The Social Exclusion of Incarcerated Women with Cognitive Disabilities: Shut Out, Shut In

The Social Exclusion of Incarcerated Women with Cognitive Disabilities explores the lived experience of cognitively disabled women incarcerated in Australia, charting the complex intersection between cognitively disabled women and the Criminal Justice System and providing a practical template for other researchers to investigate the aligned fields.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 210 pages
Publication date: 25 September 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

The Social Exclusion of Incarcerated Women with Cognitive Disabilities delves into the profound and intricate experiences of cognitively impaired women who find themselves confined within the Australian prison system. Through extensive and in-depth interviews with Indigenous and non-Indigenous women, as well as conversations with prison practitioners – psychologists, counselors, and Aboriginal Liaison Officers – the book uncovers the intricate web of social exclusion that these women face both before and during their incarceration.

Drawing upon a theoretical framework of social exclusion, the book meticulously charts the complex interplay between cognitively disabled women and the Criminal Justice System, revealing how this connection perpetuates and exacerbates a state of social exclusion both prior to and within the prison environment. Moreover, the book offers a valuable practical template for other researchers to employ when exploring the interconnected domains of the Criminal Justice System, incarceration, women offenders, cognitive disability, and social exclusion. By centering the voices of incarcerated women with cognitive disabilities, the book pioneers a fresh and innovative approach to understanding social exclusion, moving beyond the mere recounting of tragic narratives to examine the societal and political conditions that allow disadvantage, inequality, and injustice to thrive.

This book holds immense appeal to academics and students engaged in the fields of criminology, criminal justice, disability studies, women's and gender studies, and penology. By delving into theoretical concepts in a practical and applied manner, it serves as a valuable resource for those involved in the health sector, community services, disability support agencies, disability advocates, prisoner advocacy, women's studies and women's advocacy, as well as human rights activism.

Weight: 453g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032125763