Recollections of childhood trauma in the lives of incarcerated young Black women

Abstract

A qualitative exploratory-descriptive inquiry was undertaken to gain insight into the experiences of incarcerated young women prior to imprisonment. Through narrative accounts, young incarcerated women reveal childhood experiences ranging from neglect, abandonment, emotional and sexual abuse. The  findings reveal a continuum of antecedents including parental neglect,  absence of one or both parents (due to incarceration, death or separation, marriage of a mother, incest, substance abuse, early teenage pregnancy as well as HIV/Aids. The paper aims to make recommendations regarding  correctional treatment in order to guide rehabilitation of women prior to  release from incarceration.