Social Exclusion and Criminalization: the Case Study of Homeless Ex-convicts
Journal Title: KultŁ«ra ir visuomenė. SocialiniŁ³ tyrimŁ³ Ł¾urnalas - Year 2014, Vol 5, Issue 2
Abstract
Using insights of criminological and sociological theories, the article explores the dynamic connection between incarceration and homelessness and identifies specific vulnerabilities related to unemployment, family background, addiction, and stigmatization. According to Garland (2011) and Young (2007), late modern welfare state and neoliberal economics (Wacquant 2009a, 2009b & 2012) developed and institutionalized penal-welfarism as a strategic solution to class conflict, unemployment and poverty. The article analyzes 15 semi-structured interviews with sheltered homeless men in Vilnius and Kaunas and one focus group interview with members of the NGOs dealing with homelessness. The results of the research demonstrate that only two research participants had jobs and none of them had stable partnership at the time of the interviews. Most research participants have never been married and had no children. Their lack of education, working skills and stigmatizing criminal background determined these men’s unemployment. Excluded in both the labor market and family sphere the homeless men are in an extreme need of the welfare state support. However, support offered by the welfare state is rather insufficient. Moreover, the homeless men face and have to cope with the overlapping double stigma: being homeless and ex-prisoners. Their experiences of poverty, incarceration, homelessness, unstable family and foster houses demonstrate these men’s multidimensional social exclusion and insurmountable cycle of homelessness and incarceration.
Authors and Affiliations
Rūta Petkevičiūtė
Keywords
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- EP ID EP116579
- DOI http://dx.doi.org/10.7220/2335-8777.5.2.4
- Views 153
- Downloads 0
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