Occupational Justice – Community Re-Entry in the Department of Corrections

What is occupational justice? Occupational justice is defined by the book, Introduction to Occupational Therapy by Jane Clifford O’Brien and Susan M. Hussey, as,” the belief that all persons (regardless of ability, age, gender, social class, or economic status) are entitled to have access to participation in everyday occupations.” In other words, everyone is entitled to participate in everyday occupations to some degree. There are eight categories of occupation; ADLs (eating, self-care, grooming, etc.), iADLs (caring for others, preparing food, etc.), rest/sleep, play, leisure, education, work, and social participation. A population that may have their occupational justice overlooked are those who may have committed a crime, resulting in jail time or imprisonment. Some people may argue that inmates should not be allowed to participate in occupations because they have committed crimes and have been removed from society. This is not true. Although some preferred activities in specific categories of occupation may be unavailable for inmates (i.e. driving, attending sports games, eating at restaurants), there are replacements available to those activities within jail and prison (i.e. reading, playing basketball/soccer, weight-lifting). Occupational therapy can be beneficial to new/current inmates who struggle to fulfill their role as an inmate while retaining their identity. Occupational therapists can provide services to inmates to assist them in maintaining good behavior by helping them find occupations that are meaningful to them.

At some point, inmates must re-enter the community. This is a pivotal moment for a newly released inmate. They may not have the support or finances needed to succeed with criminal charges or a felony on their record. It can also be difficult to reintegrate into societal expectations and interactions. An occupational therapist can provide the help needed for inmates to reintegrate and participate in meaningful occupations. The podcast, Glass Half Full, interviewed occupational therapist, Dr. Brittany Connors, about her role in community re-entry in the department of corrections in the St. Louis area (https://glasshalffullot.com/podcast/community-re-entry-dept-corrections/). Dr. Brittany Connors explains that she often uses therapeutic use of self to create rapport with the residents (inmates). This includes calling the residents by their preferred name (instead of their inmate number), providing a safe space to converse, using group sessions to encourage social participation, and aiding in community re-entry. She says the inmates are excited to participate in the program because they miss their families and “life on the outside.” This means that the residents receive a sense of meaning from the program which is very important for occupation. This allows her to have productive conversations with the inmates to develop communication skills and highlight the importance of healthy dialogue. She also assists in employment readiness, resume composition, interviewing skills, discussing conviction, money management, mental health, and trauma. Dr. Brittany Connor's contribution to this program shows the importance of occupational therapists’ role in assisting inmates nationwide in community re-entry. This program provides a structured framework or “game-plan” to transition into community occupations.

  

https://glasshalffullot.com/podcast/community-re-entry-dept-corrections/

O’Brien, J. C., & Hussey, S. M. (2018) Introduction to occupational therapy. Elsevier Inc.

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