some focus on themselves into their identity (by, for example, realising that they can best care for their children by solving their offending issues), or access a different identity, they will struggle to act in a way which the staff think is helpful to their desistance. Staff generally accepted the notion of independent citizenship, where each person is viewed as an individual, separated from their important relationships. Conversely, the ethic of care moral theory criticises this norm, claiming that interdependence is a good and normal state of being (Robinson, ; ). Yet there was acceptance by staff that women desisters took much of their sense of self from their caring relationships as mothers and grandmothers, reflecting the idea that it is caring relationships with others that allow us to be individuals () but that this does not equal independence from others' concerns (). The dangers for organisations of blindly promoting independence are shown by Haney () in her ethnographic study of two residential facilities for mothers in the criminal justice system. At the first facility, the focus was on promoting women’s self-sufficiency and independence. However, women were hostile to this discourse, instead defiantly investing in their relationship with their children and basing their identities on being a good mother. Haney also explains that the women in her study – with poor education, broken families, and young children – had little chance of being independent from the state and that therefore efforts to instil independence in them were unrealistic. Therefore, services trying to articulate to desisters that they need to care for themselves in addition to their families should be careful in how they promote and describe ‘selfishness’, as it may not be a socially viable option for them, and those who find their caring identity important may find independence a foreign concept and even an attack on their sense of self. A more indirect effect of learning to be ‘selfish’ is illustrated by Beth. She was happy to look after her new grandchild, but had some apprehension about the extent of her daughter’s expectations: Well I’ve said to her, I don’t mind helping, it’s not helping out, it’s not a chore for me, but I just don’t want her to get that yeh I can do this
some focus on themselves into their identity (by, for example, realising that they can best care for their children by solving their offending issues), or access a different identity, they will struggle to act in a way which the staff think is helpful to their desistance. Staff generally accepted the notion of independent citizenship, where each person is viewed as an individual, separated from their important relationships. Conversely, the ethic of care moral theory criticises this norm, claiming that interdependence is a good and normal state of being (Robinson, ; ). Yet there was acceptance by staff that women desisters took much of their sense of self from their caring relationships as mothers and grandmothers, reflecting the idea that it is caring relationships with others that allow us to be individuals () but that this does not equal independence from others' concerns (). The dangers for organisations of blindly promoting independence are shown by Haney () in her ethnographic study of two residential facilities for mothers in the criminal justice system. At the first facility, the focus was on promoting women’s self-sufficiency and independence. However, women were hostile to this discourse, instead defiantly investing in their relationship with their children and basing their identities on being a good mother. Haney also explains that the women in her study – with poor education, broken families, and young children – had little chance of being independent from the state and that therefore efforts to instil independence in them were unrealistic. Therefore, services trying to articulate to desisters that they need to care for themselves in addition to their families should be careful in how they promote and describe ‘selfishness’, as it may not be a socially viable option for them, and those who find their caring identity important may find independence a foreign concept and even an attack on their sense of self. A more indirect effect of learning to be ‘selfish’ is illustrated by Beth. She was happy to look after her new grandchild, but had some apprehension about the extent of her daughter’s expectations: Well I’ve said to her, I don’t mind helping, it’s not helping out, it’s not a chore for me, but I just don’t want her to get that yeh I can do this
Final%20version%20Sarah%20Goodwin%20thesis.docx