Discussion 7

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The incarceration

of women

SECTION X

Mallicoat, Women and Crime: A Text/Reader 2e

Historical Context of Female Prisons

Historically, women were housed in a separate unit within a male prison
Conditions included

Solitary confinement

Physical and sexual abuse

Death of Rachel Welch

Unmonitored time with male inmates

In 1839, the first facility for women was opened, The Mount Pleasant Prison Annex
While a female warden was in place, the Annex was under the supervision of male Sing Sing administrators

Mallicoat, Women and Crime: A Text/Reader 2e

Historical Context of Female Prisons

Reform
Elizabeth Fry
Inspiration for women in the U.S.
Responsibility of women in the community to help female offenders
Indiana Women’s Prison (1873)
First stand-alone female prison
Included maximum security

Mallicoat, Women and Crime: A Text/Reader 2e

Historical Context of Female Prisons

Institution Models
Custodial institutions
Similar to the warehousing of male inmates with little opportunity for reform
More prevalent in the South
More likely to house women of color even if they committed a minor offense
Dismal conditions

Mallicoat, Women and Crime: A Text/Reader 2e

Historical Context of Female Prisons

Institution Models
Reformatory
Intent to rehabilitate women, improve their moral character
Unladylike offenses
Indeterminate sentences, until reformed
Reserved for white, working-class women
Had female guards and administrators
Programming seen as “patriarchy at its finest”

Mallicoat, Women and Crime: A Text/Reader 2e

Historical Context of Female Prisons

Reformatory Examples
Massachusetts Correctional Institution (1877)
Now more similar to a male institution
California Institution for Women (1960s)
Gendered programs
Impact of California’s Uniform Determinate Sentencing Act (1976)

Mallicoat, Women and Crime: A Text/Reader 2e

Historical Context of Female Prisons

Today, most states have at least one women’s prison

House all security levels

Located in remote areas

Women are less likely to see their families

Mallicoat, Women and Crime: A Text/Reader 2e

Contemporary Issues for Incarcerated Women

There has been a dramatic rise in the number of women incarcerated in the U.S.
Women of color are overrepresented
Incarceration rates often three times greater than white women
Women who struggle
Impoverished, unemployed, undereducated
Overcrowding in prison facilities
Increases in stress, anxiety, and suicidal ideation
Facility resources are lacking

Mallicoat, Women and Crime: A Text/Reader 2e

Contemporary Issues for Incarcerated Women

Social support inside prison
Previous relationships
New relationships
Trust is difficult
Severance (2005) categorized female inmate relationships
Acquaintances
Friends
Family
Girlfriends

Mallicoat, Women and Crime: A Text/Reader 2e

Physical and Mental Health Needs

CJ system is often ill-equipped to deal with issues
Women inmates have significantly higher rates of mental illness
“Pains of imprisonment” exacerbate mental health issues
Suicidal ideation
Resources needed for screening and treatment
Medication used as a “cure-all”
Failure to take medicine can result in sanctions
Limited access to therapeutic interventions
Importance of trust and support

Mallicoat, Women and Crime: A Text/Reader 2e

Physical and Mental Health Needs

Physical Health Needs
Women inmates are more likely to be HIV+
Hepatitis C
Histories of abuse and risky lifestyles
Drug Treatment
Therapeutic communities
Gender-specific drug treatment programs
Address unique needs of women
Participants more likely to be successful

Mallicoat, Women and Crime: A Text/Reader 2e

Physical and Mental Health Needs

Facility Limitations
Understaffed
Lacking in diagnostic tools
Demand for services significantly outweigh their availability

Mallicoat, Women and Crime: A Text/Reader 2e

Children of Incarcerated Mothers

Children of inmates are at high risk for delinquency and future incarceration
Pregnant inmates
Concern regarding prenatal care and stress of prison life
Delivery can be traumatic
Shackling
Mother and child are separated shortly after birth

Mallicoat, Women and Crime: A Text/Reader 2e

Children of Incarcerated Mothers

Prison nursery programs in 9 states
Bedford Hills Correctional Facility (NY)
Includes parenting classes and support groups
Women can stay up to 3 years
Overnight visits with children
Programs for children
Concerns over whether children should be in prison
Studies show children who are removed are more likely to be high-risk educationally and emotionally

Mallicoat, Women and Crime: A Text/Reader 2e

Children of Incarcerated Mothers

Women inmates stress over who will take care of their children
In other cases, children may be placed in foster care
Adoption and Safe Families Act 1997
Termination of parental rights after 15 months
Location and financial concerns prevent frequent visits
Telephone calls and letters
Programs to help facilitate additional contact

Mallicoat, Women and Crime: A Text/Reader 2e

Children of Incarcerated Mothers

Parenting skills programming
Girl Scouts Beyond Bars program (GSBB)
Girls visit their mothers twice a month to work on projects
Allows mothers an active role
Many positive benefits
Programs such as GSBB require significant emotional, physical, and financial investment
Volunteers
Funding

Mallicoat, Women and Crime: A Text/Reader 2e

Reading 19

Introduction
Females constitute 7.5% of inmates
Fastest growing population in the America’s prisons today
1977 to 2008, rate of incarceration of women grew by 943%
Prior Research on Incarcerated Mothers
Female prisoners share certain characteristics
Poor, single, disproportionally racial minorities, on average, mothers have two children
Most women in prison are incarcerated for drug-related offenses and were abusing drugs or alcohol
Children continue to play a central role in women’s lives eben during imprisonment

Mallicoat, Women and Crime: A Text/Reader 2e

Reading 19

Coping with Potential or Actual Separation Due to Imprisonment
Stress and coping
Methods and Data
Results
Being a good mother
Disassociation from prisoner identity
Mothering from prison
Role redefinition
Self transformation
Planning and preparation
Self-blame

Mallicoat, Women and Crime: A Text/Reader 2e

Reading 20

Incarcerated women are vulnerable and often “invisible”
Many women who enter correctional institutions suffer from mental health issues
Depression
Anxiety
PTSD
Addiction

Mallicoat, Women and Crime: A Text/Reader 2e

Reading 20

Evolution of the Study
Review of the literature
Gaps in the literature
Methods
Conducted in a maximum security woman’s prison
Findings
Worse mental health
Improved mental health
No change in mental health
Discussion

Mallicoat, Women and Crime: A Text/Reader 2e