Chantal Plourde

The “Deviant Good Mother” Motherhood Experiences of Substance-Using and Lawbreaking Women

When drug-using and lawbreaking women are mothers, their competence as mothers is often questioned because good mothers are not supposed to do such things. Consequently, they are often labeled as unfit mothers. This qualitative study seeks to examine the experience of motherhood in substance-using and lawbreaking mothers. Interviews with 38 substance-using women who had broken the law were conducted. Women in our study embrace two models of motherhood: one is an idealized view of motherhood as worthwhile, gratifying, and true to social expectations, and the other a model of the “deviant good mother,” which conforms more closely to their deviant lifestyle. Both of these models influence the way that these mothers perceive their substance use, their criminal behavior, and the possibility of being a good mother. The “deviant good mother” model also allowed them to build (or rebuild) a positive and fulfilling maternal identity.

Pathways of Substance Use Among Female and Male Inmates in Canadian Federal Settings

This article presents a comparative study of 317 male and 176 female Canadian penitentiary inmates and considers the impact of incarceration on their substance use pathways. Ten men’s and 5 women’s penitentiaries were visited across Canada as part of two successive studies. The 493 respondents completed a questionnaire on their substance use habits before and during incarceration. Substance use before incarceration is important for female and male inmates. The consumption of alcohol and drugs during incarceration is significantly higher among men than women. The results also show that length of incarceration, security level, preincarceration drug use, and prior regular drug use are risk factors associated with substance use during incarceration.

Negotiating Identity: Three Events that Weaken the Maternal Identity of Addicted Law-Breaking Women

ABSTRACT This qualitative study aimed to comprehend how mothers experienced and built their maternal identity throughout their lives. Thirty-eight semi-structured interviews were conducted with drug-using and law-breaking mothers. Results showed that three events were significant for participants: pregnancies, loss of custody, and incarceration. As each event challenged their maternal identity, they questioned their substance use and their criminal involvement. Our results suggest that these events represent key moments to encourage their growing awareness and to foster changes in their deviant lifestyle. We conclude this article by discussing interventions possible for each of these important moments in these mothers’ lives.

Impact Evaluation of an Addiction Intervention Program in a Quebec Prison

Objectives This study evaluates the effects of a prison-based addiction intervention program. The evaluation is based on a multidimensional data collection that draws a portrait of the respondents’ substance use, and of their psychological/emotional, social, and judicial spheres. It measures the changes, or lack thereof, in substance use; the psychological/emotional, social, and judicial spheres; as well as the post-treatment services used. Method A quasi-experimental repeated measures design (0, 6 weeks, and 6 months) was used. Effects of the program were identified by comparing the results obtained by a group of inmates who had participated in the program (n = 80; experimental group) with those of another group who had received no intervention (n = 70; control group). Results The preliminary results suggested a certain treatment effect related to impulsivity and psychological distress. Conclusion Although the preliminary results were promising, the experimental and control groups did not differ significantly when more robust analyses were used.