DSW Showcase Student Presentation

Jeanette Castañeda

MSW, PPSC-CWAS

Manifestations of U.S. Mass Incarceration: Exploring How Carceral Trauma Exacerbates and Induces Adverse Mental Health Determinants

Concentration - Clinical Social Work

Abstract

This presentation explores the psychological consequences of mass incarceration through the lens of carceral trauma and its role in exacerbating and inducing adverse mental health conditions. Rooted in a comprehensive capstone project, this research comprises three scholarly products: a systematic literature review (SLR), a conceptual paper (CP), and an application paper (AP). The SLR synthesizes findings from five peer-reviewed journal articles (2014–2024), highlighting the prevalence and severity of carceral trauma among formerly incarcerated populations in the United States. It examines how incarceration leads to post-incarceration mental health conditions, including anxiety, depression, and Post-Incarceration Syndrome (PICS). Building on these findings, the CP introduces an innovative theoretical framework that integrates general systems theory and ecological systems theory to conceptualize carceral trauma as both a systemic and individual-level crisis. This framework emphasizes the structural factors that contribute to psychological distress among formerly incarcerated individuals. To bridge the gap between research and practice, the AP presents a digital awareness and psychoeducational toolkit, designed to enhance public and professional understanding of carceral trauma and its mental health implications. This toolkit serves as a resource for clinicians, policymakers, and communities to promote trauma-informed care and policy reform. Together, these scholarly products underscore the urgency for clinical practice reforms, targeted mental health interventions, and legislative policies that address the long-term psychological impact of incarceration, advocating for an equitable and rehabilitative system.

Biography

Mrs. Jeanette Castañeda -Carbajal is a doctoral candidate at the College of Social Work, University of Kentucky. Her academic expedition is a testament to her commitment to social work. She obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work from Whitter College and a Master of Social Work, and Pupil Personnel Services Credential in Child Welfare, Attendance, and Safety from California State University, Long Beach.

Mrs. Castañeda -Carbajal is a school social work practitioner and a practicum supervisor of social work education programs. She has been practicing social work for 17 years and has experience in micro, mezzo, and macro social work. Specifically in school social work, mental health, trauma, crisis intervention, support and response, and child welfare and safety.

Mrs. Castañeda -Carbajal is in the full-time doctoral program. Her doctoral concentration focus is clinical social work. She is in her second year and scheduled to graduate in May 2025.

Mrs. Castañeda -Carbajal is a justice-impacted individual, meaning she is impacted by the criminal justice system in the United States of America. Therefore, her capstone research and products focus on exploring and examining the adverse effects of carceral trauma among formerly incarcerated populations in the U.S. Her research interests include exploring and examining how U.S. mass incarceration adversely impacts populations with a history of incarceration in U.S. state and federal prisons.

She is a member of the Phi Alpha National Honor Society and the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi. She is a published scholar with California State University, Long Beach.