Blame and Shame: Experience of Having a Male Relative in Prison Report

This report presents a qualitative data analysis of focus group interviews conducted by Rachel, exploring the experiences of families with male relatives in prison. The study delves into the epistemological and ethical considerations of the research, including maintaining data integrity and confidentiality. The findings, analyzed using a thematic approach, reveal several key themes. These include the initial feelings of shame and stress upon a relative's incarceration, the challenges and frustrations associated with prison visits, the changing societal and familial dynamics, the reasons behind the relative's involvement in crime, the perceived impact on their future prospects, the financial strain and training needs of the families, and the prevalence of drugs within the prison system. The report highlights the multifaceted challenges faced by families and the broader societal implications of incarceration, including the cycle of blame, shame, and the struggle to maintain a sense of normalcy.

Qualitative Data
Methodology

Table of Contents
Title- “Blame and shame: Experience of having a male relative in prison”....................................1
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
Epistemology and ethics.........................................................................................................1
Findings..................................................................................................................................2
Discussion...............................................................................................................................5
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................7

Title- “Blame and shame: Experience of having a male relative in prison”
INTRODUCTION
Having a relative in prison accounts for stress situation which lead to feeling of blame as
well as shame as it consists of psychology's perspectives on stress created by an exhausting and
awful feeling (Craissati, 2020). The current project is based on the qualitative analysis of the
focus group interview taken by the Rachel in the topic of Blame and shame: Experience of
having a male relative in prison. The current report comprises of discussion about epistemology
and ethics along with research finding and its discussion.
Epistemology and ethics
The Epistemology is a commonly used research philosophy which is applied in support of
qualitative form of investigation which facilitates a philosophical nature of study and supports
the analysis of human knowledge. The Epistemology is sometime also known as theory of
knowledge concerned with the mind's relation to reality. Thus, use of Epistemology theory is
made for better answering of the research questions and topic which requires considering the
relationship between knowledge, truth, belief, reason, evidence and reliability (Shankardass,
2020). Thus, application of epistemology philosophy is made together with and in support of
qualitative form of research method which lead to in-depth information and detailed analysis of
facts for better understanding about a selected topic. Further, it has been also analysed that the
Epistemology and ethics are both concerned with evaluations out of which ethics is related with
evaluations of conduct and epistemology is associated with evaluations of beliefs and other
cognitive acts. Thus, implication of epistemology and ethics facilitates considerable interest to
philosophers are the ways in which the two kinds of evaluations relate to one another (Morrell,
Eukel and Santurri, 2020).
The main ethical implication and issues related with current study comprises of
marinating the authenticity and viability of collected data along with maintaining the integrity in
work. Apart from thus, having openness and respecting intellectual rights along with
confidentiality of facts and legality is also essential. Thus, a prior approval and consent is taken
before understanding current investigation to maintain the integrity and legality in work. Apart
from this, implication of BERA code of ethics and data protection act is also made to maintain
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the confidentiality of collected facts along with ensuring privacy and safety of information
(Heckemann, Thilo and Wolf, 2020).
Findings
The current findings are made on the basis of interview conducted by Rachel From the
three Participants Josie, Frank and Victoria on the topic of Blame and shame: Experience of
having a male relative in prison. An analysis of these findings have been provided below with
the help of thematic approach of qualitative data analysis. Implication and use of thematic
analysis is appropriate for analysing qualitative data as it closely examines the data to identify
common themes related with topics, ideas and patterns of meaning that come up repeatedly to
have better implication about set topic.
Theme 1: Feeling when Your relative was sent to prison
Interpretation
It has been analysed on the basis of current investigation that Josie was not seemed
surprised with going of her son to prison as he had plead guilty otherwise he will be sentenced
for a longer time period. It has been also interpreted that Josie has hoped that her Son found not
to be guilty but somewhere she was aware that he is going to prison but still she would stop
crying and thinking of crack. Beside this, it has been analysed that Victoria on the other hand
agreed that she was not so brave and cried a lot for two days and having a feeling of loneliness
and thought that she would not be able to cope up with this feeling after James sentenced to
prison. Further, as per the view point of Frank, going of a relative to prison is very shameful and
also create feeling of stress in other relatives that’s the reason because of which his wife went ill
and they didn’t go to court on the day of case judgement. It has been also observed that every
time when they meet their grandson they feel a strain but still the love for grandson does not let
them miss any chance of meeting him. Thus, an analysis cam be made out that the going of a
relative to prison leads to a feeling of shame and stress in relatives which makes their life more
exhausting and miserable.
Theme 2: More understanding about the prison visits
Interpretation
It has been interpreted on the basis of information provided by Victoria that going to
prison for visiting their relatives is always a long day and require lots of time as they have to
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wait around and put all stiff in a locker and get in long que with ID password comprises of list of
visit. It has been also analysed that that usually that even did not get chance to meet their
relatives if anything happened and at that time Victoria and other needs to be patient as at that
moment getting angry is just a waste thus, she takes some knitting to pass her time. Further, it
has been analysed that Josie was also having a similar feeling and supported that waiting at
prison is always a terrible feeling as none of the staff supported any positive attitude or gesture at
that time. Apart from this, Frank has added to this by reflecting that seeing your relative sitting
at prison is very hard and hurtful and there is lot of stuff which they want to hide and always
require to put a brave facial expression. Thus, an analysis can be made based on these findings
that visit to prison to see their relatives is also a time consuming and exhausting process
comprising of feeling of anger thus they need to be patient to meet their relatives.
Theme 3: Feeling and behaviour of society and other relatives
Interpretation
On the basis of above interview it has been analysed that a drastic change is seen in the
behaviour of society and relatives towards the people whose relatives has sent to prison. It had
been analysed on the basis of information Provided by Josie that the girlfriend of Josh (Molly)
has stopped meeting with him and even did not get to prison to meet him and finally started
dating and staying with some other guy. It has been also supported by Frank, that the feeling and
behaviour of society and relatives get changed over after being a relative in prison as he
expressed that even the close friends start avoiding talking about the facts which leads to a
feeling of embarrassment and make him upset. Individuals from society start ignoring to talk
about the condition of the relative who is in prison and gives a sense of shamefulness which
drain all positive thinking and feeling and force them to ask what they have did wrong. Frank
also added that when a relative goes to prison he is not alone who get punished but the whole
family is being punished by the society as they have to face a feeling of shame and lots of heart
breaking and difficult situation. Josie also add to this through mention that the relatives have to
live in a lonely place to get over that exhausting and stress full feeling. Further, Victoria has also
mentioned about the awful feeling where the neighbours and society keeps on skype thus,
sometime they even have to say lie with other family members.
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Theme 4: Reason for getting involved in crime and getting in prison and will they gain go to
prison
Interpretation
This theme has been analysed on the basis of information provided by Frank who
provided with the information that Adam was brought up by him and his wife as his mum was in
and out hospital and his dad left. Frank and his wife always have a proud feeling for Adam as he
was too good at swimming and football and also got his apprenticeship but soon he got with the
wrong crowd that was the starting of his crime and unethical intensions. After getting involved in
a wring crowd Adam started taking drugs and then to arrange the money he also started dealing
in drug and also lost his apprenticeship and went into a crime spiral. Adam has owned money
from some nasty people who influenced him to deal in drugs for more money and eventually he
got caught and sentenced for his crime and sent to Prison. It has been further analysed as per the
information provided by the Victoria that James have shown a great change and would not go
back to the prison. But Josie has mentioned that Josh was a violent child since staging and keeps
on fighting and aggressive in school and also diagnosed with ADHD thus, a TA (teaching
assistant) has been provide for him but still Josh was getting worse and pick up quick temper.
Theme 5: How their Future will be like
Interpretation
It has been interpreted on the basis of current findings that the person who went to prison
tend to have a pessimistic and awful future as it is shameful and exhausting experience during
the course of their life. This fact has been supported by the view point of Josie who is having a
feeling that Josh is being stuck in a revolving door and he is always on the list of summat’s up of
police as his reputation has been ruined and he will always suspect by the police when anything
goes off somewhere. Further, Victoria also added to this theme as it has been analysed that it is
always going to be shameful and gives a feeling of dying and sometime it also feels hard of
going out and no one actually wants to employ a criminal thus, their future is pessimistic and
threatening.
Theme 6: Effect of having relative in prison on the money situation and Training
Interpretation
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It has been find out that having a relative in prison always have an adverse impact on the
money situation as it has been interpreted on the basis of view point of Victoria that once the
James went to prison, she was not having even enough money to pay off the rent. Further, it has
been also observed that a negative impact on health and mental stress is also lead out by the fact
of having a relative in prison which increase the expenditure level and upset sleeping and eating.
Frank had also supported the same as it has been analysed that a higher cost and expenditure to
visit prison is also required creating adverse money situation. Further, it has been also analysed
in the basis of information provided by Victoria that they had a training about how to welcome a
PRAG in order to make them feel at home which also require money. It has been also interpreted
that PRAG training was associated with teaching how to being friendly and positive
Theme 7: Drugs in the prison
Interpretation
On the basis of information provided by Frank it has been analysed that there is always
something related to riots or drugs in prison. It has been also analysed on the basis of discussion
between Josie, Frank and Victoria that dealing of drugs is also going on within prison through
making use of mobile phones and stuff is get dropped by using drones which is a terrible thing.
Further, it has been also interpreted that people in prison get cut off from outside world and
many scary things went on in their surroundings which comprises of trying to hurt themselves
and putting one with debt who trusted to kill himself and now in the prison hospital which is very
awful reflecting about the blame and shame associated with having in a prison.
Discussion
On the basis of current qualitative investigation, a discussion can be made out that having a
male relative is prison leads to an exhausting and awful experience which leads to feeling of
shame along with blame thinking. A discussion can be made out on the basis of current
investigation that feeling of loneliness and stress is lead out by the fact of having a male relative
prison which also leads to judgemental and negatives behaviour of society towards them. A
discussion could also be made out that having a male relative in prison is an exhausting feeling
that leaving an individual with the feeling of shame and stress. Thus, a discussion can be made
that having a male relative in prison also leads out to negative impact on one’s health as they are
continuously going through a feeling of stress and misery along with nit having proper sleeping
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and eating. Apart from this, it has been also analysed that long waiting hours and inconvenience
in making visit to prison to meet the male relative along with changes and pessimistic behaviour
of society also supports and enhance the feeling of blame and shame. Apart from this, a
discussion could also be made out that shortage of money is also a big issue and challenges faced
when someone is having a male relative in prison along with a fear of having pessimistic future
as it is hard to get cope up with such a big trauma and feeling of shame.
CONCLUSION
On the basis of current project, a conclusion can be made that having a male relative in
prison is also associated with the feeling of blame and shame. It has been concluded that an
individuals have to face the negative attitude of society along with loneliness and an exhausting
situation where all keeps on blaming them and have an awful feeling towards them. Further, it
has been also concluded that many health issues related with stress and depression along with
hard money situation is also face by a person who is having a male relative in prison.
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