ABSTRACT
Dealing with loss under any circumstances can be challenging; however, these challenges can be exceptionally difficult for incarcerated women. In the United States, nearly half of all women imprisoned will experience the death of a significant other or a loved one while incarcerated. This creative project uses data obtained from a pilot qualitative research that explores the lived experiences of five formally incarcerated women who experienced the loss of a loved one while imprisoned, and case studies from the researcher's clinical practice to illuminate through composite monologues the physical and symbolic losses of incarcerated mothers. The author draws from her work with incarcerated women at a Residential Community Release Program (RCRP) that provides substance use disorder (SUD) and work release services in New Jersey, United States. The qualitative research aimed to capture holistic descriptions of the respondents’ lived experiences of grief while in prison.
