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Faith, Identity and Homicide

Exploring Narratives from a Therapeutic Prison

Palgrave Macmillan
  • Presents a criminological perspective on religion in penitentiary institutions
  • Uses unique empirical data to discuss homicide offenders’ religious lives, identities & narratives
  • Examines therapeutic prisons including religious texts, religious groups and the availability of prison chaplains

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Table of contents (10 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xvii
  2. Introduction

    • Shona Robinson-Edwards
    Pages 1-19
  3. Approaching Faith Behind the Prison Walls

    • Shona Robinson-Edwards
    Pages 21-41
  4. Homicide and Violent Offences

    • Shona Robinson-Edwards
    Pages 43-62
  5. Prison-Based Democratic Therapeutic Community

    • Shona Robinson-Edwards
    Pages 63-96
  6. Violence in the Life Course

    • Shona Robinson-Edwards
    Pages 97-128
  7. Religion in the Life Course

    • Shona Robinson-Edwards
    Pages 129-159
  8. Faith, Reentry and Desistance

    • Shona Robinson-Edwards
    Pages 161-207
  9. Moosaa’s Journey

    • Shona Robinson-Edwards
    Pages 209-224
  10. Critical Understandings of Faith and Identity

    • Shona Robinson-Edwards
    Pages 225-235
  11. Concluding Thoughts

    • Shona Robinson-Edwards
    Pages 237-239
  12. Back Matter

    Pages 241-306

About this book

This book explores the role that religion plays in the lives of imprisoned homicide offenders. Drawing on interviews in an English prison, the author examines how they narrate their life stories and how religion intersects with other categories to rebuild their personal identities after committing a crime and being labelled as murderers or killers. This book seeks to bridge the gap between macro and micro phenomena, examining religion as both a social institution and a personal experience. It also explores the mediating role of institutions with regards to the nature and extent of their influence upon individual choices and actions, and provides insights into the nature of the therapeutic prison. It seeks to create some clarity of understanding the complex nature of religiosity, narrative, identity, desistance and rehabilitation whilst critically examining elements of social identity that may restrict or enhance this process. It provides a series of recommendations for organisations working with convicted homicide offenders/offenders and speaks to academics and practitioners in the fields of criminology, sociology, psychology and religious/theological studies.

Authors and Affiliations

  • Department of Sociology, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK

    Shona Robinson-Edwards

About the author

Shona Robinson-Edwards is an academic researcher and lecturer in criminology at the University of Warwick, UK. Religion, desistance and rehabilitation are Shona’s areas of expertise. 

Bibliographic Information

  • Book Title: Faith, Identity and Homicide

  • Book Subtitle: Exploring Narratives from a Therapeutic Prison

  • Authors: Shona Robinson-Edwards

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-86219-0

  • Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan Cham

  • eBook Packages: Law and Criminology, Law and Criminology (R0)

  • Copyright Information: The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2022

  • Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-030-86218-3Published: 10 October 2021

  • Softcover ISBN: 978-3-030-86221-3Published: 10 October 2022

  • eBook ISBN: 978-3-030-86219-0Published: 09 October 2021

  • Edition Number: 1

  • Number of Pages: XVII, 306

  • Number of Illustrations: 1 b/w illustrations

  • Topics: Criminal Behavior, Prison and Punishment, Clinical Psychology, Philosophy of Religion, Spirituality, Sociology of Religion

Buy it now

Buying options

eBook USD 89.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book USD 119.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book USD 119.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access