Female Prisoners Research Articles

Efforts of Class IIA Pekanbaru Women’s Penitentiary in Fulfilling the Rights of Inmates to Interact with Family in the Covid-19 Pandemic

Most of the female prisoners in Pekanbaru Class IIA Women’s Penitentiary have children and families, but while having their sentences, they can’t interact with their children or families as usual. Most of them are mothers. Mothers play an important role in children’s development. The method used in this research is a qualitative method to analyze about how is the efforts of Pekanbaru woman’s penitentiary in optimizing the provision of inmates’ rights by interacting with family during covid-19 pandemic. The results of this study are the efforts of Pekanbaru Class IIA Women’s Penitentiary on granting women’s right is not optimal, which is it is the same as in ordinary penitentiary. There is no special treatment for women in penitentiary even though the interaction with their families, especially their children is very important, considering the children will still need a mother figure. The conclusion of this research is women in penitentiary have a minimum interaction with their families, especially children, and it has the potential to cause children to commit deviate behavior. Based on social bond theory, there are four elements that influence children’s behavior, if any of these elements are not fulfilled then the children will deviate. The children will tend to have no attachment to their parents, especially mothers while the mother is in a penitentiary or prison, and it will cause children to commit delinquency

A Thematic Analysis of Parenting Experiences of Women in Prison

A Thematic Analysis of Parenting Experiences of Women in Prison

Implementation of the Fulfillment of the Rights of Female Prisoners in Class II b Sukabumi Correctional Institution

Background. Human rights are rights that must be fulfilled and realized by everyone without exception, including prisoners in correctional institutions who are serving a sentence. Prisoners in correctional institutions are part of society in general, as humans they have rights that must be upheld by the law and government. Purpose. Female prisoners are different from men in terms of physical, psychological and psychological. Female prisoners also have natural rights that must be lived such as menstruation, pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding. So that female prisoners must receive special treatment. Method. This type of research is a type of field research (field research) using an empirical juridical approach, namely a research that deductively starts from analyzing the articles in the applicable laws and regulations linked to the facts in the field. The nature of this research is descriptive analytical about the fulfillment of the rights of female prisoners in the Class IIB Correctional Institution Sukabumi. Results. The results of this study indicate that the implementation of services to fulfill the rights of female prisoners has not been carried out properly due to various obstacles such as the quality and quantity of correctional officers who have not been fulfilled proportionally Conclusion. as well as facilities and infrastructure that are still not good and limited so that the fulfillment of the rights of prisoners cannot be done optimally.

A Scoping Review of Correctional-Based Interventions for Women Prisoners with Mental Health Problems

Women prisoners are a population at a high risk of experiencing stress, anxiety, and other mental health problems. This is because stressors in prisons, such as strict prison rules, intimidation, and conflicts with other inmates and staff, cause a high prevalence of mental health problems in women prisoners. Mental health services, such as correctional-based interventions, are an important part of overcoming these problems. Therefore, this study aimed to identify correctional-based interventions for women prisoners with mental health problems, specifically to determine the types of correctional-based interventions, the types of mental health problems experienced by women prisoners, and the effectiveness of the interventions. The method used was a scoping review based on Arksey and O’Malley’s framework. Articles were searched using Scopus, CINAHL, PubMed, Science Direct, and Google Scholar with the keywords “Mental Health Care” OR “Mental Health Services” AND “Correctional Program” AND “Interventions” AND “Mental Disorder” OR “Mental Health Problems” AND Women” OR “Female” AND “Inmates” OR “Offenders” OR “Prisoners” OR “Convicts”. The inclusion criteria used were the year of publication (2000–2023), full-text articles in English, and the study sample was women prisoners with mental health problems. After selection, a total of 10 articles were found to meet the review inclusion criteria. The results showed that the correctional-based interventions given to women prisoners with mental health problems included Yoga, which combines mind and body; Seeking Safety, which was a manual CBT model; Transactional Analysis (TA) training program to enhance communication, relationships, and personal well-being; Transcendental Meditation (TM), a simple technique to reduce mental stress; Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) teaches the ability to accept painful or unwanted emotions; and Trauma Effect Regulation to reduce post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). All correctional-based interventions had significant results and can be used by health practitioners in prisons to address mental health problems experienced by women prisoners.

Moral foundations and criminality: comparing community members to prisoners and violent/non-violent offenders

ABSTRACT Morality is built upon individualizing (i.e. care, fairness) and binding (i.e. loyalty, authority, and purity) moral foundations, which are the systems that help people to make moral decisions and behave accordingly. Past research has found that moral foundations are related to past unethical behaviors, but we are the first to test them among people in prison. Specifically, we investigated individual differences in moral foundations in men and women in prison (N = 382) relative to Poles with no criminal record (N = 382), who were matched to the prisoner sample by sex and age. We showed that prisoners care about moral foundations, but just with a different intensity than people from the general population. We found that prisoners had lower individualizing moral foundations and higher binding moral foundations than participants from the general population. Violent prisoners had lower levels of care and purity than non-violent prisoners. Regarding sex differences, women scored higher in individualizing moral foundations than men, both among prisoners and non-prisoners. Lastly, women in prison scored higher in binding moral foundations than men in prison. Our study adds to the discussion of individual differences in moral foundations, which might help prevent crimes and enable the resocialization process.

Women’s Experiences of Life Force Atrocities in the Baltic Ghettos, 1941–1944

Abstract This article focuses on Jewish women in the Nazi ghettos of German-occupied Latvia and Lithuania. It uses testimonies and memoirs of survivors to develop a narrative about life force atrocities at these sites, highlighting ways in which being a Jewish woman shaped the experience of the ghettos, where gendered risks were ubiquitous. Being a woman in the ghettos meant being both exploited and undervalued as a source of physical labor, targeted as a potential or actual bearer of children, and violated as an object of racist and sexist ideology and rage. Life force atrocities have physical and symbolic dimensions, targeting bodies, bonds, and norms of the community. This work considers what women’s accounts tell us about the presence – or ubiquity – of life force atrocities in the Baltic ghettos. It draws on the concepts of the universe of obligation and social death to highlight key roots and consequences of these atrocities for women. In testimonies and memoirs, we encounter themes of pregnancy, forced abortion, the wrenching loss of loved ones, sexual violence, and decisions made in the desperate hope of saving oneself or another. Survivor accounts are key to revealing life force atrocities as defining features of the Nazi ghettos, and the gendered risks faced by women prisoners in Nazi-occupied Riga, Daugavpils, and Kaunas.

Reflexive Research Practice in Women’s Prison Research in Uganda

ABSTRACT Although much has been written about the centrality of reflexivity in qualitative research, the literature on researcher’s reflexivity in prison research is limited. I conducted a PhD qualitative study with a sample of 30 women convicted of murder from one female prison in Uganda. This paper demonstrates the value of reflexivity in research with respect to oppressed women. It does this by discussing what reflexivity is and at what stage of the research process reflexivity is deemed important. Most importantly, the paper discusses different forms of reflexivity that I exercised, which include personal reflexivity, feminist reflexivity, emotional reflexivity, methodological reflexivity and reflexivity on research context and participants. The paper demonstrates how these different forms of reflexivity helped in various research aspects such as the evolution of the topic that empowered women to tell their stories in a context that was without any research on women convicted of murder, in recruitment of participants, avoiding harming participants and in dealing with emotion during data collection.

‘There not being any place to keep her’: Incarcerating Women in Nineteenth-Century Western Australia

With the rate of women’s imprisonment still increasing in Australia, an understanding of the history of women’s incarceration is significant. This article explores the anomalous status of female prisoners in nineteenth-century Western Australia, whose very existence posed a problem for authorities. An examination of gaol returns and Colonial Secretary’s Office correspondence reveals a tension between the authorities’ desire to maintain order in the new colony and the perceived inadequacies of the colony’s carceral spaces for women. From almost the beginning of colonisation, authorities were concerned by the inadequacies of the gaols for women but it was not until 1888 that a dedicated prison was created to house female prisoners. A picture emerges of a colony which was often at a loss to know how to deal with its female prisoners. This article examines the manner in which authorities dealt with women sentenced to imprisonment, and transportation, in nineteenth-century Western Australia.

Oral language skills and mental health in female prisoners: pragmatic skills are essential.

There are strong indications of an elevated incidence of both language problems and problems with mental health among prisoners. We also know that women in prison are a particularly vulnerable group who often face conditions that foremost accommodate the needs of men. In order to adapt prison conditions to women's needs and give better help, we need more information about their characteristics. In this study, we wanted to explore associations between oral language problems and mental health (depression and anxiety) in women in prison. Participants were 58 women, recruited from high and low security women's and mixed prisons. They completed a questionnaire covering demographic variables and several self-report measures. In the present study, the language measures were a Language Composite score (comprising articulation, impressive and expressive language, and pragmatics) and the La Trobe Communication Questionnaire (LCQ), measuring pragmatic skills specifically. Hopkins Symptom Checklist-10 (HSCL) was used as a measure of psychological distress. First, we assessed correlations between the language measures and mental health. Second, we performed group comparisons with groups defined as over or under cut-off on the Language Composite, LCQ total, and HSCL total scores. Results supported a clear connection between overall language and overall mental health. Pragmatic skills were the main driver of this effect. There was no difference in mental health between those scoring above and below cut-off for general language problems but the group with possible pragmatic impairment showed poorer mental health than those without. Conversely, there was no difference in general language skills between the groups scoring within and outside the range of psychological distress, but the first group evaluated their pragmatic skills as significantly poorer than the latter. We conclude that pragmatics seem to be core to the association between oral language skills and mental health among female prisoners. This should have implications for language services in prisons, as attending to these issues could positively affect prognosis and outcome.

Motivation and Development of Cosmetology Skills for Female Prisoners of Class II B Bengkulu Detention Center by Utilizing Domestic Production Technology

Criminals or convicts placed in detention centers or prisons with the provisions of the law actually aim to provide a deterrent effect and provide religious understanding so that after the detention period is over they can behave better and not make the same mistakes. However, many of them, after leaving detention, no longer have the trust of the local community where they come from, so that it is difficult for these ex-convicts to get jobs and do not have the skills to become entrepreneurs. This is what makes ex-convicts lose confidence and even repeat the same mistakes. The method of delivering learning material uses a participatory learning approach by providing material and implementing practices. The implementation of this community service activity was carried out at the Bengkulu IIB Prison which was attended by 30 convicts. The Community Service Implementation Team has provided motivation and tips for success for prisoners, conducted cosmetology and beauty training based on the use of domestic production technology, and introduced other alternatives for sources of income such as the manufacture and marketing of organic masks intended for women. convicts as provisions in improving their health. skills at the Class IIB Correctional Institution of the Bengkulu Ministry of Law and Human Rights. Therefore, the service team hopes that from this service the prisoners will gain alternative skills in welcoming the prisoner's free period later.

Experience of Imprisonment from the Perspective of Female Offenders in the Republic of Croatia

Scientific studies in criminology mainly neglect the criminality of women, especially the perspective of women prisoners. The aim of qualitative research was to examine the experience of imprisonment and institutional treatment for female prisoners. Data were collected using a semi-structured interview with 10 female prisoners in female penitentiary in Croatia. Research questions focused on the experience of stay in prison, treatment, perceived changes, suggestions for treatment improvement. Data were processed with inductive thematic analysis. Five topics have been separated: Expectations before coming to penitentiary, Experience of stay in penitentiary, Experience of treatment, Perception of personal changes, and Suggestions to improve the institutional treatment. It is necessary to continuously evaluate the treatment programs implemented in correctional institutions to determine their effectiveness, therefore the perspective of female prisoners can be an important criterion for the the creation of measures and policies pursued by the state regarding correctional institutions.

Improving Traumatic Stress with Justice-Impacted Women and Women Experiencing Homelessness: A Pilot Study of Narrative Exposure Therapy

Objective We sought to investigate the feasibility, acceptability, and impact of a brief, manualized trauma-focused intervention aimed at improving PTSD symptoms in persons with complex PTSD, Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET). Design Using a mixed methods approach, we tested the feasibility, acceptability, and impact of NET in a sample of trauma-affected women in traumatogenic circumstances: justice-impacted women in prison and women experiencing homelessness in a shelter. We quantitatively assessed data using a single sample, pre-/post-intervention design. We qualitatively assessed self-described symptom change and opportunities for intervention adaptation using a content analysis approach. Methods Sixteen trauma-affected participants completed the intervention protocol. NET interventionists included one nurse practitioner, one registered nurse, and one nursing student. All NET participants attended pre-/post-intervention visits and active NET sessions. In-depth interviews were conducted at pre- and post-intervention, alongside a diagnostic battery. Results NET was both highly feasible and acceptable among participants. Participants significantly improved on the intervention-specific outcome of PTSD symptoms, as well as somatic symptom burden, with large effect sizes. Participants also improved on subjective self-described symptom change. Participants offered recommendations regarding opportunities to enhance population-specific intervention acceptability. Conclusions Results from this pilot study are consistent with previous evidence demonstrating that NET facilitates improvements in women with traumatic stress. Findings of high feasibility, acceptability, and impact supports the use of NET in JW and WEH. Integrating participant recommendations to optimize acceptability may further support scalability and reach of NET. Replication with a larger sample and within a randomized controlled design is required to definitively determine effectiveness.

Seroprevalence of antibodies against herpesvirus type 2 in a female prison population in Mato Grosso

The objective of this text is to describe the seroprevalence of antibodies against herpes simplex virus 2 in inmates of a female public prison in Mato Grosso. This is a cross-sectional study carried out with biobank data from a survey carried out with women deprived of liberty in a female penitentiary in Tangará da Serra - MT. Data collection was carried out through interviews with 50 women. To determine the seroprevalence of HSV-2 infection, serum samples were analyzed by ELISA in search of IgG antibodies at the Laboratory of Viral Immunology of Instituto Oswaldo Cruz – RJ. The HSV-2 seroprevalence found in the evaluated population was 80%, a value much higher than that reported in the general Brazilian population and in other studies with prison populations around the world. The profile of the inmates predominated among young, brown women, with low education, single and with low monthly income. The present study found a high seroprevalence of antibodies against HSV-2 in this population. These data provide important information that can assist in the implementation of effective actions that better prevent and control genital herpes, as well as other STIs in incarcerated populations.

Responsibility for Fulfilling the Rights of Women Prisoners

The purpose of this study is to review the implementation of government responsibility for fulfilling the rights of women prisoners at the Class IIA Watampone Correctional Institution. The type of research used is qualitative, using an empirical juridical approach, namely analyzing the articles in the applicable laws and regulations related to legal facts in the field. The results showed that the government's responsibility for the fulfillment of the rights of women prisoners at the Class IIA Watampone Penitentiary has not been fully effective due to several indicators of weak performance achievement, namely facilities and infrastructure that are not yet feasible due to budgets that are not yet human rights-based so that room facilities are still overcapacity. Health clinics and medical personnel are only permanently recruited at the Class IIA Watampone Penitentiary. As a result, the fulfillment of the rights of women prisoners still needs to be improved and optimal as mandated by Law Number 39 of 1999 concerning Human Rights and Law Number 12 of 1995 concerning Correctional Institutions (LAPAS).

Narratives and Constructions of Sexuality in American Women’s Prisons

This paper explores lesbianism in American prisons, identifying the impact dominant narratives have on incarcerated women with diverse sexualities. Drawing from academic research, the paper discusses historical theoretical perspectives and media construction of lesbian women in prison. Both theoretical and media portrayals of incarcerated lesbian women work together to alter public opinion. This paper seeks to explore how portrayals of lesbianism are harmful due to their tendency to stereotype and misrepresent. The paper will also explore how correctional perspectives continue to be affected by dominant narratives, which have a direct impact on the lives of incarcerated women through corrective measures. Finally, the perspectives of incarcerated women themselves are highlighted, as they are the experts of their own experiences. The term lesbian will be used throughout the paper as an umbrella term describing women who engage in sexual relationships with other women. This is for the sake of simplicity due to the limited scope of the paper’s length and the available research on the subject. It is not intended to dismiss or oversimplify the diversity of sexual identities and labels.

"I mean, I didn't really have a choice of anything:" How incarceration influences abortion decision-making and precludes access in the United States.

To understand how the punitive, rights-limiting, and racially stratified environment of incarceration in the United States (US) shapes the abortion desires, access, and pregnancy experiences of pregnant women, transgender men, and gender non-binary individuals. From May 2018-November 2020, we conducted semi-structured, qualitative interviews with pregnant women in prisons and jails in an abortion supportive and an abortion restrictive state. Interviews explored whether participants considered abortion for this pregnancy; attempted to obtain an abortion in custody; whether and how incarceration affected their thoughts about pregnancy, birth, parenting, and abortion; and options counseling and prenatal care experiences, or lack thereof, in custody. The conditions of incarceration deeply shaped our 39 participants' abortion and pregnancy decisions, with some experiencing pregnancy continuation as punishment. Four themes emerged: (1) medical providers' overt obstruction of desired abortions; (2) participants assuming that incarcerated women had no right to abortion; (3) carceral bureaucracy constraining abortion access; and (4) carceral conditions made women wish they had aborted. Themes were similar in supportive and restrictive states. Incarceration shaped participants' thoughts about pregnancy and their abilities to access abortion, consider whether abortion was an attainable option, and make pregnancy-related decisions. These subtle carceral control aspects presented more frequent barriers to abortion than overt logistical ones. The carceral environment played a more significant role than the state's overall abortion climate in shaping abortion experiences. Incarceration constrains and devalues reproductive wellbeing in punitive ways that are a microcosm of broader forces of reproductive control in US society.

The Legal and Psychological Challenges of Female Prisoners in Pakistan

In Pakistan, female prisoners experience a range of difficulties and hindrances that have an impact on both their legal rights and psychological well-being. This study addresses the legal and psychological problems that Pakistani female inmates experience and investigates their causes and effects. A thorough overview of the situation of female prisoners in Pakistan is provided by the research using both qualitative and quantitative data from diverse sources. To solve these problems and better help female convicts, the essay also makes several recommendations to stakeholders and legislators.

나치 독일 치하 유대계 여성들의 상호 원조와 저항 활동

In Holocaust studies, Ravensbrück has received special attention along with Auschwitz. The reason is not limited to the fact that Ravensbrück was a women's camp. Ravensbrück in the late period is a suitable place to grasp women's experiences and memories during the Holocaust, as it was a complex camp where the goals of isolation, forced labor, and extermination were implemented at the same time. It is also noteworthy that Ravensbrück was the main target of large-scale rescue operations led by Sweden and Denmark at the end of World War II. The paper first reviews the status and characteristics of the Ravensbrück concentration camp based on the research so far. Next, it deals with the living environment and the solidarity formation of Jewish women in Ravensbrück. Finally, it identifies the patterns and meanings of self-help and resistance activities developed by Jewish female prisoners for survival. The paper argues that the category of resistance in the camps should be interpreted quite widely, taking into account the harsh environment of Ravensbrück. In addition, it emphasizes that Jewish female prisoners should be fully evaluated for continuing their lives in small groups, encouraging each other not to collapse from the inside, and developing self-esteem struggles.

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.

Psychological distress of inmates at a women's prison in Lima after the first wave of COVID-19 in November 2020.

A descriptive study was carried out to establish the levels of psychological distress amongst female inmates at a high-security prison in Lima in November 2020, after the first wave of COVID-19. The Brief Symptoms Inventory-18 (BSI-18) was applied to a representative sample of 314 female inmates who agreed to participate in the study. Results showed that 34.6% of the inmates could be considered as cases of psychological distress. Moreover, the depression subscale had the highest score, followed by the anxiety and the somatisation subscales. The most prevalent symptom was "feeling blue". The prevalence of distress symptoms was analyzed, taking into account the effects of the first wave of COVID-19, the suspension of family visits, the restriction of treatment and leisure activities, etc. Gender aspects were also taken into consideration.