The Financial Health Network partnered with USC’s Center for Economic and Social Research to conduct a qualitative study on the financial consequences of incarceration for individuals and their families. The USC’s Understanding America Study (UAS) online panel was used to identify eligible individuals for inclusion in the study, and they were invited to participate in an hourlong phone interview. The results of these briefs are based on interviews with 36 respondents that self-identified as having spent time in prison or jail, or having had a family member who spent time in prison or jail. The names of respondents included in these profiles have been changed for anonymity and security purposes. The insights shared in these briefs represent the particular experiences of select UAS panel members who have prior involvement with the criminal justice system. For these reasons, the findings cannot be considered fully representative of the population impacted by this vast system.

These briefs were developed in conjunction with our report Financial Health and Criminal Justice: The Impacts of Involvement, which explores the survey results of 573 individuals impacted by the criminal justice system. These publications are meant to provide insight into the experiences of justice-involved individuals and their families, so that policies, products, and services can better serve individuals in similar scenarios. By understanding the lived experiences of justice-involved people and their families, providers, policymakers, and innovators can create more responsive solutions to support individuals and their families during an already challenging time.