Post Incarceration Syndrome
Understanding Post-Incarceration Syndrome (PICS)
Post-Incarceration Syndrome (PICS) is a trauma-based psychological condition experienced by individuals who have lived through incarceration. Rooted in the chronic stress of confinement—marked by violence, isolation, deprivation, and institutional control—PICS presents as a distinct cluster of symptoms including anxiety, depression, emotional dysregulation, relapse in substance use, and social withdrawal. Though often compared to PTSD, PICS is not limited to life after release. It reflects the cumulative psychological harm caused by incarceration itself.
Originally coined by Terence Gorski, and further shaped by researchers like Craig Haney and Marieke Liem, the term PICS helps validate the lived experiences of those impacted by mass incarceration. It also corrects decades of dehumanizing, clinical language that failed to capture the depth of harm or the urgency of response required.
Our mission is to advance recognition of PICS as a legitimate, standalone diagnosis within the mental health field—equipping social workers, clinicians, and systems with the tools to respond effectively. In doing so, we aim to reduce recidivism, support reentry, and affirm the dignity of those navigating life after incarceration.
This is more than academic research. It’s a public health and human rights imperative.
Featured at APHA 2025
Washington, D.C. | November 2–5, 2025
Public Health Social Work Program – Annual Meeting & Expo
Public Health, Equity & Innovation at the Forefront
We are proud to share that our research has been selected for presentation at the American Public Health Association (APHA) 2025 Annual Meeting and Expo in Washington, D.C. As part of the Public Health Social Work Program, our work stands at the intersection of rigorous academic research, public policy, and lived experience. APHA’s 2025 theme, “Making the Public’s Health a National Priority,” reflects our mission to center justice, healing, and health equity in every aspect of our work.
What We're Presenting
Our research highlights two transformative focus areas:
Community-Based Participatory Practice (CBPP)
We co-create interventions alongside impacted communities, ensuring culturally responsive and ethically sound public health strategies.Data Science + Social Determinants of Health (SDOH)
By using machine learning and natural language processing, we identify and respond to unmet social needs in real time, directly from health records.
This approach grounds our work in justice-centered, tech-forward solutions to complex public health crises.
National Stage, Local Impact
Being featured at APHA 2025 gives our research national visibility—and places it within a network of policymakers, researchers, and advocates who are collectively shaping the future of public health. From community violence prevention to environmental justice to post-incarceration trauma recovery, our presentations reflect the urgent needs of our time and the innovative responses we are building.
Opportunity for Funders, Donors & Research Partners
This is a pivotal moment to support and invest in public health research that is bold, ethical, and community-rooted. Your partnership will help us:
Fund emerging AI and SDOH-based intervention models
Scale community-based health programs for women exiting incarceration
Support student researchers and new voices in public health social work
Publish data and insights that inform health equity policies at the national level
📣 Call to Action: Partner With Us
Whether you’re a foundation, donor, academic institution, or policymaker, you have the power to amplify this work. Help us bring our research to scale, build healthier communities, and influence the national dialogue on justice and public health.
About APHA & Public Health Social Work
The American Public Health Association has been a national voice for public health since 1872, with over 50,000 members worldwide. The Public Health Social Work Section, established in 1970, promotes collaboration between social work and public health to dismantle systemic barriers and elevate health equity nationwide.