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18 Punishment & Soc'y 3 (2016)

handle is hein.journals/punscty18 and id is 1 raw text is: Article Punishment & Society 2016, Vol. 18(l) 3-26 Wounded healers: How @The Author(s) Reprints and permissions: form erly incarcerated sagepubmuk<journalsPermsonsnav women help themselves psage by helping others Gretchen Heidemann Whittier College, USA Julie A Cederbaum and Sidney Martinez University of Southern California, USA Thomas P LeBel University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, USA Abstract This mixed methods study explores the role that being a helper/wounded healer has for formerly incarcerated women. Regression analyses examining the influence of a helper/ wounded healer orientation on self-esteem and social support are triangulated with in- depth responses to probes regarding the benefits of helping others among a purposive sample of previously incarcerated women. Results reveal that helping others benefits the helper by boosting self-esteem, increasing prosocial activity, and enhancing social connectedness. The culture of giving back and being of service to others who are less far along in the recovery/reintegration process is discussed. Implications for policy and practice are offered. Keywords formerly incarcerated women, mixed-methods research, prisoner reentry, self-esteem, social support, wounded healers Introduction Women's representation among jail, prison, probation, and parole populations has increased sharply since the 1980s, largely the result of drug war policies and an Corresponding author: Gretchen Heidemann, University of Southern California, Montgomery Ross Fisher Building, 669 West 34th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA. Email: gheidema@usc.edu