Reference no: EM133748310

Historically, women and men were housed together (and sometimes families). It wasn't until the Newgate prison was developed in 1797 that women and men housed in separate wings. Today men and women are housed separately. You'll recall in Chapter 8 we examined how incarcerated individuals adapt to the prison environment. In Chapter 11 we learn that women adapt quite differently than their male counterparts and they respond differently to the treatment and programs offered to them. Women who work as correctional officer report more job satisfaction than other career paths in the criminal justice system. However, women working in detention facilities and working with individuals in the community also report sexual harassment, inequality, and in some instances a hostile work environment.

In Chapter 12 we first define race, ethnicity, disparity, and discrimination. The chapter also highlights the experiences of minority and sometimes disenfranchised communities in our prisons. Polices like the War on Drugs, get-tough policies, and racial profiling have contributed to a disproportional number of minorities in our prisons. Evidence-based practices can help to reduce the disparities we see in prisons today. Diversity among prison staff can also help minimize some of the racism experienced by incarcerated individuals in the past.

For this written assignment you use the text to write about one (1) of the below topics.

1) What are the socio-economic, psychological, and gender-specific challenges encountered by women in prison? Please also discuss the unique needs of incarcerated women and how that might impact programming.

2) What are the factors associated with disproportionate minority representation in prisons? How does mass incarceration perpetuate cycles of poverty and disenfranchisement within minority communities and undermine trust in the criminal justice system? in a paragraph not in bullet points.