Women in U.S. Prisons

Paper Summary:

This paper looks at how the justice system is designed to enact punishment on those who have committed a crime, but how for many women incarcerated in the United States the prison system is nothing less than a torture chamber. It examines how for these women, sexual abuse and gross misconduct at the hands of those who are supposed to protect them are commonplace. It provides statistics on women in U.S prisons, an outline of specific issues faced by female prisoners and why these conditions actually exist. It concludes with possible solutions to these problems and current investigations by groups such as Amnesty International.

From the Paper:

"Women are being sold as sex slaves to male inmates. (Ruggiero) If this was not deplorable enough, the guards themselves are using the women for their own sexual pleasure. The incidence of rape, defined as sexual intercourse with a woman by a man without her consent and chiefly by force or deception, (Webster's Online Dictionary) is a "fairly rare phenomenon". (Olson) This by no means belittles the unjust sexual relationships occurring. The officers are using their position of power to force the inmates to have sex with them so in effect that is rape."

More papers on Women in U.S. Prisons:

• Research Paper # 6266 : "Violence in U.S. Correctional Facilities"
• Comparison Essay # 3785 : "Women's Rights in China and the U.S."
• Essay # 73226 : "Who's In Prison?"

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