NCJ Number
79294
Journal
BALANS Volume: 9 Issue: 12 Dated: (1978) Pages: 1-5
Date Published
1978
Length
5 pages
Annotation
The study describes the living conditions and activities in a Dutch penitentiary for women and the women's response to the facility.
Abstract
The prison is designed to allow female inmates a high degree of personal freedom. The 'cells' are equipped like non-prison rooms on the outside. Women are examined upon admission so that special diets and medical needs can be met. Group activities are encouraged; these include work (making artificial flowers), crafts, sports, or watching television in a common living area. Meals are eaten together, and women are permitted monthly visits to the beauty parlor. The degrees of freedom vary in different living groups, according to the level of responsibility exhibited by the inmates: at one level, they are permitted to have keys to their cells; an isolation area houses difficult prisoners. Women are prepared for release in the 4 or 5 preceding months, and they are permitted to spend weekends on the outside. Inmates' initial enthusiasm upon implementation of the relaxed policies was followed by a period of minor problems such as heating separate cells to comfortable temperatures. Eventually a balance was reached, with living groups themselves exercising social control. Providing space for inmates' children is an experiment in the planning stages. Drug addiction is common among new inmates, and intensive drug treatment services are provided. Personnel work in a system of 11-member teams that meet regularly to discuss problems. The system enables teams and individual guards to receive more responsibility but coordination of teams is sometimes difficult. Illustrations are supplied.