NCJ Number
138034
Date Published
1992
Length
7 pages
Annotation
This paper identifies specific difficulties encountered by female inmate in Australian prisons and recommends ways to improve the system.
Abstract
This paper is abstracted in part from "The Forgotten Few: Overseas-born Women in Australian Prisons" (1992). A component of the research for that book was obtained through observation of eight women's prisons in New South Wales, Queensland, and Victoria; indepth interviews with a sample of 56 overseas-born female inmates; and analysis of 125 surveys returned by uniformed officers and other prison staff. Regarding the prevalence of women in Australian prisons, there is apparently a continuous upward trend, although women are a small proportion (5.4 percent in June 1990 averages) of total Australians imprisoned. Half of the women inmates are in their 20's; most are poorly educated and were unemployed prior to imprisonment. Slightly more than one-third were married at the time they entered prison. Forty-three percent of the women inmates have committed property offenses; most are serving their first sentence. Illicit drugs are rampant in the women's prisons according to most of the inmates interviewed. This is not surprising given the prevalence of drug abuse among the inmates prior to their entering prison. There is a general lack of significant work, educational opportunities, and counseling for women inmates. Unit management could facilitate improved gender-sensitive individualization of programs for women inmates. Noncustodial sentences could also be used more extensively with women offenders, since most are nonviolent offenders. 31 references