Moral Injury and Families Affected by Incarceration

Will spent the summer conducting research for his thesis, focusing on applying moral injury frameworks to the experiences of family members of incarcerated individuals who have attempted societal reentry. His goals included refining research methods, developing an IRB protocol, and preparing for interviews. Central to his work was navigating ethical challenges, such as distinguishing moral injury from moral distress and balancing biases in participant recruitment, either through incarcerated individuals or family support groups. By consulting mentors, including experts at Duke and community workers in Illinois, Will steadily advanced his research framework and prepared for high-quality, focused interviews.

In addition to his research, Will worked at a rural clinic in Macomb, Illinois, gaining insight into how behavioral health and psychiatric providers support individuals with justice involvement in low-resource settings. This experience complemented his thesis by exposing him to the complexities of community support in rural areas. The combination of self-directed research and on-the-ground experience provided valuable context for his work, deepening his understanding of the intersections between justice involvement, family dynamics, and community health services.