Absent Voices: Experiencing Prison Life from Both Sides of the Fence - A Turkish Female's Perspective

Safak Bozkurt was released from prison in June 2018 and is currently completing her Master’s in Criminology. Following the completion of her degree, Safak plans to pursue doctoral studies.

Andy Aresti is a Senior Lecturer in Criminology at the University of Westminster. He works with a variety of non-statutory organizations related to criminal justice. Andy’s primary research focus is on desistance from criminalized acts and the detailed exploration of former prisoners’ experiences of self-change. As a former prisoner himself, and having lived a ‘colourful life’ prior to his academic career, Andy has had first-hand experience of ‘crime’ and the criminal justice system. Committed to penal reform and desistance, he is actively involved in a number of projects which aim to improve the lives of those currently incarcerated through education in prisons. He is a founding member of British Convict Criminology, a relatively new critical perspective that challenges traditional conceptualizations, representations, and discussions concerning ‘crime’, the penal system, and prisoners.