“You Can't Have it Both Ways”: Punishment and Treatment of Imprisoned Women

Abstract

In this article, I report on findings from a qualitative study with 68 formerly incarcerated women in Canada which examined their experiences of imprisonment and release to the community. Data from this study illustrate a disjuncture between women-centered correctional policy rhetoric and the lived experience of incarceration. Programming is greatly affected by the prison culture of punishment and control and thus is not generally experienced as empowering. A women-centered approach is also not evident in regard to job skills development as prisoners are predominantly utilized for feminized jobs such as hairdressing, cooking, and cleaning the prison.