Women and Crime Final

Maternal Filicide

• child murder by the mother

Infanticide

• first year of life

Neonaticide

• infant within 24 hours of birth

Altrustic

• out of love

Acutely Psychotic

• confusion, hallucinations, post pardum psychosis

Child Fatal maltreatment

• not intended - over discipline

Unwanted child

• want a new life

Spousal Revenge

• make other parent/spouse suffer

Differences between fathers and mothers

• we exceept mothers to be nutruing and protective, so it violates cultural norms

  • motherhood is idealized, so people judge mothers more than fathers

  • women choose non-violent ways to kill their children

• men use more physical force when killing

  • we could see men kill

Percentage of mothers who commit filicide and suicide?

• 16% to 29% of people

What are the risk factors for maternal filicide?

• isolation

• mental health

• outside sources

  • like people feeding into their delusions

  • think ruby franke and jodi (how she helped influence ruby’s delusions)

Why does a parent kill?

• filicide reasons

• might think they are helping the child

What is munchausen syndrome? Why do they do it?

• it is a disorder where an individual fakes a physical or psychological symptom in themselves to gain attention, sympathy, or play the sick role

• why do they do it:

  • need for attention and care

  • childhood trauma or neglect

  • need for control

Walsh et al.: What are four main themes identified in the article?

1. barriers to motherhood

2. burden of perceived maternal failure

3. salvation through motherhood

4. a better future

Walsh et al.: What are the barriers to incarcerated mothers?

1. lack of institutional support for mothering

2. negotiating with external caregivers

3. intergenerational cycle

4. pain of separation

Walsh et al.: Maternal identity, Positive Aspects/Recommendations

Maternal Identity:

• Women feel guilt and shame for being separated from their children and feel that their maternal identity is taken away

• Feel like they failed as a mother because their children have an external caregiver (not liking how they are being parented) and not being able to help their children (comfort their children when they are sick)

Positive Aspects/Recommendation:

• Children might act as a source of motivation for incarcerated mothers

• Mothers might want to improve themselves

• Mothers might avoid reoffending, drug use, etc. so they can keep their children in their life and reunite with their children

Walsh et al.: Social construction of motherhood

• Cultural expectations: mothers should be nurturing and caring

• Identity as a mother for women

What type of filicide does Andrea Yates have?

• acutely psychotic

How did Andrea Yates kill her kids?

• drowning them in the bathtub

• started with the youngest to the oldest kid

What was Andrea Yates risk factors and red flags?

• severe postpartum psychosis and depression

• previous suicide attempts

• ignoring medical advice

• not taking her medication

Who was to blame for Andrea Yates actions or what was to blame?

• her husband

• being released from the hospital while she was in a psychotic state

Ferraro and Moe: Social Contruction of motherhood

• not just biological - it is shaped by societal expectations, norms, and values

• society defines what a good mother is, typically expecting women to be:

  • selfless

  • nuturing

  • present

• these expectations are tied to broader ideas about gender roles

Ferraro and Moe: Factors contributing to economic crimes

• poverty and financial desperation

• responsibilty for children

• limited employment opportunties

• substance abuse and addiction

• strucutral inequality

Ferraro and Moe: Factors that can hold women back

• stigma and labeling

• loss of child custody

• limited job opportunites

• poverty and financial instability

• lack of social support

Ferraro and Moe: Probation violations for women and why it is important?

• missing appointments because they had to take care of their kids

• it is important because men do not have the same similarites

Ferraro and Moe: How did women view jail?

• seperation from children was the most painful part

• sense of failure as mothers

• emotional strain and mental stress

• disruption of idenitty

• jail as both punishment and sometimes temporary reflief from being a mother

• lack of control

• concerns about losing custody

Ferraro and Moe: Major critiques about correctional programing, losing children (emotional impact)?

• not-gender responsive

• lack of focus on motherhood

• insufficent tranmua-infromed care

• limited access and avaibility

• rigid requirments

• focus on complaince over support

Ferraro and Moe: What is a good mother and why is this important?

• defined by social expectations

• expected to be:

  • selfless and always put children first

  • nuturing and emotionally avaible

  • physical present and involved in daily care

Ferraro and Moe: Who is the ideal mother?

• a selfless caregiver

• constantly present and available

• highly nutring and emotionally supportive

• financially and socially stable

• morally responsible

Owen article: What is the mix?

• the way women who are mothers in the crimminal justice system experince a combination of conflicting roles and pressures

• a blend of identiies

• a conflict between the crimminal justice role and mother role

• motherhood responsibilites and system demands

Owen article: Why is the mix considered dangerous?

• increased risk of system failure

• creates impossible expectations

• leads to incarceration cycles

• harms mother-child relationships

Owen article: How do women navigate prison?

• building informal support networks

• learning prison rules quickly

• mangaging relationships with staff

• maintiang identity as mtohers

• protecting themselves emotionally

• coping with limited resources

• adaptating to institutional contorl

Owen article: What skills are most important for survival?

• emotional control

• reading people and situtations

• building alliances

• knowing offical rules and unoffical rules

Owen article: What is the role of respect and juice?

• respect:

  • safety

  • must be earned and maintained

  • closely tied to reputation

  • important for daily survival

• juice:

  • power, infleunce of status in prision is juice

  • helps determined control in social situtations

  • can come from different sources

  • used to gain protection or advantage

  • closely tied to respect

Owen article: What factors are associated with gaining respect?

• self control and emotional strength

• standing up for onself

• loyalty and trustworthiness

• reputation and histry

• ability to naigvate prison rules

• social connections

Owen article: What is the prison code and what are the differences between men and women?

• Prison code: an unwritten set of rules followed by inmates

• Men: toughness, dominace, and status

• Women: focus on relationships and emotional connections

Owen article: What are the styles of doing time?

• Doing time “straight”

  • Focus on following rules and staying out of trouble

  • Keep a low profile

  • Avoid conflict and drama

  • Try to complete time quietly and safely

• Doing time “hard”

  • Adopt a tough, defensive posture

  • Ready to stand up for oneself at all times

  • More likely to engage in confrontation to maintain respect

  • Focus on survival through strength and reputation

• Doing time “out” (or socially engaged style)

  • Highly involved in prison social networks

  • Builds strong friendships and alliances

  • Relies on relationships for emotional and practical support

  • More active in prison community life

• Doing time “in” (withdrawn style)

  • Emotionally and socially withdrawn from others

  • Keeps to self to avoid conflict or hurt

  • May focus on family outside or internal coping strategies

  • Limits interaction with prison social structur

Owen article: how might the prison experiences affect how a women adapts?

• Prior trauma and victimization

  • Women with histories of abuse or violence may:

    • Be more cautious or withdrawn

    • Struggle with trust

    • Be more emotionally reactive or sensitive to conflict

• Motherhood and family separation

  • Strong attachment to children often leads to:

    • Emotional distress and guilt

    • Motivation to “do time” quietly or avoid trouble

    • Focus on maintaining contact with family

• Institutional experiences inside prison

  • Exposure to strict rules and discipline encourages:

    • Learning to follow routines closely

    • Adapting to avoid punishment

    • Developing survival strategies like “doing time straight”

• Social environment in prison

Owen article: What are the hierachies in prison?

• Juice” and influence

  • Women with more “juice” (status, connections, reputation) have higher standing

  • Influence can come from time served, relationships, or perceived toughness

• Respect-based ranking

  • People with more respect are higher in the social order

  • Respect is earned through behavior (loyalty, self-control, standing up for oneself)

• “Old timers” vs. newcomers

  • Long-term inmates (“old timers”) often have more knowledge and status

  • Newcomers usually start at the bottom and must learn prison culture

• Social network position

  • Women with strong alliances or friendships tend to have higher status

  • Isolated women often have lower standing and fewer protections

• Behavioral reputation

  • Those seen as trustworthy and stable rank higher

  • Those seen as unpredictable, aggressive, or “drama-prone” may be lower

• Rule-following vs. rule-breaking reputation

  • Knowing and navigating prison rules can increase standing

  • Frequent violations or conflicts can lower status

Owen article: What about the prison yard?

• Main public social space in prison

  • One of the few areas where women interact more freely

  • Used for exercise, talking, and informal socializing

• Where hierarchies are displayed

  • “Respect” and “juice” become visible through how women move and interact

  • Social ranking can be observed through group formation and isolation

• Center for social networking

  • Women form friendships, alliances, and support systems

  • Important for emotional support and survival resources

• Conflict and surveillance space

  • Tensions, gossip, and disputes can surface in the yard

  • Also closely monitored by correctional staff

• Space for doing time styles

  • “Doing time out” women are more active socially in the yard

  • “Doing time in” women may avoid the yard and stay withdrawn

  • “Doing time straight” women may use it briefly and cautiously

• Power and safety dynamics

  • Women with more status or connections may feel safer in the yard

  • Less connected women may feel exposed or vulnerable

Owen article: Growth in prison?

• Self-reflection and insight

  • Time in prison can lead women to think about past choices

  • Some develop a clearer understanding of what led to their incarceration

• Learning coping and survival skills

  • Women often become more skilled at:

    • Managing emotions

    • Navigating rules and staff expectations

    • Handling conflict and relationships

• Identity development

  • Many women strengthen or re-evaluate their identity as mothers

  • Some begin to see themselves beyond criminal labels

• Substance use recovery

  • For some, prison becomes a place to begin addressing addiction

  • Access to programs (when available) can support change

• Education and programming

  • Participation in classes or treatment programs can build skills

  • Helps prepare for reentry into society

• Emotional resilience

Owen article: Self discovery?

• Re-evaluating life choices

  • Women reflect on events that led to incarceration

  • Begin to understand patterns like trauma, addiction, or survival behavior

• Recognizing personal strengths

  • Some discover resilience, patience, or emotional strength they didn’t notice before

• Clarifying identity

  • Many reconnect with or redefine their identity as:

    • Mothers

    • Survivors of trauma

    • Individuals beyond their criminal label

• Understanding relationships

  • Reflection on past relationships (healthy or abusive)

  • Learning how relationships influenced behavior and decisions

• Motivation for change

  • Desire to reunite with children or avoid returning to prison can drive self-awareness

  • Helps some women plan for life after release

• Influence of prison experience

  • Structured time, isolation, and programs can create space for reflection

  • But stress and instability can also limit deeper self-reflection

Owen article: Stages of incarceration

1. 🚪 Entry / Shock stage

• First arrival in jail/prison

• Feelings of:

  • Confusion

  • Fear

  • Emotional shock

• Main focus is adjusting to loss of freedom and separation from children

• 2. 🧭 Adaptation / Learning stage

  • Learning how prison works:

    • Formal rules (staff expectations, schedules)

    • Informal rules (“prison code,” respect, juice)

  • Beginning to understand social hierarchies

  • Figuring out “how to do time” (straight, hard, in, or out styles)

3. 🧱 Survival / Stabilization stage

• Establishing routines and coping strategies

• Building relationships and alliances

• Managing emotional stress and maintaining identity (especially motherhood)

• Learning how to avoid conflict and violations

• 4. 🌱 Reflection / Growth stage (for some women)

  • Increased self-reflection and self-discovery

  • Thinking about life before prison and future plans

  • Engaging in programs, treatment, or education (when available)

  • Motivation often tied to children and reentry goals

5. 🚪 Preparation for release / Reentry stage

• Anxiety and uncertainty about returning to society

• Concerns about:

  • Housing

  • Employment

  • Family reunification

• Trying to apply lessons learned inside prison to life outside

Compare and contrast the above the Hard time video

Plushette: What is her story?

• former sex worker who did drugs

• lost her kids, contact with two

• trying to find a better way but unlikely

• will most likely return to drugs

• goes to prison often

Plushette: What about her mother presents challenges?

• did not want her

• allowed family members to rape her

• did drugs

• created a toxic environment

Sonnie: What was her story?

• stepdad abused her

Sonnie: What about her mother presents challenges?

• did not want her

• showed up to the hospital relunctly and called her slow

• not present

What was similar in Plushette and Sonnie’s stories?

• their mother’s non-involvement shaped them to go into life of abuse, drugs, prison, and crime

What are the main findings of Keleman et al.?

More specifically, they aimed to explore how prior traumatic experiences (such as abuse, violence, or victimization) affect:

• how women perceive and cope with prison environments,

• how they interact with others (staff and other prisoners), and

• how imprisonment may retrigger or intensify trauma-related responses.

Because it’s a qualitative study, the focus wasn’t on measuring outcomes, but on understanding the lived experiences and personal meanings of imprisonment for women with trauma histories.

Found:

• tramuatic experiences before entering prison

• prison was sressful with the lack of control, noise, confiemnet, tensions

• persisent threat environment in prison

What are the main findings of Owen?

• The Mix:

  • It’s the informal social world of prison, separate from official rules.

  • It involves high-risk behaviors and emotional entanglements.

  • Being “in the mix” means you’re actively involved in this drama and instability

• Juice

• the ability to get things done and get things for people like drugs

2. Respect

• act like a man

3. Reputation

• status

What are the main findings of Wennerstrom?

• document formely incarered women’s experiences with receing healthcare during incarceration

• issues related to barriers to seeking appropate care

• sick call

What are the main findings of Themes?

Main findings / themes (bullet points)

• Motherhood is central to incarcerated women’s lives

  • Women strongly identify as mothers even during incarceration

  • Separation from children is one of the most painful experiences

• Structural inequality shapes women’s pathways to crime

  • Poverty, abuse, addiction, and lack of opportunity are major contributing factors

  • Crime is often linked to survival rather than profit

• Gendered expectations create double punishment

  • Women are judged as both offenders and “bad mothers”

  • Social stigma is stronger than for men

• Prison is a highly social and structured environment

  • Informal systems like respect, juice, and prison code shape daily life

  • Survival depends on relationships and social navigation

• Institutional systems are not designed for women

  • Programs and policies are often based on male prison models

  • Women’s needs (trauma, parenting, health care) are often overlooked

• Reentry is difficult and unstable

  • Barriers include housing, employment, custody loss, and probation conditions

  • Many women cycle in and out of incarceration

• Adaptation and survival strategies vary

  • Women use different “styles of doing time” (in, out, straight, hard)

  • Coping depends on personality, trauma history, and social support

Who was interviewed in Hard time?

• ncarcerated men (main focus)

  • Prisoners at different security levels

  • Men discussing daily life, survival, and prison rules

  • Individuals describing violence, respect, and prison hierarchy

• Correctional officers (guards)

  • Explain rules, discipline, and safety procedures

  • Describe challenges of managing inmates and maintaining order

• Prison staff (sometimes)

  • Medical staff, counselors, or administrators

  • Discuss institutional policies and inmate behavior

• Occasional administrators or experts

  • Provide broader context about prison operations or securit

How does hard time relate to Owen?

Same setting: prison life

• Both focus on how incarceration works day-to-day

• Show rules, discipline, and inmate adaptation

Desistance Lecture: What is desistance? How is it defined?

• moving away from crime requires identity change, prosocial bond, and oppirtinty structuress

Desistance Lecture: According to early desistance research, what life events helped promoted desistance?

• quality marriage

• stable employment

• parenthood

Desistance Lecture: What is gender responsive treatment and cognitive behavioral theory?

• men’s explatnations do not applu for women

Desistance Lecture: What is motherhood role important?

• shapes women and encoruages them to not do crime

Desistance Lecture: Which correctional practice is recommended to enhance desistance among women?

• gender responsive programming

Desistance Lecture: What were the main findings of the Tuxton, Prison Nursery, article?

look at worksheet