Cathartic storytelling: The use of letter-writing in a study on prisoner isolation in Scotland

The aim of this article is to demonstrate the strengths of letter-writing as a qualitative method of inquiry in prison research. It aims to do so by drawing on the author’s research on experiences of isolation in Scottish prisons, carried out through letter exchanges with prisoners over the course of over a year. The positive elements of letter-writing were significant not solely from a researcher prospective, but also from that of correspondents. Through a process of catharsis and storytelling, participants were able to reflect on and recount stories of their trauma in isolation. However, a number of emotional and ethical challenges were encountered in the process, which researchers need to be mindful of prior to embarking on correspondence-based prison research.