Abstract
This study investigates the process of addiction recovery for people with involvement in the criminal justice system in Miami, Florida. This study uses qualitative research methods including narrative analysis and life history interviews with twenty-five criminal justice involved people who struggle with addiction. This study extends scholarly understandings of recovery capital and negative recovery capital as developed by Robert Granfield and William Cloud. This study identifies patterns of addiction recovery that include participants’ recognition of addiction, efforts to quit, and experiences with the criminal justice system. This study explores four themes related to addiction recovery resources, including: family precarity, mental illness, trauma, and the role of the criminal justice system in participants’ recovery efforts.