Participatory action research with ex-prisoners: Using Photovoice and one woman’s story told through poetry

Abstract

This paper provides an unexpected and extraordinary example of research data from a Photovoice project conducted with ex-prisoners in South Australia. It focusses on the contribution made by one of the participants who chose the pseudonym ‘Deer’. Deer joins me as a co-author, her voice shines in this paper, albeit through a pseudonym she chose for the project. Photovoice, a qualitative research method, uses a feminist framework and typically produces rich thick accounts of lives and experiences that cannot be adequately captured by quantitative research. Both qualitative and quantitative methods of research data collection each have merits, but qualitative approaches tend to engage the researcher, participant and later the reader on a more personal level. Moreover, unexpected findings are more likely to arise when researchers ask participants to express what they believe is important to their experience. This paper provides such an example, where the unexpected gift of poetry adds a deeper dimension to research findings.

Radically Rethinking Social Work in the Criminal (in)Justice System in Australia

“…“Stella” (not her real name) was the final contributor (nine women and three men) in a Photovoice project I created to learn about the post-release experiences of people who had been held in prison in South Australia (see Jarldorn, 2016, 2018a, 2018b; Jarldorn & Deer, 2017). Participants were invited to generate images to help them explain their experience and were guided by the deliberately broad research question, “If you had the opportunity, what would you tell a policy maker or politician about your postrelease experience?” Once Stella had created her data, I met with her in her home to hear the stories behind the images.…”

“…Like the other women in this project (see, e.g., Jarldorn, 2016; Jarldorn & Deer, 2017), Stella used her participation to speak collectively for women still in prison. Along with three other participants, Stella spoke candidly about the practice of strip searching.…”

Action methods for faster transformation: Relationality in action

“…By significant we mean having meaning and relevance beyond an immediate context in support of the flourishing of persons, communities, and the wider ecology. (Bradbury et al, 2020;Bradbury-Huang, 2010) For example, looking at how our engagement with the research changes our expectations, in the following issue, we see Jarldorn and Deer (2017) use photovoice, surface the unexpected and how entangled, in this case, social work is with poetry where "there is no one truth but instead lives are 'constructed' upon a lifetime of experiences, values and meanings." Levitan et al (2017) delve into their past understandings experiencing "conscious-raising moments that foster deeper knowledge about their practice and wider issues within the field."…”

“…Power has many faces, good and bad. It is present at multiple levels including where "existing operations of power are challenged, including the power of the researcher over the researched" (Jarldorn & Deer, 2017). For action researchers, this means shifting through the ability to integrate other's perspectives alongside our own.…”

“…Importantly, the artistry of ART can be thrilling because it is an opportunity to be creative, empowering and energizing. Jarldorn and Deer (2017) write, "One of the most exhilarating aspects of conducting participatory action research for me has been witnessing the creativity of the participants . .…”