An exploratory study on the reintegration route of ex-drug convicts : obstacles leading to re-entry and proposed policies to prevention of re-entry

• Main Author: Yong, Vanessa
• Other Authors: Xiao Hong
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2016
• Subjects: DRNTU::Humanities
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/66101
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Ex-drug convicts are a marginalized group of individuals in Singapore’s society that have often been neglected of society’s support. Upon release, these individuals find themselves posed with a myriad of obstacles as they attempt to start a new life. This paper will be exploring the various types of personal obstacles and obstacles caused by social forces based on two sociological theories – stigma and life course journey. Findings suggest that when the obstacles become too overwhelming for the individuals to handle, ex-drug convicts return to drugs as an alternative solution, which result in their eventual re-entry into either prison or DRC. This paper also includes a comparative study between personal and social obstacles, to analyze which is more detrimental in causing the individual to be unable to break free from drugs. Lastly, this paper includes recommended solutions that aim to help ex- drug convicts reintegrate successfully with society.