Abstract

Background Prisoners with mental illnesses (MI) are released from prison into environments where they are under-treated and under-supported by our criminal justice, social service, and health systems. Public space and interactions within those spaces have been shown to have positive effects in similar populations, including individuals with MI. This qualitative study explored the role different interactions play during the course of reentry. The study aimed to understand the more everyday relational dynamics that former prisoners with MI experience in public and private spaces.

Methods Semi-structured interviews on both experiences of public spaces and interactions within were conducted with 36 former prisoners with MI. Go-along interviews were conducted as a follow-up to these interviews with a subsample of 11 participants in order to identify and describe public spaces and interactions within those spaces. Phenomenological analysis was used to analyze data collected.

Results Participants described an array of supportive relationships with familiar strangers fostered in public spaces. Participants also described receiving stranger support from relationships typically associated with conventional and institutional supports. This form of “stranger support” was juxtaposed against the burdens and risks of reciprocal intimate relationships.