Suchergebnisse

Extant research on maternal incarceration has focused either on mothers as a whole (not disaggregated by race) or on the experiences of urban Black mothers, with relatively little focused attention on the experiences of their White counterparts. This study expands research on incarceration and its effects using qualitative interviews to explore how prison shapes identity construction among an understudied population—rural White mothers. Mothers in our sample expressed histories of family problems and drug use. Uniquely, we explore findings from a framework of "spoiled identity" for both the mothers themselves and their children as a result of their incarceration.

Methodological challenges of conducting research with protected populations using qualitative methods are abundant. Inmates and children are two vulnerable populations, requiring rigorous processes and permissions to gain access to individuals in these populations. Qualitative research requires intimate interactions and discussions of sensitive topics, posing challenges related to extracting information and creating emotional responses from researcher and participant. Drawing on interviews with incarcerated mothers and children with incarcerated parents, we discuss challenges and benefits of qualitative methodology for research on parental incarceration and offer suggestions for overcoming barriers to access, data collection, and publication.

For the first time, this book offers qualitative research on the lives and social relationships of older imprisoned women. In-depth interviews with twenty-nine female prisoners in the south-eastern United States show that older women both engage in generative behaviours, or 'giving back', in prison and also wish to do so upon their release.

The chapters in this anthology contain the experiences of a group of influential women academics who have dedicated their lives to prison research. Their stories detail the methodological challenges they experienced and the novel strategies they used while doing research in prison.