Good and Healthy: Foodways and Construction of Identity in a Women's Prison

Abstract

The construction of non-criminogenic identities is associated with criminal desistance. This article explores the ways in which women use prison foodways to try to construct positive identities and the impact of correctional policy on these efforts. Formerly-incarcerated women were interviewed about the acquisition, preparation, distribution, and consumption of food in prison. In these narratives, women used their prison food practices in an attempt to construct themselves as ‘good’ and ‘healthy’. Stories showcased their capacity for friendship, empathy, self-care, and recovery. However, these positive identities were destabilised by prison rules and unhealthy food choices. Prison policies should be reviewed to promote inmates' efforts to construct these positive characteristics.