Incarceration and Addiction: Women’s Lived Experiences of Deprivation
Aims: This research examined the incarceration experiences of adult women with histories of drug addiction, aiming to fill knowledge gaps regarding how these women subjectively interpret their incarceration experiences. Methodology: In-depth interviews were conducted with 22 formerly incarcerated wo...
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MDPI AG
2024-11-01
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| author | Chiao-Yu Yang |
| author_facet | Chiao-Yu Yang |
| author_sort | Chiao-Yu Yang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Aims: This research examined the incarceration experiences of adult women with histories of drug addiction, aiming to fill knowledge gaps regarding how these women subjectively interpret their incarceration experiences. Methodology: In-depth interviews were conducted with 22 formerly incarcerated women from the Northeast and Midwest United States. A phenomenological approach was used to explore the meaning of incarceration for the participants, with the deprivation model of imprisonment guiding the analysis. Findings: Women with drug addiction reported being treated differently while incarcerated because of their addiction. They experienced a lack of physical and psychosocial security, limited autonomy in health-related decisions, and diminished freedom to act and express themselves, often as a result of their mental health and drug addiction issues. Additionally, they experienced a loss of identity, stigma, and internalized stigma due to the way they were treated in prison. Conclusions: Incarceration is a critical life event that deprives women of many basic human needs, shaping their health, self-perception, and understanding of the criminal justice system. Further research is necessary to explore how the experience of incarceration impacts women’s mental health, drug addiction recovery, and overall well-being. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-dc7040c63c774f5690d3e30d7e7cdcd2 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2075-4698 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Societies |
| spelling | doaj-art-dc7040c63c774f5690d3e30d7e7cdcd22025-08-20T02:43:39ZengMDPI AGSocieties2075-46982024-11-01141225010.3390/soc14120250Incarceration and Addiction: Women’s Lived Experiences of DeprivationChiao-Yu Yang0School of Social Work, Morgan State University, Baltimore, MD 21251, USAAims: This research examined the incarceration experiences of adult women with histories of drug addiction, aiming to fill knowledge gaps regarding how these women subjectively interpret their incarceration experiences. Methodology: In-depth interviews were conducted with 22 formerly incarcerated women from the Northeast and Midwest United States. A phenomenological approach was used to explore the meaning of incarceration for the participants, with the deprivation model of imprisonment guiding the analysis. Findings: Women with drug addiction reported being treated differently while incarcerated because of their addiction. They experienced a lack of physical and psychosocial security, limited autonomy in health-related decisions, and diminished freedom to act and express themselves, often as a result of their mental health and drug addiction issues. Additionally, they experienced a loss of identity, stigma, and internalized stigma due to the way they were treated in prison. Conclusions: Incarceration is a critical life event that deprives women of many basic human needs, shaping their health, self-perception, and understanding of the criminal justice system. Further research is necessary to explore how the experience of incarceration impacts women’s mental health, drug addiction recovery, and overall well-being.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4698/14/12/250drug addictionincarcerationdeprivationmental healthcriminal justicewomen |
| spellingShingle | Chiao-Yu Yang Incarceration and Addiction: Women’s Lived Experiences of Deprivation Societies drug addiction incarceration deprivation mental health criminal justice women |
| title | Incarceration and Addiction: Women’s Lived Experiences of Deprivation |
| title_full | Incarceration and Addiction: Women’s Lived Experiences of Deprivation |
| title_fullStr | Incarceration and Addiction: Women’s Lived Experiences of Deprivation |
| title_full_unstemmed | Incarceration and Addiction: Women’s Lived Experiences of Deprivation |
| title_short | Incarceration and Addiction: Women’s Lived Experiences of Deprivation |
| title_sort | incarceration and addiction women s lived experiences of deprivation |
| topic | drug addiction incarceration deprivation mental health criminal justice women |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4698/14/12/250 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT chiaoyuyang incarcerationandaddictionwomenslivedexperiencesofdeprivation |