Mothers who have a criminal record and have experienced the care system may face judgment and scrutiny due to their existing relationship with authorities. This is the finding of a new study conducted by Lancaster University, Manchester Metropolitan University, Liverpool John Moores University, and the University of Bristol.
The study, titled “Confronting Intergenerational Harm: Care Experience, Motherhood and Criminal Justice Involvement,” is published in the British Journal of Criminology. It examines the experiences of mothers who have had contact with both the care system and the criminal justice system, as well as the professionals who work with them.
Key findings of the study include the desire to break the cycles of stigma and involvement with the care system across generations, the lack of support and fear of asking for help, and the challenges faced during pregnancy and motherhood while in prison.
One participant, 26-year-old Hannah, expressed her experience: “But it is also used against you that you were in care, and there isn’t a great support network around me because I’ve been in care.”
The research brings together insights from criminology and social work to advocate for more productive dialogue across disciplinary and practice boundaries. It emphasizes the long-lasting consequences of being under surveillance and the subsequent separation from children, which can result in intense feelings of guilt, shame, anger, loss, and distress.
“While protecting children is important, the problem with solely focusing on this short-term objective is that the needs of care-experienced mothers, who may still be children themselves, can be overlooked as damaging cycles of involvement with the care and criminal justice systems are perpetuated across generations,” explains the research.
The study suggests challenging the stigma and negative labeling associated with mothers who have been in care and come into conflict with the law. It also emphasizes the significance of recognizing the power dynamics and social harm experienced by these mothers.
Practitioners who can support girls and women during pregnancy and motherhood in resisting and surviving judgments are highly valued. However, all professionals need to dedicate time to develop relationships with these individuals and offer multiple opportunities for support.
“From social workers to prison and probation officers to healthcare workers, it is crucial for professionals not to dismiss individuals as ‘failing to engage’ but to understand how contact with the care and justice systems may have perpetuated past trauma and fostered mistrust,” adds the study.
Creating safe spaces and building trust takes time, particularly for individuals who may have reasons not to trust. The challenges faced by pregnant women in prison are significant, as prisons are fundamentally designed to punish and control. The study urges a greater commitment to preventing the imprisonment of pregnant women whenever possible.
Confronting the intergenerational harms caused by imprisonment could lead to a better understanding of the profound impact of imprisonment on care-experienced mothers across generations. The study calls for social workers in prisons to better support imprisoned mothers and ensure access to family contact days. It also highlights the importance of planning for the transition from prison to the community, supported by non-judgmental practitioners who look beyond the stigma associated with care and justice system contact.
Lead author Dr. Claire Fitzpatrick from Lancaster University states, “We need to shift our view of care-experienced girls and women as problem parents and focus our lens on the state as the problem parent. This can yield a different perspective.”
More information: Claire Fitzpatrick et al, Confronting Intergenerational Harm: Care Experience, Motherhood and Criminal Justice Involvement, British Journal of Criminology (2023). DOI: 10.1093/bjc/azad028
Citation: “Focus on state as ‘problem parent’ rather than care-experienced mothers, says new research” (2023, July 10) retrieved 11 July 2023 from https://phys.org/news/2023-07-focus-state-problem-parent-care-experienced.html
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