Book Launch: Maternal Sentencing and the Rights of the Child

Discussants: Professor Felicity Gerry QC, Professor Laura Lundy, Professor Shadd Maruna 

Chair: Professor Rachel Condry 

The Centre for Criminology and the Global Prisoner's Families Group are pleased to launch Dr Shona Minson's timely book, Maternal Sentencing and the Rights of the Child 

Shona will provide a short introduction before Professor Felicity Gerry QC, Professor Laura Lundy and Professor Shadd Maruna reflect on the implications of this book. This will be followed by a Q&A session chaired by Professor Rachel Condry

The book brings to life the experiences of children affected by maternal imprisonment, and provides unique, in-depth analysis of judicial thinking on the issue. It explores the experiences of children whose mothers are sentenced to imprisonment in England and Wales and contrasts their state-sanctioned separation from their mothers in teh criminal courts (where the court may not even be aware of the existence of a child) to the state sanctioned separation of children from their parents in teh family courts, where the child has legal representation adn their best interests are the court's paramount consideration. Drawing on detailed empirical research with children, caregivers, and Crown Court judiciary, Maternal Sentencing and the Rights of the Child brings together relevant literature on law, criminology and human rights to provide insight into the reasons for the differentiated treatment and its implications for children, their caregivers and wider society. 

Event registration will close at midday on the 5th February 2021: Register here

Following registration the Zoom link to attend the launch will be sent to participants on Friday 5th February