Incarcerated women : a history of struggles, oppression, and resistance in American prisons / edited by Erica Rhodes Hayden and Theresa R. Jach.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Hayden, Erica Rhodes, editor.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Women prisoners--United States--20th century.

Women prisoners.

Women prisoners--United States--19th century.

United States.

Physical Description:

xvi, 186 pages ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

Lanham, Maryland : Lexington Books, [2017]

Summary:

The story of the rise of prisons and development of prison systems in the United States has been studied extensively in scholarship, but the experiences of female inmates in these institutions have not received the same attention. Historically, women incarcerated in prison, jails, and reformatories accounted for a small number of inmates across the United States. Early on, they were often held in prisons alongside men and faced neglect, exploitation, and poor living conditions. Various attempts to reform them, ranging from moral instruction and education to domestic training, faced opposition at times from state officials, prison employees, and even male prison reformers. Due to the consistent small populations and relative neglect the women often faced, their experiences in prison have been understudied. This collection of essays seeks to recapture the perspective on women s prison experience from a range of viewpoints. This edited collection will explore the challenges women faced as inmates, their efforts to exert agency or control over their lives and bodies, how issues of race and social class influenced experiences, and how their experiences differed from that of male inmates. Contributions extend from the early nineteenth century into the twenty-first century to provide an opportunity to examine change over time with regards to female imprisonment. Furthermore, the chapters examine numerous geographic regions, allowing for readers to analyze how place and environment shapes the inmate experience."

Contents:

Part I Nineteenth-Century Prisons 1

1 "Secret Horrors": Enslaved Women and Children in the Louisiana State Penitentiary, 1833-1862 / Brett Josef Derbes Derbes, Brett Josef 3

2 "In the Care of the Supposed Powerful State": Women and Children in the Virginia Penitentiary, 1800-1883 / Hilary L. Coulson Coulson, Hilary L. 17

3 Letters from Inside: Prison Writings from Eastern State Penitentiary in the Nineteenth Century / Erica Rhodes Hayden Hayden, Erica Rhodes 37

Part II The Progressive Era 53

4 "I thought if I got a chance I would do it": Sexual Negotiation by Black Women Convicts in Texas, 1875-1915 / Theresa R. Jach Jach, Theresa R. 55

5 "I Beg for Your Mercy": The Business of Black Women's Bodies in the Carceral State, 1850s-1960s / T. Dionne Bailey Bailey, T. Dionne 77

III Twentieth-Century Experiences and Current Issues 99

6 Discipline, Resistance, and Social Control at the Illinois State Reformatory for Women, 1930-1962 / L. Mara Dodge Dodge, L. Mara 101

7 Making Mothers: Teaching the Virtues of Motherhood at Westfield Reformatory, 1950s-1960s / Ilse Denisse Catalan Catalan, Ilse Denisse 127

8 "It's a Way to Get Out of Prison": Writing and Teaching in Women's Prisons / Breea C. Willingham Willingham, Breea C. 147.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 165-174) and index.

ISBN:

1498542115

9781498542111

OCLC:

966929679