Reflections on researcher departure: Closure of prison relationships inethnographic research

摘要

The United Kingdom has the highest incarceration rate in Western Europe. It is knownthat women in prison are a vulnerable female population who are at risk of mentalill-health due to disadvantaged and chaotic life experiences. Accurate numbers ofpregnant women held in UK prisons are not recorded, yet it is estimated that 6%–7% ofthe female prison population are at varying stages of pregnancy and around 100 babiesare born to incarcerated women each year. There are limited published papers thatdocument the departure of the researcher following closure of fieldwork with women inprison. This article identifies the dilemmas and challenges associated with the closureof prison fieldwork through the interwoven reflections of the researcher. Departurescenarios are presented which illuminate moments of closure talk with five women,supported by participant reflections regarding abandonment and loss, making pledges forthe future, self-affirmation, incidental add-ons at the end of an interview and redflags, alerting the researcher to potential participant harm through ill health orself-injury.