Incarcerated Motherhood: Reflecting on 100 years of Imprisoning mothers

This paper reflects on a century of maternal imprisonment in the United Kingdom. Examining the historical context of incarcerated mothers, grandmothers and mothers -to be, it explores the relationship between patriarchy, religion, culture, motherhood ideology and criminal justice. Revealing how each has been and continues to be inextricably linked to frustrate, disadvantage and discriminate against mothers who break the law. Drawing on the extensive research of the authors, 1 this paper brings the conversation into the 21st Century. Centring the voices of mothers we highlight mothers' own experiences of their incarceration, revealing the profound hurt of imprisoned motherhood. The paper is concluded with recommendations drawn from our respective research and activism. This paper has examined the experiences of criminalised mothers over the last century or so. It reveals how responses to mothers in the criminal justice system have historically been influenced by gendered ideology and patriarchally influenced structures and institutions in which women have been systematically disadvantaged and discriminated against.