Theoretical Perspectives on Women and the Criminal Justice System

Wormer, Katherine Stuart van; Bartollas, Clemens

doi:10.4324/9781003173939-2

Cited by 2 publications

(3 citation statements)

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“…In her study of Cornton Vale prison in Scotland, for example, Carlen (1983) observed that women were treated as both childish and child-like. Decades later, Rowe (2011: 576, emphasis in original) reported similar frustrations among the women in her study, identifying the ‘loss of adult status’ – exemplified in their being addressed as ‘girls’ (see also Easteal, 2001; Haney, 2010; Kruttschnitt and Gartner, 2005; Van Wormer and Bartollas, 2000) – as a ‘mortification of personhood’ that is unique to imprisoned women.…”

Section: Staff–prisoner Relationships In Women's Prisonsmentioning

confidence: 85%

“…Second, infantilisation is embedded within wider disciplinary practices, notably the intensive surveillance and regulation to which imprisoned women are routinely subjected (Carlen, 1983, 1998; McClellan, 1994; Rowe, 2011, 2016; Van Wormer and Bartollas, 2000). Female prisoners consistently report frustration with the application of minor rules, the policing of the minutiae of their lives (including their appearance and everyday conduct), and the regulation of their intimate and social relationships (Carlen, 1983; Haney, 2010; Lempert, 2016; Rowe, 2016).…”

Section: Staff–prisoner Relationships In Women's Prisonsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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‘It causes a lot of problems’: Relational ambiguities and dynamics between prisoners and staff in a women's prison

Crewe

Schliehe

Przybylska

2022

European Journal of Criminology

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Staff–prisoner relationships have long been recognised as lying ‘at the heart of the whole prison system’ (Home Office, 1984: para. 16; Liebling, 2011). However, relatively few accounts of women's imprisonment have focussed on staff–prisoner relationships specifically, whether describing their terms and dynamics or relating their characteristics to broader ideas of power, trust or legitimacy. In this article, based on semi-ethnographic fieldwork in a women's prison in England, we seek to do something of both, analysing the emotional and relational complexity of staff–prisoner relationships in the context of women's life histories, and the ways that they intersect with flows of penal power and powerlessness. The article illuminates the complexity and emotional intensity of these relationships, first, by outlining their core features, as described by female prisoners – blurred boundaries, infantilisation, pettiness, inconsistency and favouritism – and then by seeking to explain the complex entanglements of power and dependence that result. These explanations include the relative powerlessness and vulnerability of women in prison, their biographical experiences of abuse and trauma, and a tendency for uniformed staff to be somewhat careless in their use of power, while seeking to build close and supportive relationships with prisoners and engaging in forms of benign paternalism. The article concludes that women's prisons represent a challenge to models of penal order, authority and legitimacy precisely because of the relational nature of the flow of power that tends to characterise them.

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Section: Staff–prisoner Relationships In Women's Prisonsmentioning

confidence: 85%

Section: Staff–prisoner Relationships In Women's Prisonsmentioning

confidence: 99%

‘It causes a lot of problems’: Relational ambiguities and dynamics between prisoners and staff in a women's prison

Crewe

Schliehe

Przybylska

2022

European Journal of Criminology

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“…Social workers play an indispensable role in meeting the complex needs of individuals within the criminal justice system. Drawing on their expertise in counselling, case management, advocacy, and community engagement, they offer holistic support to rehabilitation offenders (Reamer, 2020;Van Wormer & Bartollas, 2019). These studies emphasise the comprehensive approach that social workers adopt in addressing the diverse and multifaceted needs of individuals navigating the challenges of the criminal justice system.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Examining the Impact of Social Workers on Overcoming Rehabilitation Challenges for Individuals Undergoing Community Service Sentences in Butimba Central Prison, Tanzania

Winston,

Buhori

2024

East Afr. j. arts soc. sci.

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Globally, there is an increasing outcry on the congestion of prisoners on their welfare and human rights. To deal with such congestion, the government of Tanzania introduced the community service, intending to reduce the number of prisoners and, ultimately, the congestion of prisoners. This study aimed to examine the Impact of Social Workers on Overcoming Rehabilitation Challenges for Individuals Undergoing Community Service Sentences in Butimba Central Prison, Tanzania," The specific objectives were to investigate the specific rehabilitation challenges faced by individuals undergoing community service sentences in Butimba Central Prison, Tanzania, and to explore how social workers address these challenges. Social cognitive theory guides the study, and the study design is qualitative. Data was collected using interviews with 20 participants, observations, and document analysis. Findings highlighted pervasive stigma, discrimination, reintegration struggles, and employment difficulties among individuals in community service sentences. Social workers' interventions included counselling, family mediation, advocacy for societal acceptance, successful reintegration, reduced recidivism rates, and a more inclusive environment not adequately addressed. Social workers' challenges, including limited resources, community resistance, and legal barriers, hindered rehabilitation programs' effectiveness. The study recommended developing targeted training programs, enhancing stakeholder collaboration, and implementing evidence-based practices. The conclusion emphasised ongoing support, policy reforms, and holistic interventions in correctional settings for positive outcomes during the transition to community life

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Theoretical Perspectives on Women and the Criminal Justice System

Cited by 2 publications

References 0 publications

‘It causes a lot of problems’: Relational ambiguities and dynamics between prisoners and staff in a women's prison

‘It causes a lot of problems’: Relational ambiguities and dynamics between prisoners and staff in a women's prison

Examining the Impact of Social Workers on Overcoming Rehabilitation Challenges for Individuals Undergoing Community Service Sentences in Butimba Central Prison, Tanzania

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