Public space as a potential resource during reentry for formerly incarcerated people with serious mental illnesses

Formerly incarcerated people with serious mental illnesses (SMI) are overrepresented in the criminal legal system. Professional-brokered "connecting" interventions are the predominant means for supporting community reentry, but they are vulnerable to the paucity of formalized services in areas of concentrated disadvantage. Public spaces offer unique opportunities for developing naturally occurring relationships and connecting to diverse forms of capital and resources.

This qualitative study explored how 36 formerly incarcerated people with SMI navigated risks in public spaces, as they met the practical challenges of reentry while also examining the supportive resources and relationships they derive from spaces often perceived as risky.

Our findings indicated participants had dynamic and complex relationships to public spaces, including parks, coffee shops, and libraries and they used these spaces to create opportunities for solitude, socialization and resource acquisition. Spaces identified often featured: 1) activities and routines; 2) strong social infrastructure; and 3) opportunities for solitude and reflection.

These findings can inform future interventions that use dynamic public space features as resources during reentry from criminal legal settings for people with MI.