Gender Issues in the New Generation Jail

Abstract

There is little research on women in jails and “new generation” jails in particular. This study examines how women and men inmates adapted to a state-of-the-art new generation jail. Inmates were surveyed 6 months before and after the new facility opened. Standardized survey instruments were used to assess inmate perceptions of the jail environment, other inmates, staff, and the facility as well as inmate stress. The results indicate that female inmates show declines on most measures of inmate satisfaction, both among themselves and in comparison to male inmates. Males, by contrast, show substantial improvements. The article examines a variety of reasons for the disparate gender outcomes. The conclusion is that equal treatment in the new generation jail led to negative outcomes for women.