Mothers in prison

Abstract

Mothers in prison have been historically ignored, cast aside, silenced, and ultimately invisible within the broader discourse on criminology and the study of prisons. Therefore, the development of feminist criminology was vital to address the gendered nature of crime and imprisonment. However, the recent matricentric focus is merited as it explores the unique concerns of mothers who are engaged with the prison system. While feminist criminology explores the general class and gendered struggles of offending women, a matricentric focus provides a lens through which to view such challenges, traumas, and adversity via a maternal lens, placing the subject of motherhood and mothering as central to the experience of imprisonment. The chapter maps the development of matricentric feminist criminology, its current debates and most broadly discussed and relevant topics of enquiry, namely: the relevance of imprisonment, the impact of trauma, mental health, addiction, and then considers the issue of mother-child contact. The chapter ends with some suggestions for further research.