Women in Prison

 “A real contribution to understanding what happens to women incarcerated in our prisons today. . . Women in Prison is an excellent primer on the subject. The topics Watterson covers include the history of women’s prisons; who is in prison, for what crimes; the prison industries that support the state and are fueled by prisoners’ unpaid or miserably paid wages; the profit-making companies, organizations, and communities who benefit from the boom in prison construction and the ever-expanding correctional employment; the difficulties faced by incarcerated women and their children; the frightening world of women inside prison; the plight of those women as they leave prison with $25 in their pockets and no place to call home, no job and children to support; the inadequate medical and psychological services provided for women in prison; and prison friendships, families and sexualities.”—Women’s Review of Books