Recidivism is an astounding problem for correctional facilities, inmates, and society in general, with nearly 1 out of 2 convicted criminals committing another crime within 5 years of release from prison. Repeated incarcerations in county jails are even more pronounced. Though much is known about the characteristics of those who recidivate, effective interventions are limited particularly in rural areas where funds are scarce and re-incarceration rates continue to climb. Women are of particular concern since their rates of incarceration are increasing more rapidly than men. Often nurses play a major role in assessing and maintaining the health of inmates in many correctional facilities. Though contacts are limited, nurses have opportunities to impact inmate attitudes toward recidivism, but often they do not know how. The purpose of this presentation is to discuss a grounded theory study involving female inmates in a rural county jail. The goal of the research was to generate a substantive theory that explained how female inmates of a county jail, thought about incarceration, further criminal activity when released, and re-incarceration (recidivism). The Sparkle Theory emerged from the data and was grounded in it. According to this theory incarcerated females were “Drawn by Sparkles” which resulted in choices that led to incarceration and recidivism. Sparkles were deceptive forces that were powerful and destructive and drew the participants outside of legal constraints for reasons they could not explain. The process they used to deal with this problem was “Accepting Constraints,” which involved Making Plans, Examining Inner Resources, Analyzing Previous Circumstances and Social Support. The findings from this research provide a new perspective of jail recidivism in women, which could be helpful for nurses providing care for inmates and for the development of more effective interventions.

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See more of The 17th International Nursing Research Congress Focusing on Evidence-Based Practice (19-22 July 2006)