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SEXUAL SEGREGATION OF AMERICAN PRISONS

NCJ Number
11584
Journal
MENTAL HEALTH DIGEST Volume: 5 Issue: 9 Dated: (SEPTEMBER 1973) Pages: 1826
Author(s)
R R ARDITI; F GOLDBERG
Date Published
1973
Length
9 pages
Annotation
EXAMINATION OF DIFFERENTIAL TREATMENT OF MALE AND FEMALE INMATES AND ASSESSMENT OF ITS CONSTITUTIONALITY IN LIGHT OF THE FOURTEENTH AND PROPOSED EQUAL RIGHTS AMENDMENTS.
Abstract
DATA WERE OBTAINED FROM STATE CORRECTIONS DEPARTMENTS, U.S. BUREAU OF PRISONS, WOMEN'S PRISONS OF NINE STATES, FOUR FEDERAL CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS, AND FROM FIFTEEN SAMPLE STATES CHOSEN ON THE BASIS OF SIZE AND GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION. WOMEN'S PRISONS WERE FOUND TO BE CONSIDERABLY SMALLER AND MORE REMOTE THAN MEN'S PRISONS. MEN'S PRISONS ARE CLASSIFIED WITH DIFFERENT INSTITUTIONS FOR DIFFERENT CATEGORIES OF OFFENDER, WHILE WOMEN'S INSTITUTIONS INCLUDE INMATES OF DIVERSE OFFENSE, SENTENCE, AND AGE. MEN'S INSTITUTIONS WERE FOUND TO HAVE MORE COMPLETE MEDICAL AND RELIGIOUS SERVICES THAN FEMALE INSTITUTIONS. WOMEN'S PRISONS PROVIDE ARCHITECTURAL AND SECURITY ARRANGEMENTS WHICH EMPHASIZE REHABILITATION AND SHOW LESSER CONCERN WITH CUSTODY THAN MEN'S PRISONS. THE ARTICLE DISCUSSES CASES CONCERNED WITH THE CONSTITUTIONALITY OF DIFFERENTIAL TREATMENT OF MALE AND FEMALE INMATES. ARGUMENTS ARE PRESENTED TO SHOW THE DIFFICULTIES THE EQUAL RIGHTS AMENDMENT MIGHT CREATE IN THIS AREA.