NCJ Number
178527
Date Published
1998
Length
19 pages
Annotation
This report on women's prisons in the United States summarizes results of a written survey conducted by the National Institute of Corrections; 49 state departments of correction (DOC) responded to the survey, along with New York City, the District of Columbia, the Federal Bureau of Prisons, and the Correctional Service of Canada.
Abstract
The survey identified at least 108 secure facilities housing female state-sentenced offenders in the United States as of December 31, 1997. Forty state DOCs were operating a total of 92 secure facilities that housed only female inmates. Ten state DOCs were operating at least 16 secure facilities that housed both males and females. Among the State DOCs, 21 housed female offenders in a single female-only facility, and 19 housed female offenders in more than one women's prison. Both the Federal Bureau of Prisons and the Correctional Service of Canada housed women in multiple institutions. Six state DOCs contracted with private providers to operate women's prisons. Custody staff/inmate ratios in small, medium, and large prisons were 1 to 3.8, 1 to 4.7, and 1 to 4.6, respectively. Females held the majority of custody, program, and administrative positions in women's prisons. Correctional departments varied widely in their approach to training on issues specific to female offenders. In addition, different formal policies existed for male and female inmates in several areas of operation that affected inmate management and the daily lives of inmates. Specific policies had been developed by 21 DOCs that addressed the physical control and transportation of pregnant inmates. Some programs addressed issues specific to female offenders, including nursery, mentoring and self-esteem, survivor group, and health education programs. Other programs focused on issues common to both male and female offenders, such as parenting, reintegration, substance abuse, life skills, and mental health programs. An appendix lists contacts and telephone numbers in women's prisons in the United States and Canada. 2 tables