Abstract
Experiences of prison, and post-prison, are gendered. However, there is limited research about women’s post-prison experiences, particularly in an Aotearoa New Zealand context. This is despite recent increases in women’s incarceration, and therefore, the numbers of women released from prison. Absent, accordingly, is how women understand, conceptualise, and describe their post-prison experiences beyond dominant discourses of desistance and gender responsivity. This thesis seeks to understand women’s post-prison lives and how they navigate barriers and access support.
This thesis takes a feminist approach to an empirical study of women’s post-prison experiences in Aotearoa New Zealand. It adopts a reflexive thematic analysis to critically examine qualitative data from twelve semi-structured interviews with women who have lived experience of incarceration, discussing their navigation of life post-prison and the challenges they face.
The findings of this research show that prison causes harm, and support for women post-prison is woefully inadequate. Further, where support is available, it is often in semi-carceral settings. Using Goffman’s (1963) and Link and Phelan’s (2014) concepts of stigma, the analysis demonstrates that stigma operates as a harm for women post-prison. It compounds challenges around accessing housing, employment, and meaningful relationships with others, as well as the women’s sense of self. Further, the women’s experiences demonstrate that, due to structural attributes such as class and ethnicity, stigma ‘sticks’ to some women more.
In applying Wacquant’s (2009) conceptualisation of ‘punishing the poor’ to the research, the analysis reveals that—similar to the impacts of stigma—a bureaucratic web of state systems hinders women’s access to housing and income. Both the impacts of stigma, and a web of punishment, reinforce a message that they are considered ‘not worthy’.
The findings also explore their experiences of programmes in a gender responsive framework in prison and how it prepared them (or not) for post-release life. While these programmes had individualised benefits, they had structural limitations. For instance, when examining the concept of empowerment, it can be seen that the women experienced individual empowerment rather than structural empowerment. Additionally, the study examines experiences of women-only post-prison services. Although having accommodation is beneficial, the women's experiences shed light on criticisms that gender-responsive approaches sometimes function as an extension of the carceral system. Furthermore, the thesis argues that both during and after imprisonment, women's experiences highlight the conflation of vulnerabilities and risks. This conflation is often addressed through individualised and positivist reframing, showing that gender responsivity has limitations in addressing structural issues.
The women also define ‘success’ post-prison differently to the state’s conception of success, which largely centres on desistance. While including desistance, the women’s ideas of success also encompass notions of independence, autonomy, empowerment, avoiding reincarceration, nurturing healthier relationships with substances, maintaining social connections with family, friends and pets, achieving happiness, ensuring safety, securing housing, and obtaining employment. In essence, their notions of ‘success’ post-prison move beyond the centring of desistance. This analysis aligns with the critical desistance literature, highlighting that centring desistance detracts from the state's responsibility in addressing broader structural issues.
It was clear from the women’s accounts that existing post-prison supports—while occasionally helpful—were insufficient to contribute in overcoming the barriers faced by women after release. Consequently, a shift in the design and implementation of post-prison support is needed.
I argue that prison has not worked to prevent or reduce crime, and reform of the prison is not sufficient. Prisons harm people who are already socially and economically marginalised. Through hearing the stories of twelve women from Aotearoa New Zealand about the challenges they faced as they navigated post-prison life, I argue that the harms of prison must urgently be recognised. A true appraisal and recognition of the harms of prison—especially for women—necessitates a move towards prison abolition.