Female Prison Inmates Research Articles

Suicidal ideation among prisoners: analysis with a gender perspective in a five-year follow-up (2017-2022).

There is a high incidence of self-harming behavior in the prison setting, with a suicide rate that is higher than that of the general population. Previous studies describe the association of sociodemographic, clinical, and criminological factors with the risk of suicide in the male prison population, but there is little research that specifically analyses suicidal behavior among women. The objective of this study is to analyze the characteristics of inmates who are admitted to a psychiatric unit for suicidal thoughts or attempted suicide. Descriptive and comparative analysis of 97 inmates (68 men, 29 women) admitted to the Unidad de Hospitalización Psiquiátrica Penitenciaria de Cataluña (UHPP-C), for suicidal ideation, between January 1, 2017, and December 31, 2022. There are differences in terms of place of birth, with a more significant presence of African nationalities in non-national males, while foreign inmates tend to come from Latin American countries. Men have a lower mean age, longer admissions, and a higher readmission rate. They also suffer from more psychotic and addictive disorders. Women have a higher prevalence of personality disorders and affective symptoms. There are sociodemographic and clinical differences between male and female prison inmates who require admission for suicidal ideation. Including a gender perspective in studies on suicide risk in the prison population can provide a solid foundation for future studies, thus allowing a more complete understanding of suicidal ideation and intervention needs in the prison population.

Effect of Yoga on Psychological and Emotion Regulation among Women Prisoners: A Pilot, Randomized Controlled Trial

ABSTRACT Background: Given the stress of imprisonment and isolation from families, the women prisoners are subjected to increased anxiety, depression, and emotional dysregulation. Due to these negative outcomes, it is imperative to find efficient nonpharmacological interventions. Yoga improves mental health in both correctional settings and the general population. Studies conducted on the mental health of female prison inmates are scarce. Materials and Methods: A randomized controlled trial was used and instigated on 76 women prisoners with moderate-to-severe stress levels, randomly allocated into Group 1 (n = 36) and Group 2 (n = 40). Group 1 was taught with 90 min of Integrated Approach of Yoga Therapy and Group 2 was taught with 90 min of free choice physical exercise for 15 days. Assessments were taken before and after the intervention. Data were analyzed using the analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) adjusting for the baseline differences. Results: Significant difference in effect was found between the groups in the State Trait Anxiety Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), emotion regulation questionnaire, and positive and negative affect questionnaire schedule (PANAS). Within group analysis demonstrated improved scores in all psychological constructs in the yoga group. Although some constructs also shown significant changes in the control group, the effect size was less when compared to the yoga group. Conclusion: Yoga can be administered in the prison setting daily to maintain the mental health of the women prisoners.

Factors associated with sexually transmitted diseases amongst female prison inmates in Peru.

The number of women in prison is rapidly increasing every year and it is important to establish what factors are related to the probability of presenting STDs in this population to enable health control policies to be established. An analysis was carried out on the open database of the national prison population survey conducted in 2016 in all Peruvian prisons. The study was based on the census and all female and male adults in prison were surveyed using a validated questionnaire. The sample consisted of 4,574 inmates in 67 institutions, covering 98.8% of the inmate population. It was found that presenting tuberculosis (PR: 2.64; CI 95%, 1.32-5.26), HIV/AIDS (PR 6.54, CI 95% 1.52-28.18), hepatitis (PR: 4.01; CI 95%, 1.23-13.11) and drug use (PR: 2.44; CI 95%, 1.32-4.52), are statistically related (P ≤0.05) are factors associated with the presence of STDs in the multivariate model with a P ≤0.05. The inclusion of associated factors (tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, hepatitis and drug use) should be part of the strategy to control and treat STD in women's prisons in Peru.

Issues in Vocational Training Programs for the Female Prison Inmates in Sri Lanka: Trainers’ Perspectives

Issues in Vocational Training Programs for the Female Prison Inmates in Sri Lanka: Trainers’ Perspectives

Lower urinary tract symptoms in female prison inmates: prevalence and impact on quality of life.

The objective was to estimate the prevalence and assess the impact of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) on the quality of life of incarcerated women. Cross-sectional study conducted with 307 incarcerated women from the state of Ceará, Brazil, from June to September 2018. To identify the prevalence of symptoms, an instrument was developed according to the recommendations of the International Continence Society. To assess the frequency, intensity, and impact of the identified symptoms on quality of life, the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Short Form and King's Health Questionnaire were applied. The profile of the inmates was mostly young women (mean = 32.9 ± 11.8years), Black, who had been in prison for a mean of 17.3 ± 12.0months. Approximately half (n = 152, 49.5%) presented with storage complaints, with emphasis on urinary incontinence (n = 61, 19.9%), nocturia (n = 55, 17.9%), and urinary urgency (n = 45, 14.7%). Among the voiding symptoms (n = 71, 23.1%), dysuria (n = 39, 12.7%), and recurrent UTI (n = 44, 14.3%) were the most frequent. The complaint of incomplete bladder emptying (19.5%) was mentioned by 60 of the inmates. Sociodemographic data and environmental conditions were mainly associated with storage symptoms (p = 0.019). Women from prisons 2 and 3 presented with a greater impact on the quality of life. The high prevalence of LUTS in female inmates, together with unhealthy toileting behaviors within the prison units, indicate that incarceration might play a role in the occurrence of these symptoms, while also affecting quality of life. The acknowledgement and investigation of these symptoms is important for improving health care in prisons.

The Level of Aggressiveness During Karate Practice of Inmates in Correctional Settings.

Karate is known to enhance cognitive functioning, emotional well-being, and self-regulation and to contribute to an overall behavior rehabilitation process. However, few data are available on the impact of practicing karate in adult prison inmates. The main objective of this research was to evaluate aggressive behavior, comparing prison inmates and club practitioners during karate practice. The level of aggressiveness was rated by observers during defined elements and training situations in karate classes held in France. Data were collected during 77 observations of 75 prison inmates (55 male and 20 female) in a prison setting, and 188 observations of 117 club practitioners (80 male and 37 female) in a club setting over a period of 26 months. Licit aggressiveness was graded by observers during launched actions, kiais, and bows, and the practice level (belts) was also considered. Interrater reliability of the observational measure was highly acceptable (Cohen κ = 1). Comparisons between female and male prison inmates and club practitioners were made using the non-parametric Mann–Whitney U-test for independent samples. The results revealed that a higher level of aggressiveness was observed in both male and female club practitioners during launched actions and kiais than in prison inmate practitioners (p < 0.001, small effect size). However, prison inmates (of both genders) showed a higher level of aggressiveness during bows (p < 0.001, medium effect size). While the analyses showed no significant differences between genders, the level of karate practice was associated with distinct changes. Significant differences in observed aggressiveness were present only in beginners and in those with a low level of karate practice, whereas no differences in aggressiveness between prison or club practitioners were observed during karate practice in those with a high level of karate practice (black belt). However, these results must be interpreted with caution as there was no way to control the multiple factors that might also affect inmate behaviors in a correctional setting. We suggest that karate practice in prison may positively contribute to interactional behaviors.

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF MINDFULNESS MODULE TO REDUCE AGGRESSION AMONG PRISON INMATES

The purpose of this research was to examine the positive effect of mindfulness among female prison inmates who are aggressive. Quantitative Quasi-experimental research methodology was used in this research where the empirical intervention was studied using purposive sampling. The sample consisted of 36 female inmates from one of the prisons in the Malaysian state. They were tested for mindfulness techniques and the measures were taken before and after intervention for six weeks. The research was conducted using survey questionnaires. Measurements were made using the “Mindful Attention Awareness Scale” for the measurement of mindfulness. Aggression questionnaire developed by Buss &amp; Perry was used to measure aggression of inmates in terms of Physical Aggression (PA), Verbal Aggression (VA), Anger (A), and H (Hostility). The data collected were analyzed with SPSS version 25. The findings indicated that there is a correlation between mindfulness and aggression. The study also indicated that those who had practised mindfulness showed less aggression, and built a strong bond with other participants in the group. There were limitations to the prison environment due to security reasons. Thus, it is recommended that the study be conducted in a non-prison environment to further strengthen the findings.

Geopathic Stress, Perceived Stress, and Spirituality of Female Prison Inmates: Initial Calculation

Incarceration stress among female prison inmates cannot be avoided, but it has to be coped with. This descriptive-correlational study determined the level and extent of the relationship among perceived stress (PS), geopathic stress (GS), and spirituality of 116 purposively and conveniently selected female prison inmates of certain city Rehabilitation Center in the Philippines, during the third quarter of the Fiscal year 2019. The study utilized the adopted Cohen and Williamson (2008) PS Scale, the Spirituality Scale from Hernandez (2011), and Convocar (2014) GS instrument. Statistics employed were Percentages, Means, Standard Deviation, Mann Whitney, and Kruskal Wallis test set at .05 alpha. The findings revealed that the female inmates had a fair level of PS and a high level of spirituality regardless of their age, educational attainment, length of incarceration, and status of the case, and 27 percent were affected by GS. They differed significantly in PS when grouped according to their length of incarceration, the status of a case, and level of GS, and differed significantly in spirituality when grouped according to their age. A negative and significant relationship between the level of PS and spirituality; and a significant positive relationship between the level of GS and PS. Hence, GS and spirituality have to be considered in managing stress among female inmates.

Evaluation of childhood trauma with respect to criminal behavior, dissociative experiences, adverse family experiences and psychiatric backgrounds among prison inmates

ObjectiveTo evaluate childhood trauma in relation to criminal behavior, dissociative experiences, adverse family experiences during childhood and psychiatric backgrounds among prison inmates. MethodsIn total, 200 prison inmates were included in this questionnaire-based study. Data on demographic characteristics, adverse family experiences during childhood and psychiatric backgrounds were collected via face-to-face interviews, and a psychometric evaluation was conducted using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ-28) and Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES). ResultsSeveral historical items were more common in females than in males including family history of psychiatric disease (23.0% vs. 13.0%, p = 0.048), a personal history of psychiatric disease (51.0% vs. 29.0%, p < 0.001), and previous suicide attempts (49.0% vs. 25.0%, p < 0.001). In male inmates, in contrast, there were higher rates of substance abuse (48.0% vs. 29.0%, p < 0.001) and previous convictions (50.0% vs. 25.0%, p < 0.001). Males had a younger age at first crime (24.9 ± 8.9 years vs. 30.3 ± 9.2 years, p < 0.001), whereas females had higher rates of violent crimes (69.2% vs. 30.8% p < 0.001) and higher CTQ total scores (51.9 ± 20.9 vs. 46.2 ± 18.9, p = 0.04). A significant relationship of CTQ total score was noted with age at first offense (β = 0.772, p < 0.001) but not with sentence length (β = 0.075, p = 0.292). There were also possible mediating roles of psychiatric problems, adverse family experiences and DES in the relationship between CTQ and age at first offense. ConclusionIn conclusion, our findings revealed a high prevalence of and significant associations among childhood trauma, dissociative experiences, adverse family experiences and psychiatric problems in a cohort of incarcerated females and males. A psychiatric background, childhood trauma characterized by sexual abuse and violent crimes were found to be predominant in female prison inmates, whereas a criminal background with a younger age at first offense and frequent previous convictions, substance use and sexual crimes were more prevalent among male prison inmates. Our findings indicate a potential link between childhood traumatization and criminal behavior in terms of subsequent offending but not in terms of severity of the subsequent offense.

Risk Factors for Women Being Under the Influence of Alcohol Compared With Other Illicit Substances at the Time of Committing Violent Crimes.

We investigated women under the influence of alcohol compared with other illicit substances at the time of committing a crime to identify predictors of being under the influence of alcohol and female-enacted crime. Analyses of data, obtained from private interviews and examinations of female prison inmates, included regression analyses exploring predictors of being under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crime and predictors of violent crime. In addition, a reanalysis of a previously reported model, predicting conviction of a violent crime, was conducted including a new variable, being under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crime. Those under the influence of alcohol at the time of their crime had experienced greater nonfamilial childhood sexual abuse and traumatic brain injuries with loss of consciousness predating their crime. They were more likely to have committed a violent, rather than nonviolent, crime compared with those under the influence of other substances, with the latter being not significantly different for those not under the influence of any substance. Being under the influence of alcohol increased the risk of committing a violent crime, adjusting for other predictors of female violence. Women under the influence of alcohol are at a greater risk for committing violent crimes than those under the influence of other substances. Female nonfamilial childhood sexual abuse and traumatic brain injury victims were at a higher risk for being under the influence of alcohol, in comparison with other substances, at the time of committing a violent crime.

Hearts Grow: Contemplative Learning for Inner Stability Development in Female Prison Inmates

Hearts Grow: Contemplative Learning for Inner Stability Development in Female Prison Inmates

Prevalence of borderline personality disorder and its risk factors in female prison inmates in China

High prevalence of borderline personality disorder (BPD) has been found in Western prisons but no such data exists in China. The objective of this study was to determine the lifetime prevalence of BPD in Chinese female prison inmates and its associated risk factors. This cross-sectional study was conducted in Hunan Provincial Female Prison. Data on consenting inmates’ socio-demographic and clinical characteristics were collected and the diagnosis of lifetime BPD was established using the Structural Clinical Interview for DSM-IV. The prevalence of BPD was 10.6% in the cohort of 2709 participating inmates. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that younger age, unmarried marital status, higher education level, fewer major medical conditions, more frequent personal and family members’ drug use, more frequent comorbid psychiatric disorders and family history of psychiatric disorders were positively and independently associated with BPD. BPD is common in Chinese female prison inmates. Considering its adverse social consequences and impact on physical and mental well-being, serious attempts should be made to diagnose BPD early and improve access to treatment in women prisons.

Personality and trait aggression profiles of male and female prison inmates

Gender specific personality profiles in association with the level of aggressive antisocial behavior in offenders have not been previously investigated. In the present study we analyzed data collected from 65 male and 50 female offenders using structured protocols regarding criminal history (by criminal register data), trait aggression (by the Life History of Aggression (LHA) questionnaire), and personality profiles (by the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI)). Prison inmates differed significantly on several personality dimensions, most pronouncedly were they characterized with low character maturity (low scores in the Self-Directedness and Cooperativeness dimensions of TCI) when compared to gender and age matched controls of the general population. The majority of offenders scored distinctively high on trait aggression. There were moderate to strong associations between the personality dimensions and each of the subscales of LHA (Aggression, Self-directed Aggression and Antisocial behavior). These associations were stronger in the female offender sample. Trait aggression could be best explained by a model, which included male gender, younger age, high novelty seeking temperament and low character maturity. Our results suggest that therapies aiming at strengthening self-governance and increasing cooperativeness (focusing on character maturity) may alleviate aggressive antisocial behavior in offenders.

Brain potentials predict substance abuse treatment completion in a prison sample.

IntroductionNational estimates suggest that up to 80% of prison inmates meet diagnostic criteria for a substance use disorder. Because more substance abuse treatment while incarcerated is associated with better post‐release outcomes, including a reduced risk of accidental overdose death, the stakes are high in developing novel predictors of substance abuse treatment completion in inmate populations.MethodsUsing electroencephalography (EEG), this study investigated stimulus‐locked ERP components elicited by distractor stimuli in three tasks (VO‐Distinct, VO‐Repeated, Go/NoGo) as a predictor of treatment discontinuation in a sample of male and female prison inmates. We predicted that those who discontinued treatment early would exhibit a less positive P3a amplitude elicited by distractor stimuli.ResultsOur predictions regarding ERP components were partially supported. Those who discontinued treatment early exhibited a less positive P3a amplitude and a less positive PC4 in the VO‐D task. In the VO‐R task, however, those who discontinued treatment early exhibited a more negative N200 amplitude rather than the hypothesized less positive P3a amplitude. The discontinuation group also displayed less positive PC4 amplitude. Surprisingly, there were no time‐domain or principle component differences among the groups in the Go/NoGo task. Support Vector Machine (SVM) models of the three tasks accurately classified individuals who discontinued treatment with the best model accurately classifying 75% of inmates. PCA techniques were more sensitive in differentiating groups than the classic time‐domain windowed approach.ConclusionsOur pattern of findings are consistent with the context‐updating theory of P300 and may help identify subtypes of ultrahigh‐risk substance abusers who need specialized treatment programs.

Female children with incarcerated adult family members at risk for lifelong neurological decline

abstractA secondary analysis of data from adult female prison inmates in the mid-Atlantic United States defined relationships between having incarcerated adult family members during childhood and neurological outcomes. Of 135 inmates, 99 (60%) had one or more incarcerated adult family members during childhood. Regression analyses revealed that having incarcerated adult family members was related to greater frequency and severity of childhood abuse and higher incidence of neurological deficits in adulthood, especially related to traumatic brain injuries, compared to those without incarcerated adult family members. Along with being role models, adult family members impact the neurological health of children throughout their life-span.

Risk and Vulnerability of Key Populations to HIV Infection in Iran; Knowledge, Attitude and Practices of Female Sex-Workers, Prison Inmates and People who Inject Drugs.

Background: In this study data of three national surveys conducted among female sex workers (FSW), prison inmates and people who inject drugs (PWID) were presented and compared in relation to knowledge, attitude, and practises. Methods: The surveys were conducted in 2009 and 2010 and included 2546 PWID, 872 FSW and 5530 prison inmates. Knowledge, attitude and practises towards HIV were measured through similar questions for each category. Results: Over 90% of all participants had ever heard of HIV/AIDS, although only approximately half of them perceived themselves at risk of contracting HIV. More than 80% were able to correctly identify the ways of preventing the sexual transmission of HIV; while more than two-thirds did not use condom in their last sexual contact. Approximately 20% of prisoners and FSW had a history of injecting drugs. Among all participants who have injected drugs, prisoners had the highest unsafe injecting behaviour at the last injection (61%), followed by FSW (11%) and PWID (3%). Conclusions: Despite major efforts to control the HIV epidemic in Iran, the level of risk and vulnerability among prisoners, FSW and PWID is still high. The level of comprehensive knowledge about HIV/AIDS is relatively good; however, their risk perception of contracting HIV is low and high-risk behaviours are prevalent. Therefore, HIV prevention programs should beredesigned inamore comprehensivewaytoidentifythebest venuestoreach thelargestnumberof peopleat ahigher risk of contracting HIV and decrease their risk overlaps and vulnerability factors.

Female Inmates with Diabetes: Results from Changes in a Prison Food Environment

ObjectiveThe prevalence of diabetes among Oregon prison inmates has increased by 50% in the last 5 years. The Healthy Food Access Project (HFAP) was implemented in the minimum-security facility at the Oregon Coffee Creek Correctional Facility to reduce the risk of chronic disease (including diabetes) and improve nutrition among female prison inmates. The intervention reduced the menu from 3,000 to 2,200 calories per day and provided nutrition education. We evaluated the effectiveness of HFAP on female inmates with diabetes on two outcomes: the effect of the reduced calorie menu on glycemic control and other biometric measures, and the calories purchased from commissary foods. MethodWe conducted a quasiexperimental study among all female inmates with diabetes living at the prison on August 28, 2013. Exposed inmates resided in the minimum-security facility for a minimum of 90 days after August 1, 2012 (when a reduced calorie menu was implemented); unexposed inmates resided primarily or exclusively in the medium-security facility. Medical chart abstractions were conducted to collect biometric data and mixed effects models described the differences in biometric trends between exposed and unexposed participants. Commissary receipts were collected to measure calories purchased. ResultsOf the 63 female inmates with diabetes, 24 were exposed to the intervention and 39 were unexposed. Exposed inmates reduced their hemoglobin A1c levels by 0.04 percentage points per month compared with 0.01 percentage points per month among unexposed inmates. Changes in body mass index depended on the amount of time they had served at the prison. Participants purchased an average of 1,094 calories from the commissary per day. Exposed inmates did not purchase more calories from the commissary after HFAP implementation. ConclusionExposure to HFAP supported modest improvement in glycemic control among female inmates with diabetes, and inmates exposed to HFAP did not purchase more calories from the commissary.

Prevalence of hepatitis C virus in mothers and their children in Malawi.

ObjectivesHepatitis C virus (HCV) prevalence is poorly mapped in the East African region; with the advent of novel HCV therapies, better epidemiological data are required to target the infection. We sought to estimate HCV prevalence in healthy Malawian mothers and assess mother-to-child transmission (MTCT); context is provided by reviewing previously published HCV prevalence data from the region.MethodsUsing ELISA screening and confirmatory blot, serological testing of 418 healthy Malawian mothers for HCV was performed. To examine MTCT, the children of any positive women were also tested for HCV; all children had malignant disease unrelated to hepatocellular carcinoma. We compared our results to published literature on HCV prevalence in Malawi and its neighbouring countries.ResultsThree of 418 women were HCV reactive by ELISA; two were confirmed positive by immunoblot (0.5%). One child of an HCV-infected mother was HCV seropositive. The literature review revealed HCV prevalence ranging from 0 to 7.2% in the region, being highest in Tanzania and specifically for cohorts of inpatients and HIV-co-infected people. The overall estimated prevalence of HCV in Malawi was 1.0% (95%CI 0.7–1.4) when all studies were included (including this one), but lower in healthy cohorts alone at 0.3% (95%CI 0.1–1.2).ConclusionsThis is the first study using confirmatory tests to examine HCV prevalence in healthy Malawian mothers; the prevalence was low. Future studies need to address the source of infection in healthy women.

Comorbid antisocial and substance misuse proclivity and mental health service utilization by female inmates: testing the worst of both worlds hypothesis with the PAI.

The primary purpose of this study was to establish whether female inmates with comorbid proclivity for antisocial behavior and substance misuse, as measured by the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI; Morey, 2007), use more mental health-related services than female inmates with either antisocial or substance misuse proclivity alone. A second purpose was to determine whether the effect of comorbid antisocial and substance misuse proclivity on mental health service utilization is cumulative or interactive. In a survey of 421 female federal prison inmates, it was noted that proclivity for both antisocial behavior and substance misuse was associated with significantly greater subsequent use of mental health services in female inmates than either proclivity alone, even after preexisting mental health diagnoses and treatment were controlled. In addition, the effect was additive rather than interactive. These findings provide further support for the "worst of both worlds" hypothesis, which holds that comorbid antisocial and substance involvement/proclivity portend poorer future outcomes than either antisocial or substance involvement/proclivity alone. The implications of these results for development of a comprehensive training model that provides mental health professionals with the skills to properly screen and effectively treat female inmates are discussed, along with the need to clarify the theory behind the "worst of both worlds" hypothesis.

Examining the Association Between Co-Occurring Disorders and Seriousness of Misconduct by Female Prison Inmates

Although studies have consistently demonstrated mentally ill offenders to be disproportionately involved in misconduct within correctional facilities, research is limited on the potential exacerbating effects of co-occurring disorders (CODs) on inmate behavior. With the vast number of offenders who have comorbid psychiatric and substance use disorders, it is essential that we understand whether the clinically interactive nature of CODs may present increased security and management challenges for correctional administrators. Using data from the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections (PADOC), we compared the institutional misconduct experiences of female inmates with CODs to those for inmates with singular disorders or no disorders. The findings of our study support prior research showing mental illness as a risk factor for prison misconduct. The results further suggest that the presence of both a substance use disorder and a mental illness exacerbates the risk of negative behaviors beyond the singular disorder of mental illness.