Love of a Good Man?: Romantic Relationships as a Source of Support or Hindrance for Female Ex-Offenders

• NCJ Number: 216377
• Journal: Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency Volume: 43 Issue: 4 Dated: November 2006 Pages: 459-488
• Author(s): Andrea M. Leverentz
• Date Published: November 2006
• Length: 30 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

Based on an analysis of qualitative interviews with 49 female ex-offenders and their romantic partners, this study examined the influence of romantic relationships on the reentry experiences of the women.

Abstract

The study shows that a single romantic relationship is a dynamic interaction that can both encourage law-abiding behavior and reoffending, depending on circumstances and the evolution of the relationship. Approximately 20 percent of the women lived with romantic partners at some point during the year of the study. The partners were most often recovering drug users and/or ex-offenders; however, many of the women did establish positive relationships with partners (men and women) who had histories similar to their own, as these relationships involved support and reinforcement for positive attitudes and behaviors. Also important for many of the women was an absence of romantic relationships. These women believed that their positive development required the development of independence and the achievement of individual successes without the complications and dependency of a romantic relationship. Such an attitude often stemmed from histories of abusive relationships and the influence of men in the women's previous antisocial and criminal behaviors. The main research suggestion is that studies similar to this extend over longer periods in order to assess the evolutionary and dynamic characteristics of various types of ex-offender romantic relationships. The study involved up to 4 interviews over the course of a year with 49 women who had been involved with the criminal justice system. The women were recruited through their contact with a halfway house. Interviews with the romantic partners of the women included two boyfriends, one husband, and one fiancé. Two pairs of women became romantically involved with one another during the course of the interviews. Their relationships were discussed in the regular interviews. 7 notes and 45 references