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Despite a growing body of literature on prisons, and how these are experienced by those held within their walls, this literature remains predominantly focused on the male estate due to their overwhelming majority status (Ministry of Justice (MoJ), 2020a). Women continue to ‘remain marginal to the study and practice of imprisonment’ (Moore and Scraton, 2014, p 1), despite knowledge that they have very specific and particularly painful experiences in prison. Short periods within prison are particularly common for women. For example, 43 per cent of all first receptions into female prison establishments between 2016 and 2019 were remand prisoners (either unconvicted or unsentenced), and over 81 per cent of first sentenced female prison receptions were serving under 12 months (the majority of which were under six months) (MoJ, 2017, 2018c, 2019c, 2020a).
While these experiences are frequently short, the need for prison is questionable, given that the women are rarely violent offenders and thus typically represent a low risk to public safety (MoJ, 2017, 2018c, 2019c, 2020a). Furthermore, use of short terms of incarceration is problematic for both the government, as a financially costly procedure, and for the women, as it represents a disproportionate punishment due to the enduring harms caused. Neither remand nor short prison sentences provide support to women, often instead causing tangible issues with finances, education, employment and housing, or consequences to health and wellbeing, which include physical health, addictions and psychological harm.
Prison is rarely a fitting punishment for women with non-violent offences and thus low-risk status.
Since 1947 there has been an influx of South Asian migrants to the UK for different reasons. Some of this has been motivated by a need to escape civil war, to seek better economic opportunities, for marriage or to join family members. According to the 2011 census, South Asians represent the largest minority group in Britain. Many of these migrants have settled in the UK and are contributing to economic, social and political life (Girishkumar, 2014). Despite the apparent assimilation of South Asian migrants into the UK and their relatively large number, South Asian women migrants in particular continue to face multiple disadvantages. These disadvantages include language barriers, lack of education, lack of skills, poor quality housing, unemployment (Girishkumar, 2014) and specific forms of violence associated with the various cultural and religious practices that define their identity (Raj and Silverman, 2002; Anitha, 2008). These increase the gender-based power imbalance, thereby reinforcing the patriarchal structures of both the host and migrant cultures, which leads to the further marginalisation and victimisation of women (Anitha, 2008; Girishkumar, 2014).
Patriarchy is a system of society in which men hold power and women are largely excluded from it. It is an ideology that is considered to be a major deciding factor when mapping the gender power relations that exist within a society (Anitha, 2008; Girishkumar, 2014). It is suggested that patriarchal structures, combined with other intersecting components such as class, race, culture, religion and family patterns, contribute to the context within which abuse occurs (Gilligan and Akhtar, 2006; Ganeshpanchan, 2017) and oppress women.
Women and families within the criminal justice system (CJS) are increasingly the focus of research and this book considers the timely issues of intersectionality, violence and gender. With insights from frontline practice and from the lived experiences of women, the collection examines prison experiences in a post-COVID-19 world, domestic violence and the successes and failures of family support.
A companion to the first edited collection, Critical Reflections on Women, Family, Crime and Justice, the book sheds new light on the challenges and experiences of women and families who encounter the CJS.
Accessible to both academics and practitioners and with real-world policy recommendations, this collection demonstrates how positive change can be achieved.
This second volume from the Women, Family, Crime and Justice (WFCJ) network draws attention to current, real-life issues relating to the experiences, perceptions and social and criminal justice environments for women and families. The current edited collection has a dual focus: the punishment of women in the criminal justice system and violence, abuse and justice experiences. The first theme explores punishments experienced by pregnant prisoners, within an English women’s centre and by ‘BAME’ women supporting incarcerated loved ones. The second theme examines abusive relationships for LGB and/or T+ people, abuse perpetrated by imprisoned women and online misogyny. This unique collection brings together the voices, research and experience of academics, practitioners and service users. In doing so, it outlines the diverse and varied social injustices that continue to trouble those in our communities affected by the criminal justice system.
This concluding chapter is authored by the editors of the collection and seeks to bring together the main, overarching themes of the book. In doing so it reminds the reader of the Women, Family, Crime and Justice’s (WFCJ’s) main aims and purpose, and recaps on the work undertaken by members of the network to date. It then goes on to discuss the books two major themes: the punishment of women in the criminal justice system and experiences of violence, abuse and justice. In discussing the mentioned themes, the chapter reiterates arguments of inadequacy of current criminal justice interventions which often result in a failure to meet needs, and the need for effective social change and justice.
This second volume from the Women, Family, Crime and Justice (WFCJ) network draws attention to current, real-life issues relating to the experiences, perceptions and social and criminal justice environments for women and families. The current edited collection has a dual focus: the punishment of women in the criminal justice system and violence, abuse and justice experiences. The first theme explores punishments experienced by pregnant prisoners, within an English women’s centre and by ‘BAME’ women supporting incarcerated loved ones. The second theme examines abusive relationships for LGB and/or T+ people, abuse perpetrated by imprisoned women and online misogyny. This unique collection brings together the voices, research and experience of academics, practitioners and service users. In doing so, it outlines the diverse and varied social injustices that continue to trouble those in our communities affected by the criminal justice system.
This introductory chapter opens the edited collection by restating the position, perspective and purpose of the authors/editors of the book who co-convene the Women, Family, Crime and Justice (WFCJ) network. The editors articulate their disappointment at the lack of meaningful change within the criminal and social justice areas associated with the WFCJ network, and the damaging consequences this brings to women and families. It goes on to explain how this second volume both complements the first (Masson et al, 2021) but is appropriately distinct, shedding light on different, but overlapping, issues facing women and families in the current climate.
A significant amount of attention has been paid to the challenges facing women in the criminal justice system (CJS) and, more recently, towards families affected by imprisonment. While research and policy interest in these overlapping areas is evident, it is disheartening to say that much-needed change has been slow to be actualised. It often feels as if we are going round in circles.
The three editors of this collection have aired concerns about the ineffectual ‘promise’ of change following the publication of the Female Offender Strategy by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) in England and Wales in 2018 (Booth et al, 2018). While our concerns remain as strong today as they did at the time of writing that piece, it is clear to us that many of the problems lie with the social injustices that comprise our neoliberal1 and patriarchal2 society. Repeatedly, issues pertaining to housing, education, poverty, mental health, addiction and abuse are identified as factors constituting the inadequate social circumstances that women and families in contact with the CJS have had to negotiate, often throughout their lives. Therefore, in spite of the ever-growing body of evidence within these areas, sadly significant social injustices persist.
Fortunately, continually challenging these injustices is the vital work of researchers, academics, activists and practitioners. Their strong commitment for change intends to illuminate, respond and reduce, and ideally remove, damaging issues for women and families affected by the CJS. Acknowledging this, the Women, Family, Crime and Justice (WFCJ) research network was launched by the editors in April 2018 to provide a collaborative space to bring together like-minded people from research, practice and academia, to critically discuss, disseminate and address some of these injustices.
Women and families have diverse experiences of criminal and social justice. We are proud that the Women, Family, Crime and Justice (WFCJ) research network has provided a platform to share knowledge and experiences towards tackling some of the enduring challenges associated with this. The collection of works presented powerfully symbolises the original aims of the network, when launched in 2018 to bring together practitioners, those with lived experience, external agencies, service users, academics and researchers, in a safe, supportive, non-judgemental, egalitarian forum. We sought to facilitate the coming together of similarly focused individuals, all connected in one way or another by a shared passion for criminal and social injustice. We hope that the discussions presented in this text provide a valuable point of reference to inspire action for all these communities.
Since our launch, we have hosted a veritable plethora of amazing speakers in our quarterly seminar series sessions. All of the speakers have shared their work and experiences to audiences eager to hear and to learn. The conversations, debates and discussions in the seminars, much like the chapters in this collection, have been stimulating, fascinating, sometimes challenging and/or painful, but always informative. This critical collection seeks to broaden the reach of the network by sharing some of the presentations in written form with a wider audience.
The introduction reiterated the WFCJ research network’s commitment to facilitating and influencing positive change via sharing of knowledge, critically exploring and informing research and policy, informing and collaborating with practitioners, and dissemination and publication. This collection contributes to meeting those commitments.
Drawing on original research from the Women, Family, Crime and Justice research network, this edited collection sheds new light on the challenges and experiences of women and families who encounter the criminal justice system in the UK.
Each contribution demonstrates how these groups are often ignored, oppressed and repeatedly victimised. The book addresses crucial issues including short-term imprisonment, trauma-specific interventions, schools supporting children affected by parental imprisonment and visibility and voice in research.
Bringing together contemporary knowledge from both research and practice, this ambitious volume offers valuable insights and practical recommendations for positive action and change.