WOMEN AND PRISON The Reality of Women’s Experience in Prison

HISTORY OF WOMEN IN PRISON: A SOCIAL BAROMETER Shared prisons with men Shared prisons with men Reformatories Reformatories Women centered (female employees) Women centered (female employees) Cottage Style Cottage Style Instill morals Instill morals Provide better “womanly” skills Provide better “womanly” skills Prison Industrial Complex Prison Industrial Complex Economic stability (community) Economic stability (community) Privatization (Capitalism) Privatization (Capitalism) Prisons instead of treatment centers Prisons instead of treatment centers

POPULATION PROFILE ½ of the women in prison have been sexually or physically abused ½ of the women in prison have been sexually or physically abused Only 9% receive visits from children Only 9% receive visits from children African-American females have the same chances of going to prison as white males African-American females have the same chances of going to prison as white males Among women, African Americans are more than twice likely as Hispanics and seven times more likely than whites to go to prison in their lifetimes. Among women, African Americans are more than twice likely as Hispanics and seven times more likely than whites to go to prison in their lifetimes. More often than not, the women in U. S. facilities are guarded by men More often than not, the women in U. S. facilities are guarded by men

PRISON FAMILIES Kinship groups Kinship groups Family style Family style Gender roles maintained Gender roles maintained Respect for elderly and mentally ill Respect for elderly and mentally ill Sexual relationships Sexual relationships Males (power and control) Males (power and control) Females (maintain gender/family roles) Females (maintain gender/family roles)

TREATMENT OF WOMEN IN PRISON The bad mother image The bad mother image Degrading practices Degrading practices Searches Searches Pregnancy/health care Pregnancy/health care Sexual abuse Sexual abuse Male guards Male guards Inmate litigation Inmate litigation effectiveness effectiveness

INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS Feminist empowering programs Feminist empowering programs Respect, dignity, healthy living environment and shared responsibility Respect, dignity, healthy living environment and shared responsibility Family programs Family programs Nurseries Nurseries Family visits Family visits Conjugal visits Conjugal visits Ethnic specific programs Ethnic specific programs Supporting cultural differences Supporting cultural differences

CONCLUSION Historical changes in types of facilities Historical changes in types of facilities Disproportionate racial and class population Disproportionate racial and class population Family style relationships Family style relationships Inmate mistreatment Inmate mistreatment Innovative programs Innovative programs Solutions Solutions