Reflecting on and Managing the Emotional and Ethical Challenges of Letter Writing as a Method of Data Collection With Prisoners

Abstract

In the context of prisons research, letter writing serves as a unique way to access prison participants without gaining formal His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) approval and does not place any demands on the time and resources of prison staff in comparison to in-person data collection methods such as interviews. Despite this method becoming increasingly used, especially throughout the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, there is not a lot of research on the challenges and risks of letter writing to the researcher. This article examines the emotional and ethical challenges of letter writing as a method of data collection specifically with prisoners, focusing primarily on the challenges and risks the researcher must navigate. While the criminological literature is slowly catching up on the discussion of emotions in prisons research, there remains gaps in newer, or indeed, more innovative methods used in criminology. This article discusses the challenges involved in the time between letters, not knowing if letters have arrived, the distance between the researcher and the researched, ending correspondence and appropriate long-term support. As the article progresses, positionality becomes central to these discussions. As well as highlighting these challenges, the article offers strategies and discussions about managing these challenges for future researchers, such as keeping logs, debriefing with colleagues, and ensuring long-term support for participants is in place before the data collection period.