Female felons in America Based on research by Warren, J., Hurt, S., Loper, A., Bale, R., Friend, R., & Chauhan, P. (2002)

Psychopathy in female prison populations Psychopathology: Symptoms that cause mental, emotional, and/or physical pain. Research confirms that more females in prison suffer from higher rates of psychopathy than their male counterparts.

Mental health issues among females incarcerated Most common diagnoses: Substance Abuse/Dependence (70%) Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (34%) Severe disorders (19%) Includes: Schizophrenia, Mania & Major Depression

Definitions (Nolen-Hoeksema, 2004) Substance use: Recurrent substance use leads to significant harmful consequences Substance Dependence: Substance use leads to physiological dependence or significant impairment or distress

PTSD: anxiety disorder characterized by repeated mental images of experiencing traumatic event, emotional numbing, and hyper vigilance Schizophrenia: disorder consisting of unreal or disorganized thoughts and perceptions. Includes verbal, cognitive and behavioral deficits

Mania: State of persistently elevated mood, feelings of grandiosity, over enthusiasm, racing thoughts, rapid speech and impulsive actions Major Depression: Disorder involving a sad mood, plus four or more of the following: weight loss, insomnia, fatigue, feelings of worthlessness, severe guilt, trouble concentrating, suicidal ideation. Symptoms must be present for at least 2 weeks

Antisocial Personality Disorder (APD): Pervasive pattern of criminal, impulsive, callous, and/or ruthless behavior. Disregard for the rights of others and an absence of respect for social norms. Use to be referred to as “psychopath”

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) Rapidly shifting and unstable mood, self- concept, and interpersonal relationships Impulsive behavior and transient dissociative states Includes out-of-control emotions that cannot be smoothed, a hypersensitivity to other people, and history of hurting oneself

Histrionic Personality Disorder (HPD) Rapidly shifting moods Unstable relationships Intense need for attention and approval Often use overly dramatic behavior, seductiveness and dependence

Several studies have documented that many female prisoners suffer from Personality Disorders APD and BPD are the two most common types identified in females incarcerated

Hypothesis for high levels of mental illness in female prisoners Severe forms of early abuse and neglect common to many incarcerated women lead to psychiatric disorders Intergeneral transmission Typical behaviors seen in APD & BPD can lead to arrest and imprisonment of females

Racial issues? Psychiatric distress is seen more in White inmates Suggests the most deviant White women are incarcerated while African American women are imprisoned for less serious behavior

History of victimization Recognized that over half of all females incarcerated are victims of physical and sexual abuse Females who have a history of victimization are more likely to be at risk for adult substance dependence than male counterparts

Repeat victimization Several studies have shown connection between childhood victimization and experiencing violence in adulthood

Hypothesis –Modeling by parents –Exposure to deviant peer and community influences –PTSD –Internalizing self as a victimized person –Reenactment of childhood events as adult (Either as victim or aggressor)

Violent Fems Research collected worldwide confirms women commit far fewer violent crimes than men Women tend to be violent towards own family members. Occurs usually in the home, while on medication

Violent Fems (continued) The wounds females inflict are less serious than those by male counterparts Women are less likely to be arrested than male counterparts

APD and violent behavior has been documented well documented in men Research between APD and violent behavior in women is in early stages

Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) Used to assess various Axis I psychopathology Nine subscales: Somatization, obsessive- compulsive, interpersonal sensitivity, depression, anxiety, hostility, phobic anxiety, and paranoid ideation

Prison Violence Inventory (PVI) Used to measure the amount of violence that each inmate has both experienced and perpetrated in prison

The sample 48% were 32 years old or younger 3% over 50 years of age 61% minority 51% graduated from high school 79% had at least one child

The sample (cont.) 33% had previously been incarcerated 21% in for a violent offense 8% in for a “potentially violent offense” 1% in for a sex crime 28% in for drugs 39% in for property offense

The sample (cont.) Over 50% screened positive for a Personality Disorder More younger women (< 32) had a Personality Disorder than their older cohorts

The sample (cont.) 55% reported being victims of sexual abuse before 18 years old 39% reported experiencing physical abuse before age 18 Younger, non minority women reported higher levels of victimization

High violence group Reported two or more violent incidents N=73 Age level and a positive screen for APD significantly increased the likelihood of being in the high violence group

Minority women 15-20% of United States population However, over 60% of women in prison are minorities Stringent drug sentencing accounts for a large part of this difference

Killers Majority of humans who murder do not suffer are not antisocial or psychopathic Killers have the lowest recidivism rates

Predicting prison violence Age Minority status High scores on BSI Global Severity Index APD or HPD Sexual victimization before age of 18