Making It in the Free World: Women in Transition from Prison (Suny Series, Women, Crime & Criminology) (SUNY series in Women, Crime, and Criminology)

Explores how women inmates make the transition from prison back into society. This is the first study to address the important but neglected topic of how women return to the "free world" after single or multiple experiences of incarceration. It uses first-person narratives and a comprehensive review of contemporary theory to provide useful suggestions for practitioners and policymakers concerned with responding to the increasing number of women in the criminal justice system. Patricia O'Brien provides an in-depth description of the experiences of women with a variety of criminal histories to elucidate elements that contributed to their desistance from crime. The book challenges practitioners to be more proactive in recognizing the needs of this population and more responsive to these needs. O'Brien suggests policy changes, especially related to alternatives to incarceration. The first-person narratives of non-recidivist women provide concrete and powerful examples of the crucial mix of ingredients any woman needs to remain free and empowered in a context of powerlessness and increasing social control. "Extremely well written and addressing an important but neglected topic, this book is significant and critical to the area of women's prisons. The first-person narratives are very powerful."--Barbara Owen, author of "In the Mix:" Struggle and Survival in a Women's Prison __Explores how women inmates make the transition from prison back into society.__ This is the first study to address the important but neglected topic of how women return to the "free world" after single or multiple experiences of incarceration. It uses first-person narratives and a comprehensive review of contemporary theory to provide useful suggestions for practitioners and policymakers concerned with responding to the increasing number of women in the criminal justice system. Patricia O'Brien provides an in-depth description of the experiences of women with a variety of criminal histories to elucidate elements that contributed to their desistance from crime. The book challenges practitioners to be more proactive in recognizing the needs of this population and more responsive to these needs. O'Brien suggests policy changes, especially related to alternatives to incarceration. The first-person narratives of non-recidivist women provide concrete and powerful examples of the crucial mix of ingredients any woman needs to remain free and empowered in a context of powerlessness and increasing social control."Extremely well written and addressing an important but neglected topic, this book is significant and critical to the area of women's prisons. The first-person narratives are very powerful."--Barbara Owen, author of __"In the Mix:" Struggle and Survival in a Women's Prison__ Contents......Page 8 Foreword......Page 10 Preface......Page 12 T-Z......Page 0 Contents......Page 23 Foreword......Page 25 Preface......Page 27 Contents......Page 38 Foreword......Page 40 Preface......Page 42 Contents......Page 53 Foreword......Page 55 Preface......Page 57 Contents......Page 68 Foreword......Page 70 Preface......Page 72 Contents......Page 83 Foreword......Page 85 Preface......Page 87 Contents......Page 98 Foreword......Page 100 Preface......Page 102 Contents......Page 113 Foreword......Page 115 Preface......Page 117 Contents......Page 128 Foreword......Page 130 Preface......Page 132 Contents......Page 143 Foreword......Page 145 Preface......Page 147 Contents......Page 158 Foreword......Page 160 Preface......Page 162 Contents......Page 173 Foreword......Page 175 Preface......Page 177 Contents......Page 188 Foreword......Page 190 Preface......Page 192 Contents......Page 203 Foreword......Page 205 Preface......Page 207 Contents......Page 218 Foreword......Page 220 Patricia O'Brien is Assistant Professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago, Jane Addams College of Social Work. Patricia O'brien. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 179-194) And Indexes.