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Date: April 29, 2024 Mon
Time: 8:34 pm
Time: 8:34 pm
Results for female prisons
4 results foundAuthor: Dunkel, Frieder Title: International Study on Women’s Imprisonment: Current Situation, Demand Analysis and "Best Practice" Summary: Since women in Europe only constitute an average of roughly 4.5% to 5.0% of the total prison population (from 2.9% in Poland to 7.8 % in Spain), women in European prisons experience specific problems and structural disadvantages. Prisons are geared towards male prisoners and therefore excessive security measures are implemented, women‘s educational and work opportunities are (even) more restricted, and the inmate structure reveals that female prisoners show a high incidence of substance abuse, as well as psychological and psychosomatic complaints. In addition to these problems that occur in all the countries surveyed, some countries experience their own unique problems: ranging from the structure of the criminal offence (e.g. drug couriers in Spain) to the historic-political background of the countries that have joined the EU. There is thus an urgent need to evaluate the current situation of female prisoners and their needs. Under the preconditions of a resource-oriented approach, the ‚healthy prison’ concept as well as theories of work- and organisational psychology, the aim is to examine women‘s prisons from a number of different angles in order to promote designs that meet the women’s needs and thus promote tertiary prevention. The analysis of the specific situation and actual conditions of imprisonment of female prisoners allows, firstly, the identification of what constitutes ‚best practice’ and, secondly, – also in terms of gender mainstreaming – the derivation of measures that can be taken to ensure that imprisonment takes place in accordance with the needs of female prisoners. The current lack of knowledge and cross-border transfer of experiences with regard to female prisoners brings a number of difficulties with it. It is thus more difficult to ensure that penal institutions are properly designed and organised and that the prison officers receive adequate specialised vocational training, which in turn negatively affects the prisoners’ rehabilitation. To counter this difficiency, the following project measures will be taken whereby the sanctioning practices of the participating countries will be taken into account: a) Examination of female prisons at the organisational level (structural conditions): regard of human rights, accommodation (number of occupants, proximity to home, mother-child facilities), educational and work situation of the imprisoned women, treatment (opportunities for substance abusers, opportunities and facilities specifically geared towards women, etc.) qualification of staff, etc. b) Differential analysis of the perceived living conditons and conditions of imprisonment in the participating countries as well as - and with special reference to - the specific needs of imprisoned women: assessment of the quality of life and the climate in each institution, needs, and experience of stress. c) Differential analysis of the subjective concepts of the prison staff regarding imprisoned women, the prison system and in particular their vocational role. Details: Greifswald, Germany: University of Greifswald, Department of Criminology, 2005. 40p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 14, 2011 at: http://www.rsf.uni-greifswald.de/fileadmin/mediapool/lehrstuehle/duenkel/Reader_womeninprison.pdf Year: 2005 Country: Europe URL: http://www.rsf.uni-greifswald.de/fileadmin/mediapool/lehrstuehle/duenkel/Reader_womeninprison.pdf Shelf Number: 121338 Keywords: Correctional InstitutionsCorrectional ProgramsFemale Inmates (Europe)Female OffendersFemale PrisonsWomen Prisoners |
Author: Robins, Libby Title: Mother and Baby Prison Units: An Investigative Study Summary: During the period July through to early September 2011, as director of Family Help Trust (FHT) Christchurch and in my capacity as a Winston Churchill Fellowship recipient, I visited six female prisons in the United States of America and four in the United Kingdom. Time spent in each facility varied from two hours in Bedford Hills, New York, through to three days in Coffee Creek, Portland Oregon. In addition, I met with three researchers, (New York, Maryland and Nebraska) and four not for profit organisations (three in New York and one in Stirling, Scotland). I interviewed 25 female offenders, a mixture of currently incarcerated and previously incarcerated, and over 20 staff members between all the prison facilities. The purpose of this investigative research was to bring back information that would benefit a range of agencies including: New Zealand government policy makers, members of parliament, the New Zealand Department of Corrections, the New Zealand Women's Prison Service, researchers, Family Help Trust (FHT), Child Youth and Family (CYF), the Families Commission, the Commission for Children and all New Zealand community agencies involved with the offending population. In 2008 new legislation was passed that allowed infants to remain in two of the three New Zealand prison nurseries until they were two years old (Auckland and Christchurch). The remaining prison (Wellington) was not included in this legislation and is only able to accommodate infants until they are nine months old. Two of the self-care houses at Christchurch Women's Prison (CWP) were 'toddler proofed' and two mother and baby houses were built at Auckland's new women's facility in Wiri in 2011. These units were officially opened by the then Minister of Corrections, Hon Judith Collins, in September 2011. Key points and findings that have emerged from this investigative research are: - New Zealand has been progressive in the style of accommodation provided to mothers and their infants. This models a self-contained motel unit or a small flat or house in the community. - There was only one prison (Cornton Vale's independent living units), that allowed mothers to accompany their infants on outings outside the prison gates. In contrast, New Zealand women's prisons have made significant efforts to normalise the children's experiences as much as possible and both infants and their mothers visit community facilities beyond the wire The evidence available concerning the reductions in reoffending for mothers having benefitted from prison nurseries, when compared to mothers from the general prison population who were not able to keep their infants with them, is compelling, particularly in the United States. Nebraska Women's Facility and Bedford Hills, New York are the two prisons that stood out for their efforts to provide research evidence. It is imperative that New Zealand keeps good data on all mothers who reside and are then released from our mother and baby prison units. This data needs to include community outcomes, albeit this could be considered outside the responsibility of the Department of Corrections for those inmate mothers who are released without parole conditions. New Zealand, because of its size, is in a unique position to research the post-release outcomes for these mothers, and provide comparative research that could include a control group. Using randomisation would, in my opinion, be inappropriate, unless it was mothers who had not been able to reside in nurseries due to lack of capacity. It is important that the issue of community outcomes beyond the reach of Corrections' jurisdiction is addressed to ensure that such information is available for research purposes. In the United States there was no scope to cross-match data interstate and in the United Kingdom there was no research was currently being undertaken on this issue. The only figures I was able to obtain were prison by prison, and data collection methods varied hugely. For mothers without any family support, the concept of trained voluntary doulas (birth companions) is worth considering in New Zealand. Doulas were used comprehensively in both the United States and the United Kingdom and were highly valued by inmate mothers. International mother and baby prison nursery facilities I visited have the throughput that allows them to provide extensive childcare facilities staffed by professional early childhood educators while mothers attend programmes or work within the prison. While New Zealand¡¦s efforts to provide similar is clearly limited by a much smaller number of pregnant inmates, given the gradual rise in female incarceration in New Zealand, together with current harder line sentencing laws, some future proofing needs to be considered. Improving New Zealand prison visiting areas and making them more child friendly such as I found in Bedford Hills and Cornton Vale, would have huge benefits for improving inmate relationships with their children. While support for breastfeeding mothers in the prisons I visited was considered important, mothers being expected to return to their work duties as early as six weeks post-birth did seem out of line with breastfeeding recommendations and maternity protection. Exclusive breastfeeding is generally recommended for six months after birth, and then a continuation of breastfeeding for up to two years or longer if desired, along with suitable complimentary foods. Support for breastfeeding is essential as breastfeeding 'success' for this vulnerable population makes a significant positive contribution to maternal and infant well-being and health, both short and long-term, and to maternal bonding and secure infant attachment. While attempts to limit smoking around pregnant mothers and infants were made in both the United Kingdom and United States mother and infant units, all allowed smoking to some degree. It is of particular interest that as of 1 June 2011, when the New Zealand ban on smoking in prison came into effect, there has been no unrest or riots as might have been expected and which was a significant concern to those prisons I visited. Judges in some states in America routinely sentence a pregnant woman to 366 days in a state prison, allowing her to potentially keep her infant with her in a nursery. A sentence of less than 366 days in a city jail with no nursery will lead to an automatic separation once the infant is born. A prison nursery affords a unique opportunity for a recidivist offending pregnant woman to raise her infant in a 'safe and secure' environment away from her complex and generally violent life in the community. In addition, she receives intensive and ongoing support and parent education that will assist her to attain a secure attachment to her infant, so reducing the probability of further prison terms and her children being removed and raised by the state sector. In the absence of mother and infant alternatives to prison residential facilities, and depending on the seriousness of offending, this option is worthy of serious consideration by the New Zealand judiciary. Bedford Hills New York not only has extensive programmes for both mothers and their infants, but also mothers estranged from older children. In addition, the supported accommodation, employment assistance and general through service given by the Hour Children Charity offered an outstanding opportunity for recidivist women to reverse the probable negative trajectory for both themselves and their children. Nebraska also went to considerable effort to assist mothers estranged from their children with the five nights a month option in the prison nursery as well as the early childhood visiting facilities and playground facilities. in New Zealand, in spite of the problem of whether responsibility lies with the Department of Corrections or Child Youth and Family, the issue of support for mothers and their infants post-release needs to be addressed. This is central to whether or not prison nurseries, both now and in the future, are considered cost effective and can contribute significantly to reducing reoffending. The New Zealand government's view (then Minister of Corrections Hon Judith Collins) when the new units at Christchurch and Auckland Women's Prisons were officially opened in September 2011 was "this is money well spent if it stops the babies becoming criminals". I contend that equal effort and expenditure is essential in the community if recidivism among these mothers is to be successfully reduced. The recently published (April 2012) Commission on Women's Offending (Dame Elish Angiolini commissioned by the Scottish government) makes some important recommendations concerning the establishment of 'one stop shop' community facilities that have both residential beds and day centre programmes for low risk repeat female offenders. The purpose is to address their criminality, mental health and trauma issues as well as alcohol and drug addictions. While there are some residential centres in New Zealand they tend to have limited places and limited resources and they have a single focus e.g. drug and alcohol treatment. Such centres, so long as they catered for children as well, could provide the all-important through centre concept for mothers and their infants from the mother and baby prison units. Dame Elish Angiolini's report was in response to the doubling of the Scottish female rates of incarceration over the previous ten years, now having reached a number very similar to that found in New Zealand. It highlights that in a single year up to 30,000 children will have had a mother or father behind bars, 30 per cent of whom will develop physical and mental health problems and up to half will themselves go on to offend. The cost effectiveness of establishing residential and non-residential centres for female offenders in preference to imprisonment is obvious when compared to the cost of female prison cells in New Zealand. Such centres, together with the through care concept for mothers and their infants returning to the community from the mother and baby units in our female prisons, have the potential to reduce recidivism and ensure better outcomes for mothers, children and families. Details: Wellington: New Zealand Winston Churchill Memorial Trust, 2012. 167p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 5, 2016 at: www.communitymatters.govt.nz Year: 2012 Country: International URL: www.communitymatters.govt.nz Shelf Number: 138933 Keywords: Children of PrisonersFemale InmatesFemale PrisonersFemale PrisonsPrison Nurseries |
Author: Whiteacre, Kevin Title: Assessing Outcomes for Wee Ones Nursery at the Indiana Women's Prison Summary: The purpose of this study is to assess different outcomes from participating in the Indiana Women's Prison Wee Ones Nursery (WON) program. We compared recidivism rates between women participating in WON (n=90) and women who gave birth while in prison prior to WON (i.e., before 2008) but who would likely have been eligible (n=98). We also conducted follow-up qualitative interviews with a sample of WON participants (n=15) and pre-WON women (n=12). The interviews included open-ended questions as well as a brief survey with closed-ended items comprised of previously validated scales. Based on the findings, we conclude with some possible directions for the future of WON. The study tested four specific hypotheses: H1: WON participants will have lower recidivism rates than women who gave birth in IWP prior to WON. H2: WON participants are more likely to have custody of their child delivered in prison than the control group. H3: WON participants will report greater attachment to their child than the control group. H4: WON participants will report greater parenting self-esteem than the control group. Details: Indianapolis, IN: University of Indianapolis, Community Research Center, 2013. 25p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 5, 2016 at: http://www.uindy.edu/documents/Assessing_Outcomes_for_Wee_Ones_Nursery_at_Indiana_Womens_Prison.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://www.uindy.edu/documents/Assessing_Outcomes_for_Wee_Ones_Nursery_at_Indiana_Womens_Prison.pdf Shelf Number: 138934 Keywords: Children of PrisonersFemale InmatesFemale PrisonersFemale PrisonsPrison Nurseries |
Author: Western Australia, Office of the Inspector of Custodial Services Title: Female Prisons in Western Australia and the Greenough Women's Precinct Summary: Women still form a relatively small proportion of Western Australia's prison population but their numbers have grown quickly, and at a much faster rate than male numbers. At the time of writing, there were 486 women in prison, a staggering increase of 40 per cent in five years (in July 2009 there were 350). The number of male prisoners has increased by 15 per cent over the same period (from 4120 to 4748). Greenough Regional Prison has always accommodated a number of women, usually around 25 and historically in Unit Five, a claustrophobic, confined and run down area. In 2012, in response to a crisis of numbers at Bandyup Women's Prison, a newer larger unit, Unit Four, was converted to the use of women prisoners. The women already at Greenough were moved into Unit Four in late November 2012 and Unit Five became a male unit. Women began being transferred from other prisons, especially Bandyup and Roebourne Regional Prison, from late January 2013. Unit Four is located within the same perimeter fence as the rest of the prison, close to male accommodation blocks, the oval and a number of other amenities. It is separated from the male accommodation areas by a mesh fence topped by razor wire. A privacy screen was added to the fence line adjacent to the male prisoners' accommodation, obscuring the view in and out of the women's unit. This adds some degree of visual, but not aural, privacy. Additional supporting infrastructure, in the form of demountables, was added to allow for the provision of education, programs, and other services to be delivered to the women separately. The Unit's grounds also include a basketball/netball court, some isometric gym equipment, and a pleasant garden area. However it is not entirely self-contained, and this generates some significant issues. When Unit Four is fully occupied, it has a total capacity of 69. Therefore, compared with Unit Five, it offers a gain of up to 44 beds for women. Importantly though, the new Women's Precinct offered an opportunity to do much more for women being held at Greenough than had been done in the past. This report provides a review of services for women prisoners at Greenough based on an on-site inspection in August 2013. It also provides a thematic overview of the state of women's imprisonment in Western Australia, and the historical context which brought about the need for the creation of the Greenough Women's Precinct. Details: Perth: Office of the Inspector of Custodial Services, 2014. 76p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 5, 2016 at: http://www.oics.wa.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/91-Greenough-Women.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia URL: http://www.oics.wa.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/91-Greenough-Women.pdf Shelf Number: 138938 Keywords: Female InmatesFemale OffendersFemale PrisonersFemale PrisonsPrisons |