Gender and Programming

Abstract

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.

Women’s experiences of prison-based mental healthcare: a systematic review of qualitative literature

“…Women in prison are more likely to participate in mental health treatment programmes than their male counterparts ( Crittenden and Koons-Witt, 2017 ). However, findings from this review suggest they are less likely to be offered or have access to treatment programmes.…”

Coping With Incarceration: How Women Adjust to Being Separated From Their Children

“…Many factors may affect adjustment to prison, including, but not limited to, prior trauma and victimization, substance abuse and mental health issues, and separation from children (Anderson et al, 2020; Crittenden & Koons-Witt, 2017; Fogel, 1993; Friestad et al, 2014; Glaze & Maruschak, 2010; Gregoire et al, 2009; Houck & Loper, 2002; Kennedy et al, 2020; Snyder, 2009). Incarceration itself may induce aspects of (maternal) distress, including psychological and relationship distress; unresolved loss; guilt over substance abuse and incarceration; situational features of stress, including physical illness and injury; and fear that imprisonment is harming their children (Arditti & Few, 2008; Foster, 2012).…”

Rethinking Incarcerated Women's Leisure as Subjected to Coercive and Normative Prison Missions

“…The above types are not mutually exclusive: for instance dance is physical and artistic, whereas yoga is physical, artistic, and spiritual (see Frigon and Jenny, 2009;Frigon, 2010Frigon, , 2014Frigon, , 2019Jenny and Frigon, 2012;Bilderbeck et al, 2014;Auty et al, 2017;Bartels et al, 2019;Middleton et al, 2019;Rousseau et al, 2019). Programs include parenting, philosophy, nutrition, and high school courses; work and vocational training; clinical or therapeutic programs focused on intoxication or addictions (Morash et al, 1994;Batchelder and Pippert, 2002;Pollack, 2009Pollack, , 2016Williams and Walker, 2009;Firth et al, 2015;McCall, 2016;Coulombe, 2017;Crittenden and Koons-Witt, 2017;Duwe, 2017;Zhao et al, 2019). Animal programs such as canine training or zootherapy are also included here (Strimple, 2003;Smith, 2019;Wesely, 2019).…”

“…Overcrowding and understaffing in women's prisons can also limit access to leisure resources and spaces (Nugent and Loucks, 2011;Pedlar et al, 2018). Studies also find that access to leisure in prison varies based on demographics such as gender, race, age, sentence length, and type of crime (Collette-Carrière, 1983;Kratcoski and Babb, 1990;Belknap, 1996;Batchelder and Pippert, 2002;Sempé et al, 2006;Sweeney, 2010;Meek and Lewis, 2014;Crittenden and Koons-Witt, 2017;Martinez-Merino et al, 2017).…”

“…Historically, Canadian prisons have relied on gender, race, and class norms in programming to reform and control women (Hannah-Moffat, 2001). More recently, authors question stereotypes reflected in leisure mostly or exclusively made available to women, such as gender-responsive or parenting programs (McCall, 2016;Crittenden and Koons-Witt, 2017;Fedock and Covington, 2017;Wendt and Fraser, 2019). Cooking, cleaning, sewing, and hairdressing training are also criticized for enforcing gendered expectations and because upon release such jobs are less likely to pay well, thereby reducing women's chances of successfully reintegrating society (Morash et al, 1994;Pollack, 2009).…”