NCJ Number
192384
Journal
Journal of Criminal Justice Volume: 29 Issue: 6 Dated: November-December 2001 Pages: 531-541
Date Published
November 2001
Length
11 pages
Annotation
This analysis of the subjective experiences of imprisoned women gathered information through retrospective interviews with 54 parolees in a western State.
Abstract
All but one of the participants had been incarcerated in the same institution in a western State. The institution housed about 300 women and had 37 female and 24 male correctional officers. The interviews focused on the women’s initial experiences and impressions, weaknesses and harassment, the atmosphere in the prison inmate relationships, drug involvement, inmate-staff relations, and family separation. Results revealed overt behavioral and underlying structural tensions that created an atmosphere of fear and violence in the prison. In addition, attitudes of indifference between inmates and correctional staff often contributed to promoting an atmosphere of neglect. The analysis concluded that female inmates suffered the pains of imprisonment to a greater degree than previously acknowledged and that prison for these women was a social world filled with anxiety and perhaps representing a punishment well beyond what the law intended. 53 references (Author abstract modified)