Schliehe, Anna Katharina

305 Pages·2016·5.73 MB·English

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Schliehe, Anna Katharina (2017) Tracing outsideness: young women's
institutional journeys and the geographies of closed space. PhD thesis.

http://theses.gla.ac.uk/7795/

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TRACING OUTSIDENESS

YOUNG WOMEN’S INSTITUTIONAL JOURNEYS AND THE GEOGRAPHIES
OF CLOSED SPACE

ANNA KATHARINA SCHLIEHE

THESIS SUBMITTED FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

SCHOOL OF GEOGRAPHICAL AND EARTH SCIENCES
UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW

JULY 2016
1
ABSTRACT
Understanding confinement and its complex workings between individuals and society has
been the stated aim of carceral geography and wider studies on detention. This project
contributes ethnographic insights from multiple sites of incarceration, working with an
under-researched group within confined populations. Focussing on young female detainees
in Scotland, this project seeks to understand their experiences of different types of ‘closed’
space. Secure care, prison and closed psychiatric facilities all impact on the complex
geographies of these young women’s lives. The fluid but always situated relations of control
and care provide the backdrop for their journeys in/out and beyond institutional spaces.
Understanding institutional journeys with reference to age and gender allows an insight into
the highly mobile, often precarious, and unfamiliar lives of these young women who live on
the margins.
This thesis employs a mixed-method qualitative approach and explores what Goffman calls
the ‘tissue and fabric’ of detention as a complex multi-institutional practice. In order to be
able to understand the young women’s gendered, emotional and often repetitive experiences
of confinement, analysis of the constitution of ‘closed space’ represents a first step for
inquiry. The underlying nature of inner regimes, rules and discipline in closed spaces,
provide the background on which confinement is lived, perceived and processed. The second
part of the analysis is the exploration of individual experiences ‘on the inside’, ranging from
young women’s views on entering a closed institution, the ways in which they adapt or resist
the regime, and how they cope with embodied aspects of detention. The third and final step
considers the wider context of incarceration by recovering the young women’s journeys
through different types of institutional spaces and beyond. The exploration of these journeys
challenges and re-develops understandings of mobility and inertia by engaging the relative
power of carceral archipelagos and the figure of femina sacra.
This project sits comfortably within the field of carceral geography while also pushing at its
boundaries. On a conceptual level, a re-engagement with Goffman’s micro-analysis
challenges current carceral-geographic theory development. Perhaps more importantly, this
project pushes for an engagement with different institutions under the umbrella of carceral
geography, thus creating new dialogues on issues like ‘care’ and ‘control’. Finally, an
engagement with young women addresses an under-represented population within carceral
geography in ways that raise distinctly problematic concerns for academic research and
penal policy. Overall, this project aims to show the value of fine grained micro-level research
in institutional geographies for extending thinking and understanding about society’s
responses to a group of people who live on the margins of social and legal norms.

2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................................................ 6
LIST OF FIGURES .......................................................................................................................... 7
ACKNOWLEGMENTS ................................................................................................................... 8
AUTHOR'S DECLARATION ....................................................................................................... 10
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ........................................................................................................ 11

Chapter 1 Introduction ................................................................................................................... 13

Chapter 2 Contextualising Carceral Geography ......................................................................... 20
2.1 Emerging Carceral Geographies ............................................................................................. 20
2.2 Particular Enquiries Into Carceral Geographies ...................................................................... 23
Closed Spaces ........................................................................................................................... 23
Experiencing ‘the Carceral’ ...................................................................................................... 26
Carceral Journeys and Systemic Entrapment ............................................................................ 28
2.3 Theoretical Encounters ........................................................................................................... 31
Re-engaging with Goffman ....................................................................................................... 31
Foucault’s Disciplinary Lens .................................................................................................... 33
Agamben’s Exceptional Spaces ................................................................................................ 35
‘Other’ Concepts ....................................................................................................................... 37
2.4 Towards a Feminist Carceral Geography? .............................................................................. 38
Learning from Feminist Criminology ....................................................................................... 39
Researching Young Women in a Carceral-geographic Context ............................................... 41
2.5 Reflection ................................................................................................................................ 44

Chapter 3 Conceptualisations of Care and Control in Closed Institutions and Beyond .......... 46
3.1 Introduction to Key Theorists ................................................................................................. 46
3.2 The Constitution of Closed Institutions – Complete, Austere and Total? .............................. 51
3.3 A Carceral Geography of the Social Situation of Detainees ................................................... 56
The Inmate’s World .................................................................................................................. 57
Cracks in the Wall of the Institution – Inmate Agency and its Limits ...................................... 63
3.4 From Individual Journeys to Carceral Archipelagos .............................................................. 66
A Carceral System – with Notes on Permeability ..................................................................... 67
3.5 Geographies of Abandonment and the Figure of Femina Sacra ............................................. 70
3.6 Conceptual Applicability – Exercises in Mapping Across ..................................................... 74

Chapter 4 A Methodological Note: Researching Locked Environments ................................... 76
4.1 Ethics of Doing Research with Vulnerable Young People ..................................................... 79
4.2 Positionality and My Role as the Researcher .......................................................................... 83
4.3 Fieldwork ................................................................................................................................ 86
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Interviewing .............................................................................................................................. 87
Ethnographic Observation......................................................................................................... 90
Mental Mapping ........................................................................................................................ 94
File Data .................................................................................................................................... 96
4.4 Organising and Analysing ....................................................................................................... 98
4.5 The Art of Relational and Reflexive Researching .................................................................. 99

Chapter 5 Mapping Out the Institutional Landscape ............................................................... 102
5.1 Young Female Detainees in Scotland ................................................................................... 102
5.2 A Short Overview of the Scottish Criminal Justice System ................................................. 104
5.3 ‘Relevant’ Numbers and Figures .......................................................................................... 106
5.4 Short Overview of Policy Development in Scotland ............................................................ 108
5.5 The Nature of Closed Institutions - What is There and Why? .............................................. 111
Secure Care Units ................................................................................................................... 111
Prison and Custody ................................................................................................................. 113
Psychiatric In-Patient Units .................................................................................................... 116
5.6 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................ 118

Chapter 6 The Constitution and Inner Workings of Closed Spaces ........................................ 120
6.1 Secure Care ........................................................................................................................... 120
Managing Secured Populations ............................................................................................... 121
Exploring Geographies of ‘life space’ .................................................................................... 121
Organising Time in Daily Routines ........................................................................................ 121
Codifying Rules and Regulations: the Unit Regime ............................................................... 132
Connectivity – on Closed yet Semi-permeable Institutions .................................................... 135
6.2 Prison .................................................................................................................................... 138
Population Management and Carceral Rationalisation ........................................................... 138
Spaces of Order and Security .................................................................................................. 144
Timetabling ‘Order’ in the Block ............................................................................................ 148
Meticulous Regulation in a Block Regime ............................................................................. 151
Semi-Permeability and Connectivity Beyond the Prison Walls.............................................. 155
6.3 Reviewing Institutional Constitutions ................................................................................... 157

Chapter 7 Of Meaningful Social Worlds: Individual Experiences of Confinement ............... 162
7.1 Secure Care ........................................................................................................................... 163
Getting Secured: Entry and Initial Stripping ........................................................................... 163
Living the Enforced Collective: Entangled Relationships, Social Encounters ....................... 165
Controlling Embodied Practices ............................................................................................. 169
The Importance of Place and Young Women’s Spatial Awareness ........................................ 173
It’s my way or nae way – Young Women’s Agency ............................................................... 176
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7.2 Prison .................................................................................................................................... 178
Being YO’d – Prison Entry ..................................................................................................... 179
Jail Relationships .................................................................................................................... 181
Embodied Experiences of Prison Life .................................................................................... 184
Soul-destroying Closed Spaces ............................................................................................... 189
Agency in Confinement: Prison Underlife .............................................................................. 192
7.4 Conclusive Thoughts ............................................................................................................ 195

Chapter 8 Of Moving Stories and Young Women’s Journeying .............................................. 199
8.1 Entangled Journeys here, there, everywhere......................................................................... 200
8.2 From Pillar to Post: Mapping Across Young Female Mobility ............................................ 204
8.3 Black Box ‘Community’ ....................................................................................................... 213
8.4 Carrying Institutions and the Hope for a Carefree Life ........................................................ 221
Secure Care in Retrospect ....................................................................................................... 223
Looking Back on Prison .......................................................................................................... 224
8.5 Young Female Geographies of Abandonment ...................................................................... 226

Chapter 9 Conclusion ................................................................................................................... 232

References ...................................................................................................................................... 249
Appendices ..................................................................................................................................... 272

5
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Goffman Textbox 1 ................................................................................................ 58
Table 2: Goffman Textbox 2 ................................................................................................ 59
Table 3: Goffman Textbox 3 ................................................................................................ 60
Table 4: Goffman Textbox 4 ................................................................................................ 60
Table 5: Goffman Textbox 5 ................................................................................................ 61
Table 6: Goffman Textbox 6 ................................................................................................ 62
Table 7: Goffman Textbox 7 ................................................................................................ 62
Table 8: Levels of Secondary Adjustments ......................................................................... 64
Table 9: Relationship Types in Institutions ......................................................................... 65
Table 10: Effects of the Carceral Archipelago ..................................................................... 67
Table 11: Overview Interviewees ........................................................................................ 90
Table 12: Age Range Young Female Interviewees.............................................................. 90
Table 13: Youth Justice Phases Scotland ........................................................................... 105
Table 14: Secure Care Self-Assessment ............................................................................ 123
Table 15: Secure Care Individual Assessment ................................................................... 124
Table 16: Secure Care Timetable ....................................................................................... 130
Table 17: Secure Care Reminders for Shift ....................................................................... 130
Table 18: Prison Routine .................................................................................................... 150
Table 19: Prisoner Pay ....................................................................................................... 153
Table 20: Prison Rules Extract ........................................................................................... 154
Table 21: Comparison of Institutional Constitution .......................................................... 159
Table 22: Exemplary Moves .............................................................................................. 201
Table 23: Mental Maps ...................................................................................................... 207
6
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: What Constitutes a Closed Institution .................................................................. 56
Figure 2: A Young Women’s Drawing ................................................................................ 91
Figure 3: Example Field Notes SC ...................................................................................... 92
Figure 4: Example Field Notes SC ...................................................................................... 93
Figure 5: Example Field Notes TfC ..................................................................................... 93
Figure 6: Example Field Notes TfC ..................................................................................... 93
Figure 7: Record of Prison Field Notes ............................................................................... 94
Figure 8: Fieldwork Map ..................................................................................................... 95
Figure 9: Note of ‘Orderly Room’/PR ................................................................................. 97
Figure 10: Record of First File Sheet ................................................................................... 97
Figure 11: Admission SC ..................................................................................................... 98
Figure 12: Entry Checklist ................................................................................................... 98
Figure 13: Showcasing of Scottish Secure Care Facilities................................................. 113
Figure 14: Cornton Vale and Grampian Entrance.............................................................. 114
Figure 15: Cornton Vale from Outside .............................................................................. 115
Figure 16: Skye Unit Outside ............................................................................................. 118
Figure 17: Outline of the Quiet Room ............................................................................... 127
Figure 18: Bedroom Plan View ......................................................................................... 128
Figure 19: Bedroom Seen From Corridor .......................................................................... 128
Figure 20: Secure Care Extract of Rules ............................................................................ 133
Figure 21: Block Narrative Emily ...................................................................................... 142
Figure 22: Block Narrative Jaime ...................................................................................... 142
Figure 23: Block Narrative Tamara ................................................................................... 143
Figure 24: Block Narrative Kara ........................................................................................ 143
Figure 25: Sketch of Cell Plan View.................................................................................. 147
Figure 26: Sketch of Cell from Corridor ............................................................................ 147
Figure 27: Mental Map Extract .......................................................................................... 208
Figure 28: Mental Map 1.................................................................................................... 210
Figure 29: Mental Map 2.................................................................................................... 211
Figure 30: Mental Map 3.................................................................................................... 212
Figure 31: Mental Map 4.................................................................................................... 212

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ACKNOWLEGMENTS
The list of thanks is long:

First many thanks to the Urban Studies Foundation for making this research possible and
supporting me financially over the last four years.

Thank you to everyone in GES for support and advice – it has been a pleasure to work
alongside such great researchers. A particular thanks to my supervisors Chris and Hester
for unwavering support, kindness, and encouragement. A big thank you to Cheryl, Dave,
Emma and Hannah for guidance and support throughout my teaching; to Ian and Angela
for your kind support with publications; and Gesa for advice, scholarly and otherwise.

Thank you also to everyone at the SCCJR for much support, advice and always making me
feel welcome at Ivy Lodge. Particular thanks to Susan and Sarah for years of helping me
out with practical and academic advice.

Many thanks also to Dominique, Tom and Jen – for being so accommodating and
enthusiastic – it has been a pleasure to work with you! Thanks also to Colin and Ellie for
making me feel so welcome in Birmingham.

A particular thanks goes to all the people at Up-2-Us for years of supporting my work and
much guidance and help along the way. Olive and Gail for comments on my work, many
chats and support; Hayley, Carly, Emma, Sandy and Ross for many drives and making so
many interviews possible. Many thanks also to Mike and Norman!

A big thank you to everyone at the prison – staff and prisoners and SPS – for making this
research possible and being so accommodating and welcoming.

Many thanks to all the staff and young people at the secure unit, particularly everyone I
interviewed for explaining their world, many cups of tea and integrating me into the
routine.

A big thank you also to my friends, here, in Germany and further afield for putting up with
me the last couple of years and providing much needed distraction, particularly Laura for
introducing me to kindred spirits and reading so much of my work, Annie for providing a
home when it was most needed and many comments on my work, Javier for friendship,
long chats and in-depth Foucault; Hazel for years of friendship and flat-sharing; and also:
Fabian, Katrin, Senka, Lydia, Kirsten, Marion, Kirsten, Feli, Caitlin, Rebecca, Morven,
Sarah, Leena, Zujaja…

Last but not least a heartfelt thank you to my family, living and dead, related and chosen;
particularly: Rosey and Mike for making me feel part of the family, Arzu for years of
nurturing and warmth; Johannes for always having my back; Jenna for caring from far
away; Uli for lifelong support, teaching me about good music and adopting me as a
godchild; Katrin for all her kind support; Ferdi for reminding me of the family heritage of
social research and so much interest in my work; Ruth for support and much kindness; Jörg
and Elke for reading my work and lively discussions; John and Erdmute my Scottish,
turned English family; and last but not least Alex for endless support, love and being there
in my darkest hours; Mama for all the love, kindness, strength, patience, and being such a
wonderful example; and Papa – this is for you.
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This is for Mike and Georg – one for inspiring this project and encouraging me
right to the end; and the other for inspiring me and teaching me a deep interest in
the world and always reminding me of the importance of critical thought,
emancipation and kindness.

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