NCJ Number
128208
Journal
Prison Journal Volume: 80 Issue: 1 Dated: (Spring-Summer 1990) Pages: 46-57
Date Published
1990
Length
10 pages
Annotation
While life imprisonment is the most severe punishment that British courts can mete out, the procedures and rules which govern the serving of life sentences have been designed with the majority male inmate population in mind. The assessment functions of the Main Center for Women at H-Wing Durham are examined as well as the role of the staff in the assessment, the experiences of the women at the center, and possible directions for change.
Abstract
The assessment carried out at H-Wing Durham is designed to evaluate the suitability of a prisoner carrying a life sentence for early release into the community and to develop a career plan for the prisoner. These assessments are carried out in a small, high-security facility, both of which conditions limit the range of work and educational opportunities. The correctional staff at the facility have mixed opinions about the female inmates, ranging from concern to cynicism and doubts about their integrity. The staff have identified their primary tasks as providing discipline and setting personal examples of productive lifestyles. The women inmates have discussed the deprivations they have experienced including loss of liberty, possessions, autonomy, privacy, and heterosexual relationships. In some cases they doubt their capacity to endure their sentence psychologically; many exhibit an inability to anticipate any future life after release. The author calls for a restructuring of the environment at H-Wing to minimize the women's sense of vulnerability. This would require a reappraisal of the high level of security, the adoption of a facilitative role by staff, and the utilization of therapeutic principles during the assessment process. 8 notes