Women in Prison: Inside the Concrete Womb

by Kathryn Watterson and Kathryn Watterson Burkhart

Book Overview

This compelling book, which has been thoroughly revised and updated, draws on candid interviews with over 400 women inmates and prison officials to shed a shocking light on our penal system as it affects women.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1555532381
• ISBN13: 9781555532383
• Release Date: January 1996
• Publisher: Northeastern University Press
• Length: 402 Pages
• Weight: 0.04 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.3" x 9.4"

Customer Reviews

Excellent Resource

This book provide a great insight into some of the oldest female institutions in America. It brings together inmate interviews and phsychological analysis to allow you the reader to understand the mindset of both the inmate as well as the leaders of the facilities. The subject of females in prison is a taboo topic in America and this book shines a great light on the inconsistant ways in which laws are applied based on when and what era a person was convicted and the type of crimes they were convicted of. The book provides several examples of how easy it is for any person placed in state custody as a child to get lost and shuffled in a large infrastructure under government control only leading to further government institutionalization because of the size and scope of the organization. Very well written and easy to comprehend.

missing pages

I just want buyer to be aware that there might be page error or missing pages. For the book i have, i am missing over 30 pages and other errors. The book itself is decent, just mistakes on the publisher's part.

Well Researched And Informative

A look at women in prison, this book describes in detail the inhumane psychological conditions in which most incarcerated people have to live. There are few surprises here -- it is nor secret that prisons to nothing to deter crime in the least -- quite the opposite, in fact -- and that most people who are incarcerated could be much more effectively rehabilitated using other means, except for the minority of violent offenders. Although the author gives an accurate and detailed description of prisons as they really are, I doubt if anyone will take notice since she does not go to much trouble to give any reasonable alternatives. An excellent study in one of the most atavistic practices of the modern era.

Absolutely Horrific What American Women Go Through

I found it difficult to believe some of the sentences these women drew for the "petty crimes" they committed.After reading what they are subjected to they are expected to come out of prison better people!!!What I read in this book was unbelievable.I would expect this to happen in other countries but not ours. Why call these correctional facilities? Call them what they are punishment hell holes.Yes,perhaps they did break the law,but as one women said "she cashed a welfare check for $167 dollars and got two years. How many"business people go on vacations and fancy lunches with friends then write it off. Let's get real and do something to help people and not ship them off only to become more bitter about their lives. I was lucky I came from a loving, stable home and have had wonderful family to help me out when money was tight and I needed to talk. I was never even near a womens prison,but there but for the grace of God as the saying goes.I hope more people will read this book and we will all do what we can to help these women who are there now and maybe be a friend to the woman who needs help. I for one will be writing my locals officials to see what the prison reforms are now.