Motherhood Challenged: A matricentric feminist study exploring the persisting impact of maternal imprisonment on maternal identity and role

Matricentric Feminism, Feminist Methodology, Mothers, Motherhood, Mothers and prison, Criminalised women, Gender and prison, women post-prison, post-prison motherhood, Feminist criminology, penology and gender, women and crime, mothers and crime, sentencing, women and rehabilitation, women and probation, maternal identity. 9. Please provide the text of the abstract: Abstract The persistent pains of maternal imprisonment, especially beyond five years post-release, is underexplored. A particular knowledge deficit concerns maternal identity and role. This study combined feminist and matricentric lenses to explore criminalised motherhood through prison and beyond. A matricentric-feminist criminological methodology was developed and applied, forming part of the original contribution of the thesis. In line with matricentric and feminist principles, 43 criminalised mothers contributed to the design and execution of this qualitative study through one-to-one interviews and letters. This research centres the Mothers and their voices, and, in a loyally feminist methodology, a reflexive exploration of my positionality as a mother, grandmother, former practitioner, and researcher is recognised, accounted for, and included in the thesis. The Mothers described criminalised motherhood as a paradox; they experienced judgement, discrimination and oppression alongside joy and hope. When motherhood was combined with criminalisation, the judgement and gaze the Mothers experienced in a patriarchally constructed and influenced society were magnified. Navigating through the criminal justice system and especially through imprisonment was a painful experience for Mothers. Not least because of the physical separation from children, but additionally due to institutional thoughtlessness and lack of recognition concerning their maternal identity, maternal emotions, and maternal role; which occurred at every stage of the criminal justice system. The investigation produced new knowledge and understanding about the profound, traumatic, and enduring impact of maternal imprisonment. The impact was intergenerational and had implications for Mothers wellbeing, engagement in rehabilitation and desistance. Further original contribution is demonstrated in the knowledge gained about the experiences of criminalised grandmothers, again especially in relation to maternal identity and role. The findings conclude with matricentric-feminist criminological recommendations for research, policy and practice that would contribute to understanding and challenging the social, political, and criminal justice context of mothers who break the law. If implemented, they would lead to fewer mothers being imprisoned and better outcomes for criminalised mothers, which in turn would facilitate better outcomes for children and society.

Name dc:type.qualificationname

PhD

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

Doctoral

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

De Montfort University

Year dc:date.issued

2021

Author dc:creator

• Baldwin, Lucy

Licence

• https://dora.dmu.ac.uk/bitstreams/449f4673-2bb9-4679-b33e-38d645d41c73/download