Ex-Offenders, Stigma Management, and Social Movements: An Organizational Case Study of Identity Work and the Reentry Process Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Todd Michael Callais, M.A. Graduate Program in Sociology. The Ohio State University 2009 Committee: Dr. Ruth Peterson, Co­Chair Dr. Townsand Price­Spratlen, Co­Chair Dr. Richard Lundman Copyright by Todd Michael Callais 2009 Abstract This research explores the relationship between Citizen/Prisoner Alliance (CPA), a prisoner rights organization, and ex-offenders who affiliate with the group. My purpose in exploring this relationship is to determine what ex-offenders might gain from social movement participation. In addition, I examine how the structure of a specific social movement impacts the composition and trajectory of its members. I contend that there are numerous, undeniable effects of incarceration on ex-offenders; yet, the most difficult challenge faced during the reentry process involves ex-offenders making their own decisions and reintegrating into civilian communities. My research addresses the relative lack of literature on ex-offender identity work. An ex-offender who joins a social movement organization concerned with prisoner rights apparently: (a) has concerns about a lack of prisoner rights or a desire to see prisoner rights expanded; (b) experiences or identifies negative impacts as a result of her perception that the rights of prisoners and ex-offenders are incomplete; and (c) believes that joining the social movement will yield an advantage from which she will benefit. Based on three years of participant observation, forty-one in-depth interviews, and content analysis of CPA documents, I discuss the ways that CPA functions as a social movement and consider individual responses by ex-offenders to CPA membership, especially as these individual responses relate to stigma management and desistance from crime. I argue that membership in a group such as CPA is practiced and negotiated based on individual needs that are dictated ii by stigma management identity work as well as the individual’s placement in social structure. As constructed, CPA has governmental, individual, familial, and inter- organizational mandates, but fails to act on governmental and inter-organizational directives. Moreover, attaining the structural goals dictated at the organizational level of CPA is far less significant to most CPA members than: (a) positive and/or negative experiences gained from participating in the internal struggles; and (b) viable routes toward the use of positive and/or negative narratives and frames of the group in constructing an individual stigma management identity. I find that CPA membership fosters viable pathways to redemption for individuals who might lack these pathways if they were not members of the group. Most importantly, members who lack traditional means to discover viable redemption use CPA membership as a way to construct successful stigma management. In addition, I report on the comparative paths taken by members who succeed without CPA, fail with CPA, and fail without CPA. Directions for future research are suggested iii Dedication This document is dedicated to my daughter, Riley Jo. iv Acknowledgments There are a number of people that have helped make this research possible. First I would like to think my parents. My father, Donald P. Callais and my stepmother, Mary N. Callais, have been incredibly supportive throughout the years and their encouragement toward the end of this process has been a major motivation for my completion of this dissertation. In addition, I would like to thank my mother, Kathy K. French whose unconditional love and support has been a constant reassurance during the more difficult parts of my journey through graduate school. I would like to thank my co-advisors, Dr. Ruth Peterson and Dr. Townsand Price- Spratlen for keeping me balanced and active over the years. Ruth has been a calm and reassuring presence over the eight years that she has served as my advisor. Townsand has inspired a great deal of creativity in me and without him I don’t feel that I would be the sociologist that I am today. In addition, I would like to thank the third member of my committee, Dr. Richard Lundman. Dr. Lundman has always been a dependable mentor who greets me with a smile; I have appreciated that during my time at Ohio State University. Thank you to the faculties of Kenyon College and Denison University for being sensitive to my workload over the last four years. I would also like to thank my good friend Chris Huggins. In addition to being a good friend who has helped me with a number of questions I have had about the dissertation defense process, he also helped me with editing of final drafts. I would also like to thank Michelle Oyakawa for her v consistent support over the last year of this process. In addition to helping me with the editing process, Michelle gave me a great deal of encouragement during the final push for this dissertation and I want to thank her for helping me believe that I can and should finish this project. On a lighter night, I would like to thank my dog, Maggie, and cat, Saint Paul. Their dependence on me for food and water, and their affection and companionship over the last six months has kept my stress level manageable and provided me with a great deal of enjoyment. Finally, I would like to thank my two and a half year old daughter Riley. Riley is an intelligent, beautiful and funny little girl who has kept me grounded over the last few years. Her presence in my life has kept me focused because it reminds me that my future is about far more than me. vi Vita 1997................................................................Caddo Parish Magnet High School 2001................................................................B.A. Sociology, University of Notre Dame 2003................................................................M.A. Sociology, The Ohio State University 2002-2005 .....................................................Graduate Teaching Associate, Department of Sociology, The Ohio State University 2005-2006 .....................................................Visiting Instructor of Sociology, Department of Sociology, Kenyon College 2006-2009 .....................................................Visiting Instructor of Sociology and Anthropology, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Denison University 2006-2009 .....................................................Visiting Instructor of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Ohio Dominican University Publications Callais, Todd M. (January 2007) “Johnny Cash and the Criminal Mind: The Man in Black’s Expansion of the Public Crime Narrative.” in Literary Cash: Writings Inspired by the Legendary Johnny Cash. ed. Bob Batchelor. Dallas ,TX. BenBella Books. vii Callais, Todd M. and Melissa Szozda (2006) “Female Police Officers and Reality Television: Analyzing the Presentation of Police Work in Popular Culture.” in How Real is Reality TV: Essays on Truth and Representation. ed. Dave Escoffery. Jefferson, North Carolina. McFarland Press. Fields of Study Major Field: Sociology viii Table of Contents Abstract……………………………………………………………………………………ii Dedication………………………………………………………………………………...iv Acknowledgements………………………………………………………………………..v Vita………………………………………………………………………………………vii List of Figures……………………………………………………………………………..x Chapter 1: Introduction……………………………………………………………………1 Chapter 2: Stigma and Stigma Management…………………………………………….14 Chapter 3: Stigma and Social Movements……………………………………………….56 Chapter 4: Research Methods……………………………………………………………86 Chapter 5: Dynamics of a Social Movement…………………………………………….98 Chapter 6: Succeeding in a Movement…………………………………………………124 Chapter 7: The Other Members………………………………………………………...170 Chapter 8: Conclusion and Finishing Thoughts………………………………………...204 References………………………………………………………………………………216 ix List of Figures Figure 1: The Structural Role of CPA…………………………………………………...99 Figure 2: Representations of CPA members as classified by Organizational………….126 Affiliation and Stigma management (High/Successful Highlighted) Figure 3: Pathways to Redemption in CPA…………………………………………….128 Figure 4: Representations of CPA members as classified by Organizational………….172 Affiliation and Stigma management (Low/Successful Highlighted) Figure 5: Representations of CPA members as classified by Organizational………….179 Affiliation and Stigma management (Low/Unsuccessful Highlighted) Figure 6: Representations of CPA members as classified by Organizational………….194 Affiliation and Stigma management (High/Unsuccessful Highlighted) x Chapter 1: Introduction S.N.A.F.U. IN CPA To set the stage for this analysis of ex-offender participation in social movements, I begin by describing an encounter from my three year data collection with the Citizen/Prisoner Alliance (CPA). A few hours after a meeting between five members of the CPA and a high ranking official in the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction (ODRC), Betsy called to tell me that the meeting had gone horribly. This was an incredibly important meeting for CPA because they had very little contact with the ODRC and this encounter could have given CPA the opportunity to increase its power in the state of Ohio. Betsy says “Well, big surprise, Trishelle messed up everything. And Dahlia and Deuce didn’t help much either.” She proceeds