From Criminalisation to Release: Older Women’s Journeys Through Imprisonment in Thailand
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Griffith University
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Griffith University Australia
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Thailand Institute of Justice Thailand
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Thailand Institute of Justice Thailand
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CQUniversity Australia
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Griffith University Australia
Abstract
This study examines the experiences of older women in Thailand before, during and after imprisonment, drawing on interviews with 18 currently or formerly imprisoned women and focus groups with 20 prison staff. Findings show that criminalisation in later life was often driven by survival, shaped by economic hardship, caregiving burdens, victimisation, and periods of instability. In prison, women faced interconnected and compounding challenges, including emotional distress, inadequate healthcare, exclusion from activities and isolation. Preparation for release was rarely age-responsive, leaving women under-resourced and insufficiently supported. Returning home depended heavily on family support, stable housing and income, none of which was guaranteed. Stigma and shame were significant barriers to older women’s ability to rebuild their lives. These findings underscore the urgent need for gendered, age-responsive reforms, building on the United Nations Rules for the Treatment of Women Prisoners and Non-Custodial Measures for Women Offenders (the Bangkok Rules).
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Author Biographies
Ms Tristan Russell is a PhD student in the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Griffith University. Her PhD examines the intersection of age and gender and, utilising prisoners’ voices, explores the experiences of older women incarcerated in Thailand, while her Honours dissertation focused on gendered pathways to prison in Thailand. She has a track record of published papers in the areas of gender, imprisonment trajectories, life during and after incarceration, gender-based violence, and restorative justice. She is also engaged in research projects on domestic violence and family law.
Dr Samantha Jeffries is an Associate Professor in the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Griffith University, specialising in marginalised social statuses, criminalisation, victimisation and (in)justice. Her published research spans intimate partner violence, the sex industry, and disparities in sentencing decision-making, with a recent focus on Australian domestic violence victims' experiences of family law, criminal and restorative justice. She maintains an ongoing collaboration with the Thailand Institute of Justice, having conducted joint research on gendered pathways to criminalisation, pre-trial detention, women's imprisonment, reintegration, and electronically monitored parole, and delivered training to prison staff on the United Nations Bangkok Rules. She co-authored the book Romantic Terrorism and co-edited Gender, Criminalization, Imprisonment and Human Rights in Southeast Asia.
Dr Yodsawadi Thipphayamongkoludom is a Project Manager for the Office for the Bangkok Rules and Treatment of Offenders at the Thailand Institute of Justice (TIJ). She supervises several research projects focusing on criminalised women’s backgrounds, pathways to imprisonment, and rehabilitative needs. Her work includes TIJ’s Research Series on Women Prisoners and the Implementation of the Bangkok Rules in ASEAN and Surveying Victimisation Experiences among Young People in Custody. Yodsawadi has co-authored and translated many key publications for TIJ. She has also been involved in training programmes for senior correctional staff and prison officers, emphasising the importance of gender-responsive prison management in line with international guidelines, such as the Bangkok Rules and the Mandela Rules.
Ms Chontit Chuenurah is the Director of the Office for the Bangkok Rules and Treatment of Offenders at the Thailand Institute of Justice. She has been involved in national, regional, and international advocacy to promote and protect human rights in prison settings. As part of her work, she supervises several research projects focusing on women’s pathways to imprisonment and recidivism in Southeast Asia. She is the author/co-author of articles and book chapters on these issues. Also, Chontit leads social reintegration projects through collaborations among the government, the private sector, and civil society. Chontit is specialised in topics related to prison reform, the treatment of offenders, and United Nations standards and norms, with a strong focus on gender.
Dr Adele Baldwin is an Australian registered nurse and midwife and an Associate Professor at CQUniversity, with over 30 years of clinical and academic experience. Her work centres on advocacy for marginalised women, addressing health inequities, and advancing ethical, woman‑centred care through research, education, and workforce development.
Dr Jacqueline Drew is a policing scholar and Associate Professor in the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Griffith University. Dr Drew has over 20 years of experience in law enforcement, as a practitioner and researcher. She is a psychologist, holding a PhD in organisational psychology. She provides expert advice to law enforcement in Australia and across the United States on organisational systems and personnel practices, including police mental health and suicide, leadership, promotion systems and women and policing.