Anna's story of life in prison

Abstract

Accessible summary 剔his is the story of Anna Boodle. Anna told her story to Kathy Ellem about her time in prisons in Queensland, Australia. 剁nna has an intellectual disability. Living in prison was very hard for her. 剁nna has survived prison and now has a good life in the community. 剁nna wants to tell other people they can survive prison and have a good life. Summary People with an intellectual disability in prison can be at increased risk of victimisation, segregation and isolation (Mullen ). Prison systems usually have very few resources to cater to this group's particular needs, and many people may re-enter the community with little or no rehabilitation, poor social connections, poor mental health and little chance in finding employment and living a crime-free life (Baldry et al. ). Gathering the lived expertise of ex-prisoners with an intellectual disability can help others to better understand these experiences. This article is about Anna Boodle's story of imprisonment in Queensland, Australia. Anna participated in a larger PhD study on the life stories of ex-prisoners with an intellectual disability. It is apparent from her story, and the other stories in the study, that there is a need for more humane responses to people with an intellectual disability who offend. Anna's story is a tale of hope to others that a good life is possible after imprisonment.