Date of Award

Spring 5-28-2025

Document Type

Open Access Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Sociology

First Advisor

Andrea Leverentz, PhD

Second Advisor

Christopher Contreras, PhD

Third Advisor

Anne Rawls, PhD

Abstract

This study explores the processes, procedures, and relationships in a women’s reentry house, the New Hope Home (NHH), in the Grove Hall neighborhood of Boston, MA while also examining the evolution of the home and the relationships within the NHH.  This project is based on interview and participant observation data of the staff and residents of the home to ascertain multiple viewpoints and experiences of people critical to the home’s existence and success or struggles. The home opened in April 2022.  This research begins at the grand opening of the home and continues through early 2025.  Finally, neighborhood resident interviews and participant observation in the community provided insight into the sentiments of the neighborhoods surrounding the home, neighborhood crime, and primary concerns in the neighborhood and community life. At its core, though, this research applies wounded healer and professional “ex” literature to the staff and director of the home who, as street-level bureaucrats, impact how the organization functions and its evolution through the first few years of operation.

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