003; Ricciardelli & Mooney, 2018). Building on past scholarship on desistance and disclosure, this study examined the relationship between desistance and disclosure, recognizing employment as key to the successful reintegration of the formerly federally incarcerated individuals. I employed a descriptive qualitative method to analyze the narratives of 24 formerly federally incarcerated individuals to understand their employment experiences better as they navigate their community re-entry. The study showed that disclosure and desistance influence each other as formerly incarcerated individuals navigate employment and employment seeking. Centralized in this relationship is the concept of ‘self,' demonstrated by the participants’ intrinsic motivations and desires to desist from crime by engaging in legitimate stable employment and having agency during disclosure. The study identified employment as a ‘hook’ for change but found out that other agents of change, such as social networks and employment programs, are vital for long-term positive change in behaviour. My findings support the prohibition of mandatory disclosure due to the detrimental impact of always reducing an individual to their prior identity when criminalized.