Fathers in Prison : New Insights in Masculinities, Identity, and Carceral Space

This book offers new theoretical perspectives on masculinities, identity, and carceral space by examining the experiences of imprinsonment and release of fathers within Victoria, Australia. It reimagines the prison and post-release space and what these could look like if the policy approach was gender-responsive and focused on the family.

Crime is a gendered phenomenon. Males make up over 90% of the prison population in most developed countries, and yet paradoxically, discussions about gender and male imprisonment, especially with regard to fathers, do not dominate academic discourse. This book examines the experiences of imprisoned fathers and provides insights into fathers’ experiences of imprisonment and release within Victoria, Australia. It offers new theoretical perspectives on masculinities, identity (and the self), and carceral space and argues that fathers continue to be largely overlooked throughout the criminal justice process. Fathers in Prison calls attention to the systemic, structural, and societal issues that act as barriers to fathers and their children who are looking to maintain contact during imprisonment and upon their release. In so doing, it reimagines the prison and post-release space and what these could look like if the policy approach was gender-responsive and focused on the whole family. This book will be of interest to criminologists, penologists, and sociologists studying gender and imprisonment. It will also be useful for social workers, prison practitioners, and policymakers interested in family-focused rehabilitation measures.