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Women in Prisons: Issues and Challenges Confronting U.S. Correctional Systems

There has been a 500% increase in the number of female offenders incarcerated in prisons between 1980 and 1998. This increase is at a faster rate than that for male inmates (annual increase of 8.5% for women, 6.6% increase per year for men). In 1997, the typical female offender was of a racial or ethnic minority, over 30, had abused drugs, had experienced physical or sexual abuse, was unmarried, and had at least one minor child. This report generally focuses upon the nation's three largest correctional systems for female offenders: the Bureau of Prisons, California, and Texas. Issues this report covers include: how near are female inmates housed near their families; does programming consider the specific needs of female offenders; what types of parenting programs are provided; what access is available to female-specific health care services; to what extent are substance abuse programs provided; and what are the rates of mental illness and HIV infection in the female inmate population. Accession Number: 015775

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:: USA.gov > U.S. Dept. of Justice > Bureau of Prisons > National Institute of Corrections > .:: Privacy & Disclaimers :: Accessibility ::.