NCJ Number
48560
Journal
OFFENDER REHABILITATION Volume: 2 Issue: 3 Dated: (SPRING 1978) Pages: 255-259
Date Published
1978
Length
5 pages
Annotation
THE FINDINGS OF A 1977 STUDY ARE SUMMARIZED IN AN EFFORT TO EXPLODE A NUMBER OF MYTHS CONCERNING FEMALE OFFENDERS. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT COEDUCATIONAL CORRECTIONS MIGHT PROVIDE A REMEDY FOR INSTITUTIONAL SEX DISCRIMINATION.
Abstract
WHILE THE MALE INMATE POPULATION, AND INNUMERABLE SUBGROUPS WITHIN THIS POPULATION, HAVE BEEN EXTENSIVELY RESEARCHED, LITTLE DATA IS AVAILABLE ON THE FEMALE INMATE. THE FEMALE OFFENDER IS THE CLIENT OF A MALE-DOMINATED AND MALE-ORIENTED CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IN WHICH SHE IS A POWERLESS MINORITY. PREDOMINANTLY MALE PERSONNEL WITHIN THE SYSTEM ARE UNABLE TO RECOGNIZE THE NEEDS OF THE FEMALE OFFENDER, MUCH LESS RESPOND TO THEM. HOWEVER, DURING THE 1970'S, CHANGE HAS SET IN: THE CORRECTIONAL SYSTEM HAS BEGUN TO EMPLOY SOME FEMALE PERSONNEL, WHILE FEMALE OFFENDERS ARE EXHIBITING GREATER AWARENESS OF THEIR RIGHTS, AND FEMALE OFFENDER RESEARCH IS BEING UNDERTAKEN. ONE OF THE EARLIEST AND MOST SIGNIFICANT STUDIES IS THAT UNDERTAKEN BY GLICK AND NETO. MANY OF THEIR FINDINGS HAVE SIGNIFICANT IMPLICATIONS FOR CORRECTIONAL POLICY AND PLANNING AND EXPLODE A NUMBER OF MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT THE FEMALE OFFENDER. FIRST, CONTRARY TO ACCEPTED ASSUMPTIONS, THE FEMALE OFFENDER FEELS OPTIMISTIC ABOUT HERSELF, HAS A POSITIVE SELF-IMAGE, AND POSITIVE IDEAS ABOUT THE STATUS OF WOMEN IN GENERAL. MOREOVER, THE FEMALE OFFENDER IS WORK-ORIENTED: 74 PERCENT OF THE INMATE SAMPLE WOULD PREFER WORK TO STAYING HOME, AND 91 PERCENT FELT IT WOULD BE GOOD FOR A WOMAN TO HAVE A JOB EVEN IF SHE HAD SOMEONE TO SUPPORT HER. WHILE THE FEMALE INMATE POPULATION STUDIED WAS SLIGHTLY LESS FORMALLY EDUCATED THAN THE GENERAL POPULATION, OVER 40 PERCENT HAD A HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION OR BETTER AND NEARLY HALF THE WOMEN HAD PRIOR VOCATIONAL TRAINING, OFTEN IN CLERICAL OR COSMETOLOGY SKILLS. THUS, MOST OF THE WOMEN HAD SKILLS WHICH TEND TO BE OFFERED BY CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS. FURTHER, MOST HAD UPWARD ASPIRATIONS FOR WHICH NO SUITABLE VOCATIONAL OR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS WERE BEING OFFERED. LIMITED RESOURCES ARE NOT PROVIDING THE PROGRAMS TO BEST MEET THE NEEDS AND ASPIRATIONS OF THE FEMALE INMATE. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT COEDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS MAY SIMPLY AND CHEAPLY MEET THESE NEEDS BY BRINGING THE FEMALE INMATE INTO ALREADY EXISTING PROGRAMS AND RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO MALE INMATES. A SINGLE REFERENCE SOURCE IS CITED. (JAP)