As many of you know, I am in the final year {fingers crossed} of my PhD student journey.
My committee has approved my dissertation study.
The human subjects board gave me the official go-ahead this week to start collecting data {squee!}
A lot is about to happen in the coming months.
I already feel the depths of loneliness, disconnection, & investment weighing heavy in my journey.
So, I am reaching out to y'all with an invitation for some support
{scroll to the bottom section for more information on ways to support}
A little background.
2012. The U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) ruled in Miller v. Alabama that mandatory juvenile life without parole (JLWOP) sentences were unconstitutional. The ruling applied to juvenile sentences issued after that date but did not apply to the ~2500 folks who were currently serving JLWOP sentences. 2016. SCOTUS made a decision in Montgomery v. Louisiana requiring states to retroactively apply the Miller ruling. Their decision entitled about 365 juvenile lifers to resentencing in the State of Michigan {where I am doing my study}, which houses the 2nd largest JLWOP population in the country {PA > MI > CA > LA > FL...}. To date, the SCOTUS legislation has resulted in Michigan resentencing and releasing over 90 juvenile lifers - men and women who were incarcerated as teenagers and then released after spending 20 to 60 years behind bars.
We know.
Individuals released from prison often encounter numerous barriers to successful re-entry:
Difficulties locating and securing housing
Difficulties obtaining employment
Managing the effects of trauma
Managing relationships with family and friends
These needs are mirrored among the juvenile lifers who were resentenced and released and these individuals also demonstrate considerable resiliencies and potential (Brydon, 2018; 2019). However, programming and services for juvenile lifers while they were incarcerated was {and continues to be} de-prioritized and withheld.
While SCOTUS made landmark decisions about JLWOP sentencing, they did not offer provisions or funding for services and programming during incarceration, nor at re-entry. This leaves hundreds of juvenile lifers being released from decades of prison {their most formative decades} without adequate support for successful and sustained re-entry.
We need to know more.
For my dissertation, I have the privilege of interviewing folks who were sentenced to JLWOP and then released in Michigan. These individuals reside across the state and I am looking to conduct interviews in participant homes or communities. The interviews {~2.5 hours long} are designed to get a better understanding of what support is most important.
{e.g., mental health, employment, social, health, housing}
This study is one step toward my broader goal of connecting with and interviewing all {or as many as will respond} juvenile lifers in the country - both those who have been released and those who remain incarcerated. I am also interested in interviewing folks who were incarcerated as juveniles and are serving sentences of varying lengths to compare the needs, resiliencies, and opportunities for intervention.
My community partner.
I've partnered with the Michigan State Appellate Defender Office {SADO} and one of their volunteer programs {Project Re-Entry} to conduct this study. They even have a small team of volunteers who have offered to assist with the study {team photo pending}.
I am also networking in other states to get a move on my long-term goals for a more national representation.
When I first envisioned my dissertation, I thought I would be engaging 20-25 participants...maybe. Now, it looks like I could be engaging with 2-4 times that number in the next 6 months
{super big gulp & deeeeeeep breaths}
I am excited and intimidated.
I am told this research agenda is ambitious and atypical of someone with "student" status.
I feel that but y'all know what I am like when I get excited about the work I am doing!
That is the both, and space I am writing from today:
I am excited about this work
{it is a BIG undertaking}
This work is groundbreaking; no one else seems to be doing it
{i have more access to/interest in it than expected}
I have a vision beyond this immediate time frame
{my partners are eager/reaching for the beyond too}
I am ready for this
{i feel intimidated by what is on my plate}
Ways you can support me (and this research).
The things I feel most worried about as I continue my journey are:
feeling lonely + feeling disconnected + how to fund this research.
-----
I have wonderful family and friends {that's YOU} but y'all are spread all over the bless-ed earth and connecting can be a challenge. I also have wonderful academic "peeps" who are similarly spread across the globe.
Staying connected in spite of that feels important for me.
+
Now that I have all of my approvals, I'm able to apply for a handful of dissertation funds, which is awesome but none of the funding is guaranteed and much of the data collection and expense will take place before any of that funding would come in. The cost for each participant is approx. $150 {$50 gift card incentive + $100 for transcription, transportation, materials}. My study team has volunteered to help with transcription but the # of potential participants definitely exceeds the time they have to offer.
All that to say, if you feel compelled to support me {and this research}, here are some ideas:
Be Curious. Be Genuine.
It is so grounding for me to talk with people about what I am doing, what I am curious about, what I am passionate about, or what I am puzzling over. I know I can go it alone but that is not really how I am built. My research, practice, and overall humanity are always better following our dialogue so I'd like to invite you to ask me about my research or some aspect of my academic/social work life. What questions do you have about the work? The people? The bigger social issues? Bring it. I will also work on posting every month or two to share how things are going so keep your eyes peeled.
SADO's Project Re-Entry {my community partner} supports the publication of a JLWOP-community newsletter. Check out The Drum.
Share. Be Open.
I know I am busy but I also love hearing what y'all are up to. Please share how you are doing, what you are working on, what you are curious about, what you are passionate about, or what you are puzzling over. While I am definitely on a hustle track over here, I find it life-giving to connect in spite of distance and complex schedules.
Contribute. If You Are Able.
Every bit helps. I also know how every bit can be spoken for so absolutely no pressure if that is your space. If you are able to contribute {THANK YOU!}, please let me know if you do not want to be named in donor acknowledgements. Any funds in excess of the research costs will be donated to Project Re-Entry for direct support of folks being released from JLWOP.
❥ Direct contributions can be made via Paypal {daphnebrydon@hotmail.com} or the Cash app
{$DaphneBrydon}. Include "JLWOP Research" and your preferred contact information in the
notes section.
❥ Direct contributions can be made via check {payable to: Daphne Brydon}. Please include
"JLWOP Research" on the memo line and include your preferred contact information in/on the
envelope. Send to: 2155 Jackson Avenue, Ste 1, Ann Arbor, MI 48103
❥ Gift cards for participant incentives to grocery/fuel vendors {e.g. Kroger, Aldi, Meijer, Target, Whole
Foods, Mobil, Shell, Speedway, BP} in denominations of $25 . Please include your preferred
contact info in/on the envelope. Send to: 2155 Jackson Avenue, Ste 1, Ann Arbor, MI 48103
Encourage Me. Encourage Others.
Life has a whole lotta suck. Let's help it suck less. Send a little note or leave a little message of encouragement...for me or for someone else in your life. It nearly always puts a pep in the receiver's step and feels pretty darn good to send it too.
Learn More. Challenge Yourself.
Our justice system is complex and deeply entrenched in social issues that touch all of us, whether we acknowledge it or not. You can find a lot of documentaries, articles, podcasts, and books about the current and historical states of our justice system, the experiences of persons who are justice-involved, and how we think about the system in the years to come. Challenge yourself to listen to perspectives and engage narratives outside of your typical experience or frame of reference.
Thank you for considering & stay tuned!
