Pregnancy and childbirth in English prisons: institutional ignominy and the pains of imprisonment

Abbott, Laura; Scott, Tricia; Thomas, Hilary; Weston, Kathy

doi:10.1111/1467-9566.13052

Cited by 37 publications

(63 citation statements)

References 31 publications

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“…Staff described 'patchy' good practice (Participant 14), where women would often lack support immediately following separation, particularly if they arrived in prison separated or following giving birth in prison (c.f. Abbott, 2020). For mothers separated after time on an MBU, the follow-up care was described as thorough, but staff voiced repeated concerns about the lack of continuity of care when mothers returned to the main prison following separation.…”

Section: Table III -Support Received By Staff According To Job Sectormentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A mother can be separated initially at the point of custody, at the birth of her child if she is pregnant in prison (Abbott, 2014;Abbott, Scott, Thomas & Weston, 2020), or following a stay on an MBU if her sentence extends beyond the maximum 18-month MBU stay. The different trajectories to separation highlight the diversity of experiences mothers may have and the potential challenges for staff providing support.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Overwhelmed and powerless: staff perspectives on mother – infant separations in English prisons

Powell

Ciclitira

Marzano

2020

JCP

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Purpose Imprisoned mothers are at increased risk for poor psychological health and psychological distress when separated from their children, so staff need to be highly skilled to support the women. However, there is a paucity of research focusing on staff experiences around sensitive issues such as mother–child separation. This study aims to understand the challenges faced by staff and how these might be addressed. Design/methodology/approach This qualitative interview study explored the views and experiences of 24 prison-based staff in England working with female prisoners separated from their infants. Findings Staff emphasised the challenges of working with separated mothers, specifically the emotional impact of this work, and the impact of the wider criminal justice system on their sense of agency. Originality/value A focus on the experience of separation highlights the broader problem of incarcerating women in general. Reducing the number of mother–child separations would mitigate the impact on both women and staff.

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Section: Table III -Support Received By Staff According To Job Sectormentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Overwhelmed and powerless: staff perspectives on mother – infant separations in English prisons

Powell

Ciclitira

Marzano

2020

JCP

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“…Several commentators have also argued that there remains considerable gender insensitivity in policies, procedures and practices [ 16 ]. Healthcare needs of incarcerated pregnant women, as a specific example, are often left unmet, with negative experiences of antenatal care, intensified by the loss of control over their pregnancies [ 17 ]. When a state deprives individuals of their liberty, it takes on the mandate to oversee their welfare.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Health-promoting prisons in the female estate: an analysis of prison inspection data

2021

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Background Women in prison have comparatively greater health needs than men, often compounded by structures and policies within the prison system. The notion of a ‘health-promoting’ prison is a concept which has been put forward to address health inequalities and health deterioration in prisons. It has, however, not been fully discussed in relation to women in prison. The paper aims to distil the learning and evidence in relation to health promotion in female prisons using prison inspection reports of women’s prisons in England and Wales. Methods Prison inspection reports are one way of ascertaining the contemporary situation in prisons. Prison inspections are often unannounced and use a myriad of methods to draw conclusions around various aspects of prison life. Thirteen prison inspection reports were analysed thematically focusing on health promotion within the institutions. Two analysts conducted the work using NVivo 12. Results Five core thematic areas were identified during the analysis of the reports. Saliently, a joined-up approach to health promotion was not a common feature in the prisons and indeed the focus tended to be on screening and ‘lifestyle issues’ rather than a concern for the underlying determinants of health. There was often an absence of a strategic approach to health promotion. There were some good examples of the democratic inclusion of women in prison in shaping services, but this was not widespread and often tokenistic. There were some examples of inequity and the inspection reports from a small number of institutions, illustrated that the health needs of some women remained unmet. Conclusions The paper suggests that there is potentially some work before conditions in women’s prisons could be described as ‘health-promoting’, although there are some examples of individual prisons demonstrating good practice. The health promoting prison movement has, implicitly at least, focused on the needs of men in prison and this has been to the exclusion of the female prison population. This does lead to several challenges and the potential for exacerbating health challenges faced by an already marginalised and vulnerable group. Greater focus on the health promotion needs of women in prison is required.

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“…Several commentators have also argued that there remains considerable gender insensitivity in policies, procedures and practices [14]. Healthcare needs of incarcerated pregnant women, as a speci c example, are often left unmet, with negative experiences of antenatal care, intensi ed by the loss of control over their pregnancies [15]. Basic standards of care for women in prison is broadly lacking and, it seems that, gender-speci c prison facilities have become an aspiration rather than a reality [4].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Health-promoting Prisons in the Female Estate: An Analysis of Prison Inspection Data

James

Freeman

Warwick-Booth

2021

Preprint

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Background: Women in prison has comparatively greater health needs than men, often compounded by structures and policies within the prison system. The notion of a ‘health-promoting’ prison is a concept which has been put forward to address health inequalities and health deterioration in prisons. It has, however, not been fully discussed in relation to women in prison. The paper aims to distil the learning and evidence in relation to health promotion in female prisons using prison inspection reports of women’s prisons in England and Wales. Methods: Prison inspection reports are one way of ascertaining the contemporary situation in prisons. Prison inspections are often unannounced and use a myriad of methods to draw conclusions around various aspects of prison life. Thirteen prison inspection reports were analysed thematically focusing on health promotion within the institutions. Two analysts conducted the work using NVivo 12. Results: Five core thematic areas were identified during the analysis of the reports. Saliently, a joined-up approach to health promotion was not a common feature in the prisons and indeed the focus tended to be on screening and ‘lifestyle issues’ rather than a concern for the underlying determinants of health. There was often an absence of a strategic approach to health promotion. There were some good examples of the democratic inclusion of women in prison in shaping services, but this was not widespread and often tokenistic. There were some examples of inequity and the inspection reports from a small number of institutions, illustrated that the health needs of some women remained unmet. Conclusions: The paper suggests that there is potentially some work before conditions in women’s prisons could be described as ‘health-promoting’, although there are some examples of individual prisons demonstrating good practice. The health promoting prison movement has, implicitly at least, focused on the needs of men in prison and this has been to the exclusion of the female prison population. This does lead to several challenges and the potential for exacerbating health challenges faced by an already marginalised and vulnerable group. Greater focus on the health promotion needs of women in prison is required.

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Pregnancy and childbirth in English prisons: institutional ignominy and the pains of imprisonment

Cited by 37 publications

References 31 publications

Overwhelmed and powerless: staff perspectives on mother – infant separations in English prisons

Overwhelmed and powerless: staff perspectives on mother – infant separations in English prisons

Health-promoting prisons in the female estate: an analysis of prison inspection data

Health-promoting Prisons in the Female Estate: An Analysis of Prison Inspection Data

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