In Aotearoa New Zealand, women are being incarcerated in greater numbers than has been seen before. wāhine Māori are profoundly over-represented, constituting 67% of the female prison population (Stats NZ, 2022). The vast majority of these women are mothers, for whom incarceration causes a traumatic separation from tamariki and a stripping of their core maternal identity. While incuding mothers from diverse backgrounds, this doctoral research is the first NZ study to centre the experiences of incarcerated Māori mothers. Utilising a qualitative, Māori-centred design, this study seeks to whakamana (uphold the dignity of) a the stories of mothers in navigating their maternal identity while in prison.
Through semi-structured interviews (pūrākau), the research explores how mothers navigate parenting from prison, the impacts of separation, and challenges to reconnecting post-release. Preliminary findings reveal that maintaining a motherhood identity is an act of resistance, and that Te Ao Māori provides a critical anchor for resilience through practices like whakapapa and pūrākau. The study aims to generate tangible, mother-defined recommendations for Te Ara Poutama (the Department of Corrections) to better align its key strategies—Hōkai Rangi and Wāhine - E rere ana ki te pae hou—with the aspirations of mothers and whānau. By privileging these voices, the research offers a pathway to transform correctional practice in a culturally responsive and healing-informed way, aiming to break cycles of trauma and improve justice outcomes.
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Grace Jessup
Doctoral Candidate, University of Auckland, New Zealand
Grace Jessup (Ngāti Rangi) is a Doctoral Candidate in Clinical Psychology at the University of Auckland. Her research focuses on Māori well-being within the justice system, with an emphasis on culturally-grounded sources of resilience. Her previous dissertation explored protective factors against sexual violence for tāne Māori. Her current doctoral study examines how wāhine Māori in prison maintain their mothering roles and identity while separated from their children, and how they draw upon Te Ao Māori to navigate adversity.
Drawing on the lived experiences of mothers, the project aims to generate practical recommendations for Te Ara Poutama, the Department of Corrections. The goal is to help align correctional practice with both the department’s Women's Strategy and the aspirations of mothers themselves in a culturally responsive and healing-informed way. This research was recently recognized with the NZ Psychological Society Postgraduate Social Justice Award.
