Gender-responsive Classification of Women in Prison: A Typology Based on Mental Health Symptoms and Coping Strategies.

Despite the increase in the incarceration rates of women, most correctional practices are still normed on male samples, including prison classification. Moreover, those classifications do not take into account women's particular experiences, needs, and unique pathways to criminality. The current research proposes a typology based on female prisoners' mental health symptoms and coping strategies. The data was derived from a survey conducted with 194 women housed in a Northeastern prison. A two-step clustering analysis was used to obtain three classification types-each with different symptomatology, coping mechanisms, demographic, and background characteristics. The results suggest that identifying and relying on needs-based typologies has important correctional policy implications in terms of the management and the treatment of incarcerated women.

Redes personales como factores de riesgo y protección en mujeres privadas de libertad / Personal networks as risk factors and protection of women in prison / Redes pessoais como fatores de risco e proteção mulheres privadas de sua liberdade

Resumen El trabajo analiza las redes personales de las mujeres privadas de libertad, identificando factores de riesgo y protección en tres etapas definidas por el ingreso a prisión y orientadas a la reinserción. Se realizó una investigación documental en bases de datos (WOS, Scopus y Google Académico), empleando Mendeley como gestor. Los resultados muestran que, las redes, antes de prisión están permeadas por la violencia y ausencia de apoyo; durante la prisión se dividen en internas externas y presentan modificaciones relacionales importantes (ruptura de pareja, distanciamiento o no de los/as hijos/as y apoyo de nuevas personas) y; en semilibertad se amplían y mejoran estas, favoreciendo la reinserción social, no obstante, la mayoría regresa al entorno familiar y comunitario inicial enfrentándose a los factores de riesgo asociados.

Abstract This paper analyzes the personal networks of women in prison, identifying risk and protection factors in three stages, defined by prison entry, aimed at reintegration. Documentary research was carried out on databases (WOS, Scopus and academic Google), using Mendeley as manager. The results show that, before imprisonment, networks are permeated by violence and lack of support during prison they are divided into internal-external and present important relational modifications (breakup of a couple, distance or not from children and support of new people) and; in day release they expand and improve these, promoting social reinsertion; nevertheless, most return to the initial family and community environment facing the associated risk factors.

Resumo Este artigo analisa as redes pessoais de mulheres privadas de liberdade identificando fatores de risco e proteção em três etapas e definidos pela entrada na prisão, visando a reintegração. Uma pesquisa documental foi realizada em bancos de dados (WOS, Scopus e Google scholar), utilizando Mendeley como gerente. Os resultados mostram que, as redes, antes da prisão são permeadas pela violência e falta de apoio; durante a prisão são divididas em modificações relacionais internas-externas e apresentam importantes (separação do casal, distanciamento ou não dos filhos e apoio de novas pessoas) e; na semi-liberdade são ampliadas e melhoradas, favorecendo a reintegração social, no entanto, a maioria retorna ao ambiente familiar e comunitário inicial diante dos fatores de risco associados.

Influences of Antenatal Smoking Cessation Education on Smoking Rates of Incarcerated Women.

The project purpose was to examine the impact of smoking cessation education, targeting associated antenatal risks on smoking rates in female prisoners of childbearing age. The project used a pre-/postdesign for the assessment of awareness of antenatal smoking risks and smoking habits and was conducted at a female state prison in the Southeastern United States. Data analysis resulting from a comparison of means of tests identified knowledge increases posteducation. Qualitative data collected pre- and postintervention identified changes in smoking habits. The educational intervention effectively increased participant knowledge of antenatal smoking risks and resulted in a reduction in the number of cigarettes smoked daily.

Furtos de Bagatelas e Sofrimento Social: uma Interlocução com o pensamento winnicottiano / Petty Larceny and Social Suffering: an interlocution with Winnicott's thought / Pequeños hurtos y sufrimiento social: una interlocución con el pensamiento de Winnicott

Este estudo objetiva investigar psicanaliticamente a experiência emocional de mulheres presas por furtos de bagatelas, justificando-se na medida em que há interesse, a partir de uma perspectiva clínica social, pelo desenvolvimento de práticas psicoprofiláticas e psicoterapêuticas direcionadas à população carcerária feminina. A investigação organizou-se metodologicamente por meio da abordagem psicanalítica das comunicações de mulheres em um documentário nacional intitulado "Bagatela". Sucessivas exposições ao material, em estado de atenção flutuante e associação livre de ideias,permitiram a produção interpretativa de um campo de sentido afetivo-emocional intitulado "Cadê o leite do meu neto?". Este campo se organiza ao redor da crença de que o outro, imaginado como poderoso, deve atender às necessidades vitais das pessoas. O quadro geral indica que condições de pobreza e desigualdade social geram efeitos subjetivos de desamparo, humilhação e injustiça nas autoras dos furtos. Pondera-se que a teoria winnicottiana, que vincula privação afetiva à delinquência, pode ser produtivamente ampliada se a tendência antissocial for considerada como expressão sintomática de sofrimento socialmente determinado.

This paper aims to psychoanalytically investigate the emotional experience undergone by women that have been arrested for petty larceny. It has been motivated by the interest from a social clinical perspective, in the development of preventive and psychotherapeutic practices directed at this incarcerated population. The research was methodologically organized through the psychoanalytic approach of the women's communication who had participated in the Brazilian documentary "Bagatela". Repeated exposure to the film, in a state of free floating attention and free association, accompanied by the speech transcript, allowed for the interpretive production of one field of affective-emotional meaning, titled "Where's my grandson's milk?". This field is organized around the belief that the 'other', imagined as powerful, must fulfill people's vital needs. The general picture indicates that conditions of poverty and social inequality generate subjective effects of helplessness, humiliation and injustice in those responsible for the acts of stealing. Therefore, the proposition that the Winnicottian theory, which links the deprivation of affection to delinquency, can be productively extended if antisocial tendency is regarded as a symptomatic expression of socially determined suffering.

Este estudio tiene como objetivo investigar psicoanalíticamente la experiencia de mujeres detenidas por pequeños hurtos, dado que existe un interés, desde la perspectiva social y clínica, en el desarrollo de prácticas psicoprofilácticas y psicoterapéuticas dirigidas a la población de mujeres reclusas. La investigación se organizó metodológicamente a través del abordaje psicoanalítico de las comunicaciones de las mujeres que participaron en un documental brasileño titulado "Bagatela". Con exposiciones sucesivas a la película, acompañadas de transcripciones de discurso y en estado de atención flotante y asociación libre de ideas, permitieron la producción interpretativa de un campo de sentido afectivo-emocional titulado "¿Dónde está la leche de mi nieto?". Este campo se organiza a través de la creencia de que el otro, imaginado como un ser poderoso, debe atender a las necesidades vitales de las personas. El panorama general indica que la pobreza y la desigualdad social provocan efectos subjetivos como de desamparo, humillación e injusticia en las autoras de los hurtos. Se mantiene, por lo tanto, la propuesta de que la teoría de Winnicott, que une la privación emocional a la delincuencia puede ser provechosamente desarrollada si se considera la tendencia antisocial como expresión sintomática del sufrimiento socialmente determinado.

Gender and Programming.

The current study examines U.S. prison programming availability and participation by gender on a national level. The authors build upon previous literature by using national-level data, something that has been done in very limited cases previously. The main concern of this study is gender and its effects on programming availability and participation. The U.S. corrections field has undergone major changes in regard to population trends, fiscal constraints, policies, and research over the last few decades without a large-scale examination of the effects of these changes on programming across the United States. In this study, multiple types of programming areas were examined and results indicated that often female prisons (i.e., prisons housing only females) were more likely to offer programs (e.g., mental health options) and women were more likely to participate in many programming options compared with male prisons and men, respectively. We discuss the possible reasons for this and implications for future research.