Men researching men in prison: the challenges for profeminist research

This article addresses epistemological and practical issues in conducting research in male prisons from a profeminist standpoint. It considers the role of the male researcher in engaging with prison masculinities and a sexist prison culture. It gives examples of difficulties in managing the profeminist research role in the wider prison and it highlights difficulties that may occur within in interviews. Adapting Goffman’s (1970) strategies for inmate survival it concludes that the most appropriate researcher strategy for not compromising the standpoint of the study and yet sustaining a project in prison may be for the researcher to (reflectively) ‘play it cool’ (Goffman 1970, p.64).</p

The BME male sex offender in prison: overrepresentation and under-participation

This paper is derived and developed from two recent papers that I prepared jointly with two colleagues (Cowburn, Lavis, &amp; Walker, 2008b; Cowburn, Lavis, &amp; Walker, 2008a). This paper uses and re-works some of this material. The paper will first present a demographic profile of the male sex offender population in the prisons of England and Wales. It will then present evidence in relation to the non-participation of the Black minority ethnic (BME) group of offenders in the Prison Service’s Sex Offender Treatment Programme (SOTP). Following this data relating to BME sex offenders who have participated in the SOTP will also be discussed. The paper will then move onto develop a theory to understand some aspects of this non-participation and to suggest ways in which the participation of BME sex offenders in the SOTP may be encouraged and developed.</p

Hegemony and discourse: reconstruing the male sex offender and sexual coercion by men

This paper considers issues related to hegemony and discourse and how dominant constructions of the male sex offender conceal wider issues pertaining to the hegemony of men. Initially outlining competing approaches to understanding power, the paper then seeks to link the Gramscian concept of hegemony to Foucaldian perspectives on power and language and justify the use of the term ‘‘hegemonic discourse’’. It suggests that hegemonic discourse concerning male sexual coercion is embodied in sex offender recidivism data, and classification systems concentrate attention on a small population of men who are then deemed to be deviant. A closer examination of the recidivism data studies of unconvicted men in relation to acknowledged desire to rape and sociological literature in relation to the social construction of masculinities raises questions about the effect of the hegemonic discourse in relation to understanding and responding to male acts of sexual coercion.</p

A survey of food projects in the English NHS regions and Health Action Zones in 2001

Background and Objective: This article sets out the findings from an analysis of food projects, with a particular emphasis on fruit and vegetables, from the 26 Health Action Zones (HAZs) in England and those taking place within the former NHS regional areas in 2001. The objective was to gather information on the existing practice to inform future work. Methods: A series of interviews with key informants in the London area and a review of all the London Health Improvement Programmes and Coronary Heart Disease Local Implementation Plans were used to inform the development of an interview schedule and questionnaire. A second phase consisted of interviews with leads in the NHS Regional Offices. The third phase involved distribution of a questionnaire to the 26 Health Action Zones (HAZs). Results: Comprehensive data on food projects was not routinely available. The large number of initiatives related to food led some respondents to feel unsure as to under which policy to locate their food and fruit and vegetable work. Projects tended to be based on the development of skills (for example, cooking classes) or on a settings approach such as activities in schools or workplaces. A strategic focus was reported as being more common at a local level. Evaluation of food projects was at an early stage in many areas. Conclusions: The future sustainability of food and fruit and vegetable projects was identified as a Key issue. Future policy development of food projects need to be clearly guided by a coherent policy focus and an integrated approach which clearly tackles the root causes of food access and poverty

Race relations in prison: managing performance and developing engagement

This paper explores the paradox that whilst the quantitative measures of prison performance in relation to ‘race relations’ indicate substantial improvements in service delivery, more qualitative measures of the quality of prison life appear to indicate little substantive improvement in race relations. Using the underrepresentation of Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) prisoners in accredited offending behaviour related prison programmes as a case study to explore understandings of race relations, the paper reflects on whether the under representation indicates the operation of racial discrimination by prison staff or a refusal to participate by prisoners. It also explores other explanations for this phenomenon relating to the enactment of positive ethnic identities and resistance to programmes that ignore such identities. The paper concludes by considering the challenge of developing an active prison culture that validates all ethnic identities in culturally appropriate ways

Safe recruitment, social justice, and ethical practice: should people who have criminal convictions be allowed to train as social workers?

Decision making in relation to admitting people to train as social workers is, either explicitly or implicitly, an ethical activity. This paper considers ethical and practical issues related to the processing of applicants to social work training in England who have criminal convictions. These issues are explored by focusing on policies that strengthen regulations that exclude ex-offenders from working with children and vulnerable adults. The admissions processes for social work education are analysed in terms of how they contribute to, or counteract, processes of social exclusion. The advice and guidance from the General Social Care Council of England (GSCC) is summarised and analysed. A case study of a social work education partnership grounds the ethical discussion by illustrating the complexities of engaging with combating social exclusion whilst seeking to ensure that the public is protected.</p

Masking hegemonic masculinity: reconstructing the paedophile as the dangerous stranger

This paper reviews the social constructions of the paedophile as these are embodied in clinical and journalistic discourses. It considers how these discourses have influenced community perceptions of risk and professional responses to the concerns they portray. It then locates these professional constructions within a context of hegemonic masculinity and unsafe families. It concludes that community safety is not adequately addressed by professional assessments of risk that focus primarily on the problems posed by known paedophiles. It is important to consider the problem of sexual violence in a much wider context that problematises the context in which sexual abuse occurs.</p

Disciplining, chastisement and physical child abuse: perceptions and attitudes of the British Pakistani community

There are a number of cross-cultural differences in people's perspectives of what constitutes physical abuse of children. The focus of the present study was to explore the British Pakistani community's perception about physical child abuse and to understand more about the values held by them in relation to child protection. The study aimed to discover issues that are important to protect the children from harm, and to describe the possibilities these issues present. The study used a questionnaire survey that focused on 16-25-year-old British Pakistani's, exploring their experiences of childhood, of physical punishment and physical child abuse. The findings indicated that although serious child abuse was not experienced by most of the respondents, 75% of respondents experienced some kind of physical punishment as part of their childhood experience. However, 72% of respondents who received such punishment in childhood accepted it as an appropriate disciplining method. The future research and policy implications with prevention in mind are discussed.</p

Black and minority ethnic sex offenders

In the past ten years or so there has been a growing concern that the treatment needs of Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) sex offenders in prison are not being appropriately met. Underpinning this concern is the continued under representation of BME sex offenders on the Sex Offender Treatment Programme (SOTP). Although some research has been undertaken into how BME prisoners experience the SOTP and in to its ostensible effectiveness with BME sex offenders, little is known about why the take-up of the SOTP is poor with this group. In this paper we first consider some specific demographic issues that need to be understood in order to reflect more widely on the BME sex offender in prison. We then summarise what is currently known about effective practice with this group, thereafter we consider, in turn, current provision for BME sex offenders in England and Wales and suggestions for developing practice with this group of men. However, before we turn to these issues, it is important to consider briefly issues of terminology. Terminologies in relation to ethnicities and race are fraught with conceptual difficulties. Aspinall has highlighted the limitations of ‘pan-ethnic’ groups, such as ‘BME’; such groupings are ‘statistical collectivities’ and ‘the groups thus defined will be nothing more than meaningless statistical collectivities that do not represent any of the constituent groups within the term.’ . However, at the outset of this paper we use the collective term BME - this term is currently used by a number of Government Departments in the UK, including the Prison Service. Later we suggest that a more sophisticated understanding of ethnic cultures may be necessary to develop practice with BME sex offenders.</p