Female Prisoners, AIDS, and Peer Programs by Kimberly Collica

Author:Kimberly Collica
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Springer New York, New York, NY

Women Offenders and Prison-Based Programming

The majority of studies conducted on the effectiveness of prison-based programming focus on male inmates. Fortuitously, the few studies that examined females showed the same promising results for men and women after prison-program participation (Correctional Educational Bulletin, 2001, 2002). In comparing male and female inmates, the greatest disparities exist for vocational opportunities. According to Lahm (2000), male offenders are sent to different facilities based on their security level, their needs, and the programming provided. Most states, however, only have one female facility, limiting the types of program services offered. Many vocational programs for female offenders are gender based and prepare them to work in traditional pink-collar employment for little pay (i.e., secretarial, sewing, food service, etc.). Male offenders are typically trained in traditional blue-collar jobs (air conditioning repair, plumbing, electronics, etc.). Consequently, men are able to obtain better skills, skills that will allow them to obtain better employment opportunities, with higher wages, upon release.

Lahm (2000) examined correctional programming in 30 states (417 male correctional facilities and 47 female correctional facilities) and found that all offered general education programs. This means that basic educational opportunities for women have increased over the last 30 years. Unfortunately, secondary education was on the decline for both men and women; only one-half of the correctional facilities studied offered college courses. In terms of vocational education, more female facilities were offering vocations in professional studies than in the past, but approximately 85% still offered gender-stereotyped programming. Females are still being trained for “unstable” and “underpaid” jobs.

The subservient role of women in society is reflected within the prison environment, as prison is often a larger reflection of societal problems like racism, classism, and sexism. Since women are not afforded as many vocational and educational opportunities as male offenders while in prison, these acquiescent roles are perpetuated by the correctional system in its failure to provide skills equality (Moyer, 1984; Smart, 1976). Due to their smaller numbers, correctional officials have often been able to rationalize circumventing the programmatic needs of female inmates (Bonta, Pang, & Wallace-Capretta, 1995). Even today, most of the jobs that women are assigned to in the prison system focus on domestic work and do not teach the women relevant job skills, but only help in the daily maintenance of the institution (Dobash, Dobash & Gutteridge, 1986; Pollock-Byrne, 1990). This provides no opportunity for rehabilitation or for the attainment of valuable job skills which would afford them the opportunity to be able to support themselves and their family upon release (Pollock-Byrne, 1990). “Decisions about what to teach [women in the prison environment] have been decided largely on the basis of institutional needs as well as notions about what is appropriate work for women” (Moyer, 1984, p. 54).

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