‘Tactics', Agency and Power in Women's Prisons

Throughout the 20th century and into the 21st, sociological research into women’s experiences of imprisonment has remained relatively sparse and under-developed, focusing primarily on women prisoners’ peer relationships, with relatively little attention given to their interaction with penal regimes....

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Rowe, Abigail (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
Published: 2016
In: The British journal of criminology
Year: 2016, Volume: 56, Issue: 2, Pages: 332-349
Online Access: Presumably Free Access
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Summary:Throughout the 20th century and into the 21st, sociological research into women’s experiences of imprisonment has remained relatively sparse and under-developed, focusing primarily on women prisoners’ peer relationships, with relatively little attention given to their interaction with penal regimes. This paper draws on ethnographic data from two women’s prisons in England to explore the agency and creativity represented by the ‘tactics’ brought to bear by prisoners—and sometimes staff—on the everyday challenges of managing prison life. It is suggested that exploring how individuals sought to ‘achieve outcomes’ in their face-to-face encounters and personal relationships offers a way of mapping the feel and flow of power in prisons at the level of lived experience.
ISSN:1464-3529
DOI:10.1093/bjc/azv058