• Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.223-261
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• 2016

This study examines the experiences of 17 ex-offenders' wives who received housing support by the Korea Rehabilitation Agency using Strauss and Corbin's grounded theory. In open coding, 143 concepts, 43 subcategories, and 16 categories emerged from the data. In axial coding, the causal condition were 'ambivalence of wives who encounter the husbands' release from prison', 'anxiety about the husbands' release from prison and recidivism', and 'trials and tribulations of everyday life after husbands' release from prison'. Central phenomenon was 'precarious livelihood by concealment of imprisonment'. Strategies were 'compromise with reality' and 'support husbands to reentry to the society'. Consequence was 'thanks to life via adversity' and 'the road less traveled.' In process analysis, main theme was 'process towards family resiliency after get over the stigma and family conflicts', and five phases were derived from the data and in selective coding. Based upon the research outcomes, psychological experiences of ex-offenders' wives and the needs for ex-offenders' families resiliency was discussed.