Gendering the 'texture' of open imprisonment: A mixed-methods study of women prisoners' experiences of open conditions in England & Wales.

Open prisons are essential to rehabilitation: for many prisoners they are the final, crucial step before release. Ostensibly, they offer greater freedom and opportunity than closed prisons, but they are also 'liberty-depriving institutions' that
produce pain. The sociological literature on open imprisonment is largely based on research with men, but women's experiences in this environment are likely to be different and more complex than men's. However, there is a great paucity
of research on women held in open conditions in England & Wales. Crucially, there is a growing awareness among British policymakers about the futility of harsh penal practices, exemplified by the recent objective to increase 'open
provision' in the women's estate. In light of this, my mixed-methods study of women's experiences of open confinement in England & Wales is very timely. This study will nuance and develop our understanding of (gendered) imprisonment
and punishment. By adopting Carlen's 'federal' approach the study will broaden the epistemological and theoretical lenses that have thus far dominated the field of (feminist) prisons research. It will also inform policy at a time when
punitive practices for women are slowly losing ground to more rehabilitative ones. Ultimately, illuminating this empirical and theoretical gap will contribute to the discipline, and to penal reform that leads to better experiences and outcomes for this marginalised population and, in turn, for communities and society.