Periodic Reporting for period 1 - Prison Self-harm (Queer Interventions on Self-Harm in Prison)
Período documentado: 2022-01-01 hasta 2023-12-31
“Queer Interventions on Self-Harm in Prison” aims to examine the persistent problems of self-harm, suicide, and self-destruction in prison settings from a queer theory perspective. The main contribution of such an examination is that it avoids pathologizing discourse related to these phenomena. Usually, the production of knowledge on self-harm in prison relies on medical and psychological discourses. Such perspectives have been critiqued for leaning towards individualising, pathologising, and punitive interpretations. The Prison Self-harm project advocates queer approaches to revisiting interventions dealing with self-harm and self-destruction in prison, and it adopts a trauma-informed, harm reduction approach. A queer approach for understanding self-harm, suicide, and self-destruction in prison rejects binary approaches in relation to trauma/pain and pleasure and focuses on the intersections between gender/sexuality and marginalization to achieve a more holistic understanding of those narratives and practices.
In this light, analyzing discourses and practices of self-destruction from a queer theory perspective aligns with a cutting-edge issue around the globe. Additionally, it highlights the importance of conducting research in which social and systemic factors of trauma and pain are adopted, with a special focus on gender and sexuality. It also contributes to non-pathologizing ethics of care in penological analyses.
A Queer Theory and Criminology framework is appropriate for understanding self-harm in prison, because it
• Offers a more flexible and holistic understanding of self-harm without pathologizing the individuals
• Indroduces the dimensions of sexuality which offer new ways of understanding trauma, pain and pleasure, self-punishment and resistance
• Focuses on the body as a source of emancipation
• Helps account for populations such as trans and non-binary incarcerated individuals, which are often invisible in large databases
In this light, analyzing discourses and practices of self-destruction from a queer theory perspective aligns with a cutting-edge issue around the globe. Additionally, it highlights the importance of conducting research in which social and systemic factors of trauma and pain are adopted, with a special focus on gender and sexuality. It also contributes to non-pathologizing ethics of care in penological analyses.
A Queer Theory and Criminology framework is appropriate for understanding self-harm in prison, because it
• Offers a more flexible and holistic understanding of self-harm without pathologizing the individuals
• Indroduces the dimensions of sexuality which offer new ways of understanding trauma, pain and pleasure, self-punishment and resistance
• Focuses on the body as a source of emancipation
• Helps account for populations such as trans and non-binary incarcerated individuals, which are often invisible in large databases
"Prison Self-harm" was a 24-month study that explored discourses and practices around self-harm, self-destruction, and suicide in prison settings using a queer theory lens. Current programs focusing on suicide prevention (including self-harm) follow a rigid format of staff training, intake and post-intake screenings, clinical assessments, monitoring, communication, and social interventions. This approach can be punitive and does not consider experiences of marginalization or the intersection between gender, sexuality, and race.
The researcher spent time at UC Berkeley to study the effect of the current approach on people directly impacted by imprisonment and carceral politics. The project comprised two phases: The first phase aimed to ground the research in the academic subjects of Queer Theory, Methodology, and Criminology. The researcher delved into archives and undertook seminars and other training at UC Berkeley. In the second phase, the researcher explored prison settings through a queer theory lens so as to obtain insights into the complicated experiences of queer people within the criminal justice system.
Over the course of the research, adopting a less psychologizing approach allowed the researcher to better understand the complicated relationship between self-harm, trauma, and marginalization. The approach also provided insights into how to support queer individuals.
The project relied on building direct networks with grassroots organizations offering support to incarcerated, formerly incarcerated, and queer individuals. These collaborations opened the door to an exploration of trauma-informed and restorative justice practices, which will now be implemented in further research in Europe.
The researcher spent time at UC Berkeley to study the effect of the current approach on people directly impacted by imprisonment and carceral politics. The project comprised two phases: The first phase aimed to ground the research in the academic subjects of Queer Theory, Methodology, and Criminology. The researcher delved into archives and undertook seminars and other training at UC Berkeley. In the second phase, the researcher explored prison settings through a queer theory lens so as to obtain insights into the complicated experiences of queer people within the criminal justice system.
Over the course of the research, adopting a less psychologizing approach allowed the researcher to better understand the complicated relationship between self-harm, trauma, and marginalization. The approach also provided insights into how to support queer individuals.
The project relied on building direct networks with grassroots organizations offering support to incarcerated, formerly incarcerated, and queer individuals. These collaborations opened the door to an exploration of trauma-informed and restorative justice practices, which will now be implemented in further research in Europe.
The first outcome of this phase was to identify the potential risks of overlooking social and structural inequalities when approaching crises and trauma in already marginalized individuals. Additionally, the project aimed to highlight the importance of incorporating a holistic understanding of individuals' backgrounds and experiences into crisis interventions, fostering a more inclusive and effective response. Previous research has largely overlooked social and structural inequalities within incarceration and self-harm and focused on viewing prisoners through an individualistic lens. To counter this narrative, by closely studying the environment through a queer theory lens as well as studying queer individuals impacted by incarceration, the Prison Self-harm project focuses on understanding the context of carcerality, marginalization, and trauma.
Building on the learning of the outgoing phase, the project aims to achieve the established scientific objectives during the remaining period.
Building on radical care approaches that consider trauma and marginalization when approaching individuals who are self-harming or self-destructive in this second phase, the Project Prison Self-harm will:
• Conduct 25 interviews with formerly incarnated individuals (some of whom will be queer) willing to talk openly about self-harm and self-destruction in prison settings.
• Five interviews will be conducted with stakeholders dealing with the problems of self-harm, self-destruction, and suicide in prison settings.
• The findings from this research will provide a brief policy document on radical care, trauma informed and restorative justice approaches when dealing with self-harm, self-destruction, and trauma in marginalized individuals.
• To expand the knowledge about the importance of less judgmental, non-pathologizing approaches around self-harm and self-destruction, which takes into account pleasure and resistance in different countries and continents to reach out to more grassroots organizations, which may benefit from this approach.
Building on the learning of the outgoing phase, the project aims to achieve the established scientific objectives during the remaining period.
Building on radical care approaches that consider trauma and marginalization when approaching individuals who are self-harming or self-destructive in this second phase, the Project Prison Self-harm will:
• Conduct 25 interviews with formerly incarnated individuals (some of whom will be queer) willing to talk openly about self-harm and self-destruction in prison settings.
• Five interviews will be conducted with stakeholders dealing with the problems of self-harm, self-destruction, and suicide in prison settings.
• The findings from this research will provide a brief policy document on radical care, trauma informed and restorative justice approaches when dealing with self-harm, self-destruction, and trauma in marginalized individuals.
• To expand the knowledge about the importance of less judgmental, non-pathologizing approaches around self-harm and self-destruction, which takes into account pleasure and resistance in different countries and continents to reach out to more grassroots organizations, which may benefit from this approach.