ABSTRACT
We start the journey of understanding parents’ experiences of youth imprisonment by understanding what relationships with their children looked like before prison. We analyse the different perceptions offered for their children's journey into crime, including factors such as school and community, neurodiversity issues, and the manifestation of tension in the home. This is followed by the analysis of the struggles which parents often navigated during their children's escalation and persistence of crime, focusing on coping mechanisms, the role of support, and the emotional burden placed on parents. Finally, we assess reactions to the crimes and eventual imprisonment based on understandings of shame and stigma.
