Women's Prison Culture

In their book Convict Criminology, authors Richards and Ross incorporate a chapter comprised of several sections to help those reading understand women in prison. There’s an interesting section that discusses women’s prison culture. When women are sent to prison, they are forced to learn to live in an institution that was developed in response to deviant male prison behavior. A woman’s prison experience is different than that of a man’s; hence their reaction to prison is different as well. Several studies done in the late 1960s and early 1970s found noticeable similarities between three women’s prisons in regards to prison subculture. First, they found that the world of women’s prison is substantially different from that of the male culture. Second, they discovered that prison culture among women was directly related to gender role expectations of sexuality and family. Furthermore, the women’s prison identities were somewhat based on their identities outside of prison.



Female inmates, particularly first-timers, must learn the rules and roles of prison culture in order to survive their incarceration. These inmates soon find out that prison is filled with uncertainty and begin to negotiate routines and strategies to help themselves deal with and adapt to this new world. The women learn to live in prison through interactions with other prisoners. As they adjust to life in prison, they form friendships and “prison families” or “play-families”. “Prison families” usually develop complex emotional relationships that can have a practical or sexual basis. These families have social and material responsibilities that include anything from providing friendship and support, celebrating birthdays and holidays to providing food, cigarettes, and clothing.



Richards and Ross conclude the chapter by stating the trying to understand women in prison has led many to ask why women are incarcerated in the first place. In order to find the answer, one must examine the demographic characteristics, pathways to imprisonment, public policy, and its specific impact on women.