ABSTRACT
Instability in housing prior to incarceration is a significant problem for many female prisoners and is a key consideration when discussing the enduring pains of imprisonment for mothers. In line with the existing literature, instability in housing prior to entering prison was a prominent theme for the women interviewed in this research. For most of the women interviewed, issues with housing would impact whether they could regain custody of their children once they were released from prison. Many of the women interviewed in the research were very concerned about their accommodation when they were released, and this is something that played on their minds throughout their period of incarceration. The system should not require someone to be incarcerated before a council will help them with housing; this provision should be more readily available in the community. The lack of housing for women exiting prison is particularly counterproductive considering the proven link between unstable accommodation and offending.
