Women's Imprisonment: A Study in Social Control

Womens Imprisonment was first published in 1983 and explores the meanings of womens imprisonment and the wider meanings of the ‘moment of prison.’ It uses interviews with sheriffs, policemen, and social workers, as well as observation in the prisons, courts, and lodging-houses, to raise questions about the meanings of imprisonment and the penal disciplining of women at the time of original publication. It also examines the changing and various meanings of imprisonment in general and the invisible nature of the social control of women in particular.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 258 pages
Publication date: 30 March 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

First published in 1983, Women's Imprisonment delves into the profound meanings of women's imprisonment, shedding light on the broader implications of the 'moment of prison.' Drawing upon extensive research conducted at Cornton Vale, Scotland's sole women's prison, the book employs a rich blend of interviews with sheriffs, policemen, social workers, and firsthand observation within the prisons, courts, and lodging houses. The author quotes extensively from conversations with women who have experienced multiple incarcerations, the judges who sentence them, and the agencies that support them during their periods of imprisonment. Through these insights, the book raises thought-provoking questions about the significance of imprisonment and the punitive treatment of women at the time of its original publication. Moreover, it explores the evolving and diverse meanings of imprisonment in general, while also shedding light on the often invisible nature of social control exerted over women in society.

First published in 1983, Women's Imprisonment delves into the profound meanings of women's imprisonment, shedding light on the broader implications of the 'moment of prison.' Drawing upon extensive research conducted at Cornton Vale, Scotland's sole women's prison, the book employs a rich blend of interviews with sheriffs, policemen, social workers, and firsthand observation within the prisons, courts, and lodging houses. The author quotes extensively from conversations with women who have experienced multiple incarcerations, the judges who sentence them, and the agencies that support them during their periods of imprisonment. Through these insights, the book raises thought-provoking questions about the significance of imprisonment and the punitive treatment of women at the time of its original publication. Moreover, it explores the evolving and diverse meanings of imprisonment in general, while also shedding light on the often invisible nature of social control exerted over women in society.

Weight: 476g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367776350