Women in Prison: A Reference Handbook

✍ Scribed by Cyndi Banks

• Publisher: ABC-CLIO
• Year: 2003
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 241
• Series: Contemporary World Issues
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

Focusing on an often overlooked subject, this volume explores women's incarceration, from the first women-only prison to modern state-of-the-art facilities. It explores controversies, problems, and solutions, such as excessive discipline, the lack of training programs, sexual abuse, medical services, and visitation policies.

The book also investigates key issues such as the background of inmates, the disproportionate number of African American and Hispanic prisoners because of the ''war on drugs,'' and how women cope with the separation from their children and families. A full chapter is devoted to important people and events, from the first female jail keeper in 1822 to changing prison goals and the impact of feminism.

✦ Table of Contents

Contents......Page 8
Preface......Page 12
1 The History of Women’s Prisons......Page 14
2 Problems, Controversies, and Solutions......Page 54
3 Voices of Women behind Bars......Page 120
4 Chronology......Page 132
5 Guarding Women in Prison......Page 138
6 People and Events......Page 154
7 Facts and Data......Page 176
8 Directory of Organizations, Associations, and Government and International Agencies......Page 192
9 Selected Print and Nonprint Resources......Page 202
Index......Page 222
About the Author......Page 240