A Photovoice Study on the Lived Experiences of Youth and Mothers of Incarcerated Fathers and Husbands, Highlighting the Relevance of Abolitionist Social Work Practice

Elizabeth K. Allen (), Jason Ostrander and Kate Kelly
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Elizabeth K. Allen: Division of Education, Health and Social Work, University of the District of Columbia, 4200 Connecticut Avenue, Washington, DC 20008, USA
Jason Ostrander: Anna Maria College, Department of Social Work, 50 Sunset Lane, Paxton, MA 01612, USA
Kate Kelly: School of Social Work, Sacred Heart University, 5151 Park Avenue, Fairfield, CT 06825, USA

Social Sciences, 2025, vol. 14, issue 7, 1-20

Abstract: This community-based participatory research (CBPR) study explored, using a Photovoice methodology, the lived expeiences of northeastern Black and/or African American youth and mothers who were currently experiencing the incarceration of their fathers and husbands. Grounded in critical theories of dual consciousness and comparative conflict, the findings provide valuable insights into how this population navigates the intersections of family, school, and community within the context of the criminal legal system, and, in the process, underscore the relevance of Abolitionist practice in capturing their theoretically lived experiences. Participants documented through photography and narrative reflections the multifaceted impacts of incarceration on fathers and husbands, including disrupted family dynamics, social stigma, and barriers to community resources. A focus group with the mothers of these youth highlighted the profound impact of incarceration on their family structure, revealing significant emotional burdens for caregivers as well as personal changes to parenting styles as a result of this project. A central theme that emerged was the development of a “double” or “dual consciousness”—an ability to see humanity and injustice in their circumstances, fueling a desire for systemic change. Overall, this CBPR project amplifies the voices of marginalized youth and mothers, illuminating how the criminal legal system perpetuates cycles of trauma, stigma, and disempowerment. The implications call for a radical reimagining of the role of social work in creating more equitable, restorative, and healing-centered communities, including an immediate embrace of Abolitionist practice concepts and interventions.

Keywords: community-based participatory research (CBPR); children with incarcerated parents (CIP); double-consciousness; abolition social work practice (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A B N P Y80 Z00 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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