Social Enterprise A Route to Systems Change for Women Formerly Incarcerated

Abstract

Women who were formerly incarcerated face a number of interrelated inequities and challenges on community reentry, which leads to poor social- emotional outcomes and increases risk of recidivism. These problems, which are compounded for women of color who have been formerly incarcerated and which are ultimately deleterious to individuals, communities, and the economy, are inadequately addressed by micro-level direct-service delivery and traditional solutions like governmental initiatives and nonprofitorganizations. Because governmental initiatives and nonpro t organizations have become ine cient and ine ective in providing solutions to complexsocial problems, it has become imperative for social work professionals to investigate alternatives to achieve transformational change for individuals and communities. This paper contends that social enterprise is an emerging alternative best positioned to address complex challenges faced by women who have been formerly incarcerated, especially in mitigating barriers to employment and economic mobility.