ABSTRACT
The voices and experiences of the women in the research illuminate how the unintended harms on women affected by short terms of imprisonment are often substantial and why they should be considered relevant by sentencers. According to A. Lillrank, skilful researchers anticipate problematic or sensitive topics. In this research all of the questions were potentially emotionally charged; the women were being asked to reflect upon how their actions and subsequent imprisonment had emotionally and physically affected not only themselves but also their children. In addition to conducting follow-up interviews, multiple attempts were taken in order to minimise the power dynamics – for example, asking the women to choose the location of the community interviews. The penultimate point to consider is memory decay, as post-custody interviews required the women to think back to their time in prison. When re-interviewed, the women often spoke about their time in prison with less extreme reactions.
