TY - JOUR
T1 - 'Buffers' against crime? Exploring the roles and limitations of positive relationships among women in prison
AU - Wright, Emily M.
AU - DeHart, Dana D.
AU - Koons-Witt, Barbara A.
AU - Crittenden, Courtney A.
N1 - Funding Information:
This project was supported by Grant 2000-WT-VX-0010 awarded by the National Institute of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, US Department of Justice. Points of view in this document are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the US Department of Justice.
PY - 2013/1
Y1 - 2013/1
N2 - A considerable amount of research focuses on the detrimental influence that relationships pose for women offenders while relatively little attention has been given to the potential positive impact of relationships in their lives. This study investigates how women offenders' positive relationships work as 'buffers' against their criminal involvement, as well as why some positive influences do not elicit long-term change in women. We examine various forms of relationships (both romantic and non-romantic) that female offenders develop and explore the mechanisms by which these relationships might influence their behavior. Life history interviews conducted with 60 incarcerated women revealed that women's family members, friends, significant others, and children provided support, social capital, motivation, and opportunities which can buffer women from criminal behavior, but that women's drug use, disadvantage, interest in, pride or shame, and desire to make positive changes limited the effectiveness of these relationships.
AB - A considerable amount of research focuses on the detrimental influence that relationships pose for women offenders while relatively little attention has been given to the potential positive impact of relationships in their lives. This study investigates how women offenders' positive relationships work as 'buffers' against their criminal involvement, as well as why some positive influences do not elicit long-term change in women. We examine various forms of relationships (both romantic and non-romantic) that female offenders develop and explore the mechanisms by which these relationships might influence their behavior. Life history interviews conducted with 60 incarcerated women revealed that women's family members, friends, significant others, and children provided support, social capital, motivation, and opportunities which can buffer women from criminal behavior, but that women's drug use, disadvantage, interest in, pride or shame, and desire to make positive changes limited the effectiveness of these relationships.
KW - incarceration
KW - reentry
KW - relationships
KW - social support
KW - women offenders
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U2 - 10.1177/1462474512466199
DO - 10.1177/1462474512466199
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84872346353
SN - 1462-4745
VL - 15
SP - 71
EP - 95
JO - Punishment and Society
JF - Punishment and Society
IS - 1
ER -