Exploring the Experiences of Reintegration in Trinidad and Tobago

from the Perspective of of Male Deportees

Cheryl-Ann Boodram

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Background and Statement of the Problem Purpose and Objectives Theoretical Framework Methods: Design, Sample, Data Collection &

Analysis Themes, Findings and Discussion Implications for Social Work Recommendations for Future Research

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Overview of the Presentation

Trinidad and Tobago

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Since 1996, there has been a significant increase in the number of persons deported for criminal convictions to the Caribbean.

This increase has been as a result of the changing immigration laws of metropolitan countries, including the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.

Most significant are: The retroactive nature of the immigration laws The inclusion of felonies and “sins against moral

turpitude” as deportable crimes Limited to no provisions for appeal of the deportation

order

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Background

The significant increase in the number of deported persons was tabled as an issue at the Caribbean Community Security Conference in 2001 and successive Heads of Government meetings and other regional meetings .

There is a perceived link between deportation and the increase in crime and violence in the Caribbean which has led to stereotyping and discrimination

Experiences of detention and deportation are traumatic life events for male deportees

Deported men face reintegration challenges due to stigma and discrimination and limited support

There is a paucity in the literature on the experiences of male deportees to the Caribbean

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Statement of the Problem

Understand the experiences of male deportees and their experiences of reintegration after their return to Trinidad and Tobago

Examine the challenges that male deportees encountered upon their return and during their attempts at reintegration

Identify the sources of support which assisted males in reintegrating into Trinidad and Tobago.

Examine the extent to which the sources of support assisted in the reintegration of males upon their return

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Purpose of the Study

Qualitative Research Phenomenology In-Depth Interviews

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Research Design

Location: Trinidad and Tobago

Purposive convenience sampling

Participants were drawn from ‘Vision on Mission In-transit Centre’ and ‘Rebirth House’

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Sampling Strategies

Participants

Males

Deported for criminal convictions

Nationals of Trinidad and Tobago

Age 18 and over

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Selection Criteria

Age Range: 25 – 60 years

No. of Years in deporting country: 5 – 30 years

Period since deportation: 2 months to 5 years

Included participants who were married, single or divorced

Convicted of crimes including violation of restraining order, drug use, services fraud and murder10

Participant: Demographics

1.Psychological Emasculation

2. Ecological Embededdness:

psychosocial;

economic;

social

3. Deferred Dependency /Sustainable Return

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Themes Emerged

Participants described deportation as a source of “Psychological Emasculation” . AS men, they felt that they were: “Stripped of role as the ‘provider’ for

relatives and children” Resulted in female headed households and

poor attempts at transnational parenting Reliance of family abroad (where possible) to

send money Cessation of remittances to local relatives.

One participant claimed that he “returned in shame because he was unable to send money to his family”.

Resulted in deportees perceiving themselves as being “less of a man”

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Deportation and Masculinity

Permanent Loss loss of accumulated assets, resident status, family members

Double Rejection First rejected by a country they have grown to call “home” then

rejected by their country of birth Stressful / Traumatic Life Transition

Nightmares, loss of appetite, inconsolable crying, anger, profound sadness

Identity and citizenship Identity confusion relating to citizenship

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Psychosocial Reintegration

Challenges facing deportees included inability to achieve economic embededdness

Inability to find sustainable employment loss of assets accumulated during the period spent

abroad inability to access suitable housing or materials for

survival Difficulty in developing small businesses Lack of opportunity to make economic contribution to

Trinidad and Tobago

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Economic Reintegration

Sources of support during reintegration were related to the extent of Social-Network developed by the individual:

Connections with social networks provided a sense of belonging and assisted migrants in reintegrating

Networks included faith based organisations, NGOs and Social Capital

Access to and the strength of the social networks of the individual influenced the reintegration experience.

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Social Embededdness

Reintegration efforts and social work intervention seemed to “Defer Dependency”

Reintegration was not an event but a process. Deportees slid along that continuum

Support was short-term and insufficient to achieve sustainable reintegration

Intervention did not focus on examining the skills and strengths of the individual

When support from social services ended or lessened, dependency returned

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Deferred Dependency

Human Rights implications- > citizenship and the rights associated with citizenship

Research : Contributes to literature on resettlement of

involuntary returned migrants, particularly males deported for criminal convictions;

Practice: Findings will contribute to knowledge base for

social work practitioners in the Caribbean; Need for a coordinated and specialized approach

by social service agencies and NGOs to provide greater support to deportees.

Policy: Need for International and Caribbean policy makers to advocate for a re-examination of social justice and human rights issues related to deportation.

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Implications for Social Work

Additional Research on: Sustainable Return for Involuntary Returned Migrants Transnational Studies to examine the effects of

deportation on the families in deporting and receiving countries

Relationship between identity, citizenship and reintegration of deportees

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Recommendations for Future Research

The establishment of a coordinated approach to intervention with deportees to provide subsistence such as food, shelter, medical and psychosocial care.

Advocacy for the development of policies which allow deportees to return or have access to the assets which they accumulated abroad (Certainly should be included as an agenda in International Social Work practices)

Provision of psychosocial intervention to deportees. Including support groups, transnational intervention with the families across borders, substance abuse intervention 19

Recommendations

The establishment of family enrichment services which will provide counseling activities involving members of the families that are left behind in the deporting country and families in the receiving country. An avenue for social work intervention can be means of strengthening approaches to transnational parenting.

The provision of livelihood assistance which will promote the employability and employment of individuals deported.

National Education campaigns to reduce stigma and discrimination of deportees

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Recommendations

Deportation and the process of resettlement were stressful life transitions.

Deportation resulted in permanent loss, double rejection and psychological emasculation

Challenges in reintegration to Trinidad and Tobago included establishing ecological embededdness, most significantly economic embededdness

Sources of support for reintegration included social services provisions, the deportees social capital and social networks

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Conclusion

Thank You!

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