Post-incarcerated individuals’ online narratives: stories of desistance and “success”

This study employed a qualitative thematic analysis to gain a deeper insight into post-incarcerated individuals’ narratives about the desistance process posted within an online, naturalistic context. We analyzed 87 online narratives from Prisontalk.com’s (Prison Talk Online; PTO) Success Stories forum, a discussion space focused on the transition to and life after post-incarceration. Four themes were identified from the narratives as posters discussed their continued desistance: 1) being motivated and resilient, 2) changing their self-perceptions, 3) engaging with/in supportive relationships, and 4) creating space for/from community. We found that online desistance narratives are similar to narratives disclosed in face-to-face contexts. Additionally, online spaces and the affordances they offer are important places for post-incarcerated individuals; these spaces offer the opportunity for members of the community to construct and post narratives where post-incarcerated individuals reflect on their previous actions and perform pro-social identities that help the larger carceral community.