Inmate Needs and Programming in Exclusively Women's Jails

Abstract

Most women in jail serve time in facilities that also house men. However, there are 18 jails nationally that house women only, and this study is based on surveys and interviews administered at 5 of these jails. It explores the extent to which women's jails meet the needs of inmates who want to further their education and training, maintain and deepen bonds with their children, and overcome their addictions to drugs and alcohol as well as their histories of emotional, physical, and sexual abuse. The findings suggest that, when it comes to meeting most of these needs, the programming in women's jails fails miserably.