Women in Prison : A Reference Handbook (Contemporary World Issues)

A concise survey of the treatment of jailed women in America since the early 1800s, their unique problems, the effect on their families, and the state of prisons today. 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. Includes an abundance of resources for further research including extensive statistics on the number of women in state and federal prisons by race, the proportion of women jailed for violent offenses, and characteristics of female state prison inmates An annotated bibliography of print and nonprint resources such as Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment, Journal of Offender Rehabilitation, Corrections Today, and Women, Crime, and Justice