WOMEN'S PRISON CULTURE

The Women's Prison Culture and its Impact on Recidivism

Abstract

In this study, we try to explore the concept of “Women's Prison Culture” in a holistic context. The main focus of the research is on women's prison culture and its impact on recidivism. The research also analyzes many aspects of prison culture and tries to gauge its impact on Recidivism. Finally, the research describes various factors which are responsible for it and tries to describe the overall effect of Women's Prison Culture and its Impact on Recidivism.

Table of Contents

Abstractii

Introduction1

Social Structure among Female Inmates2

Negative Social Roles2

Positive Social Roles3

Social Roles Based on Pseudofamilial Relationships4

Women's Prison Culture5

Impact of Recidivism8

Perspectives on Imprisonment8

Specific Deterrence9

Recidivism after Release10

Imprisonment and Subsequent Criminal Behavior11

Conclusion11

References13

The Women's Prison Culture and its Impact on Recidivism

Introduction

Rose Giallombardo was one of the first researchers to examine female prisoners and the inmate subculture within a women's correctional facility. Previous studies had shown that inmate subcultures existed in male prisons. Giallombardo recognized, however, that males and females may not experience and adapt to the prison environment in the same ways. As a result, she explored the world of the female inmate by spending 1 year conducting research in the West Virginia Women's Federal Reformatory (Pollack, 2005).

During her year-long project, Giallombardo gathered data in a number of ways. The primary data sources was direct observation of inmates as they participated in both formal and everyday activities during their daily routines (Kruttschnitt, & Gartner, 2003). She also conducted interviews with inmates to learn about their experiences and values both inside and outside of prison. Her observational and interview data supplemented by reviews of official files for more than 650 inmates, as well as interviews with correctional staff and administrators.

Giallombardo's research indicated that females, like males, do experience “pains of imprisonment.” In particular, the female inmates agreed that “prison life is depriving and frustrating” (1966a, p. 273). They had to learn to cope with the loss of autonomy; a lack of freedom, personal security, and privacy; having no access to heterosexual relationships; the lack of emotional support because of removal from family and friends; a loss of self-esteem and responsibility; and having little access to material goods and property that once helped to establish each woman's self-image. Consequently, similar to their male counterparts, females developed a prison subculture—complete with its own rules and argot—to help neutralize these pains of imprisonment (Gartner, and Miller, 2000).

Social Structure among Female Inmates

Through her observations and conversations with the inmates, Giallombardo defined several social roles present in the female prison subculture. Some of the roles looked down upon by other inmates, while other social positions—especially those based on close friendships and other relationships—were highly regarded and sought after. Several important female inmate social roles are discussed below.

Negative Social Roles

The female snitcher may be compared to the “rat” in the male inmate subculture, in that both are inmates that give information to staff members, and that occupy positions held in contempt by other inmates. However, the consequences of crossing communication lines are different based ...