Incarceration and Older Women: Giving Back Not Giving Up

Description

Generativity or ‘giving back’ is regarded as a common life stage, occurring for many around middle age. For the first time, this book offers qualitative research on the lives and social relationships of older imprisoned women. In-depth interviews with 29 female prisoners in the south-eastern United States show that older women both engage in generative behaviours in prison and also wish to do so upon their release. As prisoners continue to age, the US finds itself at a crossroads on prison reform, with potential decarceration beginning with older prisoners. The COVID-19 pandemic has led many to consider how to thrive under difficult circumstances and in stressing the resilience of older incarcerated women, this book envisions what this could look like. Front Cover Incarceration and Older Women: Giving Back Not Giving Up Copyright information Table of Contents Foreword Preface 1 Ageing Less Than Gracefully Generativity and ageing women in prison Ageing women and the prison experience The current study Notes 2 Welcome to My Home: Cell Block D Early research on the prison experience: prisonization and pains of imprisonment Classic studies of women’s survival in prison Contemporary ethnographies from a feminist perspective Separation from children Drug use Relational abuse Mental health Health care Coping among women in prison Incarceration of the ‘othered’ sex 3 Older, Wiser, and Incarcerated Ageing in general Research specific to ageing in prison Physical health Mental well-being Relationships with family and friends Wrinkles, prison stripes, and everything’s not alright Note 4 A Positively Negative Experience Erik Erikson’s eight life stages Expanding on generativity A model of generativity Generativity and imprisonment Community service ‘Professional ex’ Parenting from prison I’ve got the time, what can I do for you? Research methods Sample Interviews Methodological constraints Analysis 5 Parenting Behind Bars The remorseful mother The contented mother The uneasy mother The abandoned mother Mothering and grandmothering from state prison 6 Ageing in Their Own Words Difficulties associated with physical health Encountering disrespect and a lack of compassion Shame of ageing in prison Three types of acceptance Acceptance of incarceration Acceptance of responsibility Acceptance of self The young according to the old Relationships among older women in prison Older women in prison cope with incarceration Having faith Time for self I can see clearly now, my freedom’s gone 7 ‘Usefulness’ of a ‘Useless’ Population Younger women in prison as the future generation Listening, advising, and mentoring Prison mothers and prison daughters Biological children Sharing with others Giving back to society Within prison After prison Legacy of an incarcerated woman This is why I’m here 8 Why Not Give Them a Chance? Implications for policy Implications for further research Final thoughts Appendix A: Sample Demographics and Details of Current Sentence Appendix B: Research Synopsis Appendix C: Suggestions for Further Reading References Index