Sociology Plus
Transinstitutionalization Definition
Transinstitutionalisation refers to the sociological process where individuals, who have been ostensibly released from institutional settings through community care policies, end up residing in a variety of alternative institutions rather than in their own homes. This shift involves a movement away from specialised care facilities into a wider range of custodial environments. For instance, individuals who are discharged from or no longer admitted to mental hospitals are frequently found placed in settings such as prisons, boarding-houses, nursing-homes, and residential care facilities for the elderly.
Context
This process highlights the gap between policy intentions—aiming for community-based living—and practical outcomes, demonstrating how institutional structures persist despite deinstitutionalisation efforts.