The Experience of Transgender Women Prisoners Serving a Sentence in a Male Prison: A Systematic Review and Meta-Synthesis

Abstract

Due to social exclusion and direct and indirect discrimination, there is a disproportionate representation of transgender individuals in prison. The aim of this article is to report the findings of a systematic review and meta-thematic synthesis to understand the experience of transgender women who have served a sentence in a male prison. The review identified 14 papers, and the thematic synthesis identified five themes. The themes are discussed within a contemporary socio-ecological model, developed by White Hughto and colleagues to support transgender healthcare in prison, and to explore if this model is applicable for the wider prison environment.