MDX Criminology Lecturer Receives Funding for Infanticide Research
MDX Criminology Lecturer Receives Funding for Infanticide Research
22/02/2019
Dr Emma Milne's research on how the criminal justice system fails mothers who commit infanticide gets funding
Dr Emma Milne, Lecturer in Criminology at Middlesex, has received funding from the Socio-Legal Studies Association to extend her PhD investigating criminal justice responses to women suspected of killing their newborn children.
Dr Milne's research focuses on 14 cases, spanning from 2010-2017 where women convicted of offences relating to the death of their newborn child (infanticide, murder, manslaughter, concealment of birth, procuring a miscarriage, and cruelty towards a child).
She believes that women who commit infanticide tend to be some of the most vulnerable people in society. They endure abusive relationships, and are too scared of their family’s reaction to reveal their pregnancy. They experienced post-traumatic stress disorder following rape, and mental health problems. She says:
“The behaviour of women accused of killing their newborn children contradict ideals of the ‘mother’ and perceptions of maternal conduct. These offences can also be difficult to prove and convictions hard to secure. Therefore, prosecutors are required to be creative in order to secure a conviction.”
“However, what is often overlooked is that vulnerability surrounds these cases. It is very unusual for a woman to conceal her pregnancy, and even more unusual for the baby to die following the woman giving birth in secret. Such occurrences only happen if a woman has complex factors in her life. And yet, in many cases, the criminal justice system appears unable to recognise the vulnerable position of these women and to respond accordingly.”
MDX Criminology Lecturer Receives Funding for Infanticide Research
Dr Emma Milne, Lecturer in Criminology at Middlesex, has received funding from the Socio-Legal Studies Association to extend her PhD investigating criminal justice responses to women suspected of killing their newborn children.
Dr Milne's research focuses on 14 cases, spanning from 2010-2017 where women convicted of offences relating to the death of their newborn child (infanticide, murder, manslaughter, concealment of birth, procuring a miscarriage, and cruelty towards a child).
She believes that women who commit infanticide tend to be some of the most vulnerable people in society. They endure abusive relationships, and are too scared of their family’s reaction to reveal their pregnancy. They experienced post-traumatic stress disorder following rape, and mental health problems. She says:
“The behaviour of women accused of killing their newborn children contradict ideals of the ‘mother’ and perceptions of maternal conduct. These offences can also be difficult to prove and convictions hard to secure. Therefore, prosecutors are required to be creative in order to secure a conviction.”
“However, what is often overlooked is that vulnerability surrounds these cases. It is very unusual for a woman to conceal her pregnancy, and even more unusual for the baby to die following the woman giving birth in secret. Such occurrences only happen if a woman has complex factors in her life. And yet, in many cases, the criminal justice system appears unable to recognise the vulnerable position of these women and to respond accordingly.”
Find out more about studying criminology at Middlesex.