ABSTRACT
Despite the growing rates of incarceration for women internationally, few studies have focused on the experiences of motherhood from within the prison. Nevertheless, the practice of allowing mothers and their children to be together in prison has been widely documented for over a decade. This chapter reviews this literature with a specific focus on both quantitative studies demonstrating the impact of developing secure attachment and reduced recidivism and qualitative research highlighting the first-hand experiences of motherhood within prisons. The author’s recent empirical evidence adds to this body of knowledge by highlighting the experiences of women who have their children reside within the Mother and Baby Unit (MBU) in two New Zealand women’s prisons (Johnson, J. (2019) Monitored mothering: The experience of mothers who parent within New Zealand women’s prisons. (Doctoral thesis, University of Canterbury, New Zealand). Available at: https://ir.canterbury.ac.nz/handle/10092/100061)" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">https://ir.canterbury.ac.nz/handle/10092/100061). This chapter explores the challenging dynamics resulting from integrating a MBU within an incarceration facility. While increased mother–child bonding and reduced recidivism were a feature of the MBU, the custodial requirements of a traditional correctional facility result in mothers struggling with limited parental autonomy, negotiations of power and control and difficulties establishing themselves as a mother while also being an inmate. The chapter makes a unique contribution to the literature highlighting the complexity for policymakers in meeting the needs of incarcerated mothers and their children.
