Analysing Women's Imprisonment

Full text

Crime Prevention and Community Safety: An International Journal 2005, 7 (1), 70
70 Review
Analysing Women’s Imprisonment
by Pat Carlen and Anne Worrall
Cullompton: Willan (2004) ISBN 1 843920 69 7
(224 pages, £17.99)
Reviewed by Karen Laing
The number of female prisoners in England and Wales is rising, yet the study of women in prison
can often be ignored, or marginalised, in favour of the study of male imprisonment. Nevertheless,
there is a growing understanding among policymakers and researchers that the issues women face
in their treatment by the criminal justice system, on their subsequent imprisonment and during a
prison sentence, are very different to those of men. As such, a book that examines the state of
current knowledge around women’s imprisonment, and offers practical guidance to encourage further
study and research, is both timely and valuable. This book is ideally placed to achieve this.
The book is written as an introductory text, aimed at those new to the study of women’s
imprisonment. Each chapter follows a similar format, consisting of a discussion of a particular
theme, divided into clear sub-sections, which is followed by a short conclusion and by a glossary
of terms (that readers should ensure they know). Suggestions for further reading, topics for further
discussion and suggested essay questions are also provided. The design, therefore, renders a
chapter an ideal basis for an undergraduate seminar or project activity.
The introduction to the book clearly sets out what the authors will cover in it, and they are
upfront from the start about their own position that there should be a reduction in the levels of
women’s imprisonment. Chapter One covers the history of women’s imprisonment and the
prevailing attitudes, over time, towards it. Chapter Two goes on to explore how official statistics
record the levels of women’s imprisonment, and outlines the contemporary characteristics of
women in prison. Chapter Three raises the concept of a ‘healthy prison’, and examines how far
women in prison are in a safe, respectful and purposeful environment. The next three chapters are
mainly theoretical, outlining the key approaches to women’s imprisonment and presenting the
mainstream influential arguments about the justifications for the imprisonment of women and
the alternatives to custodial sentences. Chapter Six, in particular, presents a concise account of
the issues as they are perceived by feminist theorists.
A particular strength of the book is the inclusion of a final chapter that sets out the practical and
ethical issues for consideration when undertaking research into women’s imprisonment.
Conducting research in, and about, prisons is not easy. The prison environment is subject to
constant change and external political pressures, and prison staff have an additional risk to manage,
in addition to their ordinary responsibilities, with the arrival of researchers. By sharing their
experiences, the authors have attempted to ensure that meaningful research will be attempted
into this topic, one that can only benefit from closer scrutiny in the future.
The book might have benefited from a wider discussion about the effects of women’s imprisonment
not just on the women themselves but on their children and other family members. The imprisonment
of women has wide-ranging effects. Some of these effects are not as those that often result from the
imprisonment of men—for example, the loss of the primary caregiver, in addition to the family
home, for many children with mothers in prison. Acknowledgement of these wider effects as an
intrinsic part of the experience of many imprisoned women would enrich future debate.
On balance, the book is to be heartily recommended to anyone with a budding interest in women’s
imprisonment, as it will ensure that readers develop a good overall understanding of the field.
Karen Liang
Newcastle Centre for Family Studies
University of Newcastle