Reentry on the Move: An Exploration of Black People on Parole’s Experiences Using Technology for Rideshare Services and Other Transportation Needs

Transportation insecurity is a key reentry concern for people on parole and affects their ability to meet supervision requirements and personal needs. An increasing body of scholarship indicates that people on parole experience digital inequality, or a lack of access to technology and digital literacy skills. However, the literature on parole, transportation, and reentry has not explored how the digitalization of transportation services impacts people on parole’s ability to overcome transportation disadvantage. The current study addresses this limitation by using interview data from 73 Black participants who are currently or were recently on parole to explore how digital inequality impacted their ability to use rideshare services and meet other transportation needs. The findings show that technology access and digital literacy can be barriers or facilitators to overcoming transportation disadvantage. Implications for addressing these issues are given.