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Women who have been criminalised by the state typically encounter gendered experiences and challenges and are affected by complex and intersecting layers of system failure, marginalisation and stigma. Bringing together diverse perspectives from research, lived experience and frontline practice, this collection considers the central role of relationships for criminalised women, including motherhood, family, peer, romantic and professional relationships.
The collection offers critical insights into women’s relationships with the often oppressive system which they are required to navigate. Through different forms of expression, the collection allows us to hear a range of voices that offer alternative visions for the present and future. It makes a powerful case for policies and practices that are more responsive to women’s distinct needs within the criminal justice system.
'These accounts and testimonies of women, supporting women, who are being held so far from their support network, their comforts and rituals, is a powerful and refreshing contribution to this academic and literature area of research into women within the criminal justice system. I would encourage practitioners working with women to learn from these real experiences and the roles women take in supporting each other.' Fiona Deacon, HMPPS Womens’ Group
'This book is an extraordinary, urgent and a deeply human collection. Through personal narratives, poetry and professional reflections, it brings to light the complex realities of criminalised women’s lives - highlighting how relationships, solidarity and compassion shape their experiences and resilience. It challenges us to listen, to care, and most importantly, to act. I know this book will be a vital force for change, and it was an honour and privilege to read.' Nicola Harding, CEO, We Fight Fraud
Natalie Rutter is Senior Lecturer in Criminology at Leeds Trinity University.
Sarah Waite is Senior Lecturer in Criminology at Leeds Beckett University.
I Feel Happy by Cherry (MASH)
My Supports - Joanne Le Grove
Home by Pinkie (MASH)
Introduction: Rise Together, Move as a Collective and Maintain Solidarity - Natalie Rutter and Sarah Waite
1. Recognising Solidarity: A Necessary for Building Relationships - Paula Harriott and Danica Darley
Part I: The Personal
Drum by Cherry (MASH)
2. Trauma to Triumph - Caroline Ddembe-Williams
3. The Intergenerational Impacts of Maternal Imprisonment - Sophie Mitchell
4. ‘I felt like trash...I needed help!’: A Discussion of Black Women’s Activism in the Carceral Space - Paula McLean
5. Imprisonment is a Women’s Issue - Nancy Loucks
6. A Mother’s Love - Melissa Smith
7. Reflections from Birth Mothers in the Criminal Justice System - Susannah Bateson
I was Once Alive by Miss Bucket (MASH)
8. “We started going together in the jail. And then we carried it on outside": Navigating Love and Friendship In and Out of Prison - Marguerite Schinkel
9. Create Calm Amongst the Chaos- Melissa Smith
10. My True Authentic Self: A Narrative Reflection - Ayesha Hunte
Part II: The Professional
Magpies at the Window by Stella (MASH)
11. Don’t Call Me a Survivor - Kierra Myles and Shelley Vibert
12. Alternative Journeys: Discovering Different Paths - MASH
13. Beyond the Uniform: Navigating Identity, Power and Emotion as a Women’s Prison Officer - Officer X
Moths to a Flame by Delyth (MASH)
14. Empathic Intuition: Working Outside of the State? - Kavya Padmanabhan
Control by Opal (MASH)
15. Are we Responding to the Needs of Women? Practitioner Perspectives - Julie Eden-Barnard and Jennifer Walmsley
16. Motherhood in Focus: An Evolution of Our Researcher Identities - Isla Masson and Natalie Booth
17. So, What Now? A Call to Action: From the Heart of Together Women - Rokaiya Khan and Claire Vilarrubi
Joyful Daily by Jewels (MASH)
Conclusion: Rising Strong, Moving Forward and Maintaining Momentum - Sarah Waite and Natalie Rutter
Dreams - Melissa Smith
Haikus by Stella (MASH)