We Believe in
Second Chances

Current News...

"Will I Ever Be Forgiven?"   
-A message from our Executive Director

Dear Friends,

Have you ever done something that you regretted and those who knew about it could never let it go...never forgive you?  That is the reality for those we serve at Friends Outside.  It's like no matter how much is done to right their wrong, it's never enough. How can one start over without forgiveness and a clean slate?  The stigma of having been incarcerated is a lifelong punishment and affects every part of a person's life and often affects how family relates to them. 

Further, the stigma of incarceration creates significant barriers for formerly incarcerated individuals, leading to negative social perceptions, limited access to housing, employment, and education, and negative impacts on self-perception and mental health. This form of structural stigma is perpetuated by societal norms, cultural beliefs, and institutional policies that limit opportunities for reintegration, making it difficult to overcome past mistakes and successfully reenter society. 

Social and Cultural Stigma

• Negative Perceptions: 
  Formerly incarcerated individuals are often viewed as threatening, untrustworthy, unreliable, or as "lost causes" rather than individuals who have served their time. 
• Community Isolation: 
  This stigma can lead to isolation and difficulty forming social ties, impacting everyday interactions with neighbors and even family. 

Barriers to Reintegration

• Housing and Employment: 
  Policies and attitudes create significant hurdles in finding stable housing and employment, with employers and landlords often holding negative biases. 
• Education and Opportunities: 
  Access to educational and other life-enhancing opportunities is often denied due to a criminal record, hindering personal growth and self-sufficiency. 
• Reduced Access to Resources: 
  Incarceration can sever family ties and eliminate support networks, creating an increased burden for individuals trying to reestablish themselves after release. 

Impact on Self-Perception

• Self-Stigma: 
  Many formerly incarcerated individuals internalize societal disapproval, leading to self-stigma, which negatively affects their self-concept and self-efficacy. 
• Mental Health: 
  Negative self-perceptions can exacerbate anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues, making the reintegration process even more challenging. 

Structural and Policy-Driven Stigma

• Institutional Policies: 
  Laws and policies often treat a prison stay as an "irredeemable mark," further limiting opportunities and access to full citizenship for those with a criminal record. 
• Combined Stigma: 
  The experience of stigma is often compounded for individuals who also belong to other stigmatized groups, such as racial minorities or those with mental health issues, creating "multiple burdens of stigma."

Strategies for Managing Stigma

• Focus on Strengths: 
  Some individuals manage stigma by emphasizing the positive aspects of their experiences or relationships, transforming challenges into perceived benefits. 
• Develop Coping Skills: 
  Mental health support and therapy can help individuals address underlying issues and develop coping strategies to manage the psychological impact of stigma. 

The stigma that formerly incarcerated people experience is overcomable.  At Friends Outside, we work at all levels of community to push for change - host Second Chance Fairs, tell success stories over social media channels, host a speakers bureau, and soon will produce a weekly podcast.  But we can't do it without you.  There are nearly 90,000 men and women in California State Prisons.  Help us create more opportunities for those reentering society by supporting our work to get folks connected to needed resources and fight stigma.  Please make a donation toward the mission of Friends Outside today.  

Sincerely,

Michael Sorensen, MPA
Executive Director

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