ABSTRACT
Prison has consistently been shown to be a brutalising and inhumane environment, and this is particularly so for women. The harmful effects of imprisonment have been continuously and continue to be acknowledged via a range of official reports and inquiries as well as academic research and third sector organisations. Women in prison experience higher levels of mental and physical illness than men and the general population. This higher level of mental illness is frequently a result of a history of violence and sexual abuse. Thus, women represent a particularly vulnerable population as a predominant stress for women is sexual victimisation. This includes the severity of injuries and also the prolonged nature of the violence. This trauma, Pilgrim argues, can lead to anxiety, depression and panic disorders. The focus of this chapter is women who have come into contact with the criminal justice system in England and Wales. It is concerned with those women who have mental health issues and how their behaviour is constructed within a narrative of individualisation and responsibilisation – mad, bad or sad. It will also highlight the specific needs of Black, Asian and minority ethnic women who are serving a prison sentence and who have mental health issues.
