A Thematic Analysis of Parenting Experiences of Women in Prison

Authors

Pious Maedzenge, University of Missouri
Dawn Beichner-Thomas, Illinois State University

Abstract

Although there is growing literature examining system-involved mothers, little is known about their parenting experiences and coping mechanisms. Using Braun and colleagues’ (2006; 2022) reflexive thematic analysis approach, this qualitative study examines the parenting experiences of forty-four mothers incarcerated in a Midwestern correctional center. The data were gathered from interviews with incarcerated mothers and included accounts of the women’s experiences before and during their incarceration. The narratives illustrate how background experiences (i.e., sexual and physical abuse, drug dependency, and childhood experiences) shape women’s experiences of mothering, perceptions of the effects of incarceration on their children, and reentry plans. Results from this study provide an understanding of how incarceration shapes parenting and facilitates or presents barriers to mother-child relationships. The authors conclude with a call for action that includes abolishing incarceration for individuals convicted of non-violent offenses, adopting gender-responsive programming, and using trauma-informed, restorative justice approaches to reentry.

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.

Recommended Citation

Maedzenge, Pious and Beichner-Thomas, Dawn (2024) "A Thematic Analysis of Parenting Experiences of Women in Prison," Qualitative Criminology (QC): Vol. 13: No. 2, Article 1.
Available at: https://dc.swosu.edu/qc/vol13/iss2/1