Working With Women Offenders in Correctional Institutions

Working With Women Offenders in Correctional Institutions, by Joann B. Morton, D.P.A., American Correctional Association, 2004, 330 pp.

Working With Women Offenders in Correctional Institutions is a must read for anyone in the field, whether academic or practitioner. This is an engaging, well-written

study of the history of women in corrections and the practical issues facing corrections professionals today. As a woman and a corrections professional of more than 30 years, what I liked best about the book is that it explores the issues and offers practical options for intervention without making women victims. It is an objective exploration of the issues invloved in working with female offenders, offering recommendations backed up by solid research.

In recent years, it has become "politically correct" to regard female inmates in the same way as men - that is to say, "an inmate is an inmate." This minimizes the special needs and problems of female offenders and creates more problems for those of us who work with female offenders. Though written about female offenders, I do not believe the book only appeals to those who work with women. Every correctional system deals with the issues of women in the system.

This book will appeal to commissioners, directors, managers and line staff alike, as well as parole and probation executives and managers in the field who must support transitional services. In short, I believe it has value for anyone in the field of criminal justice. It is one of the best of the genre that I have read in a long time, and it is written in a very accessible style.

Working With Women Offenders in Correctional Institutions is a very well-rounded discussion of the issues all of us who work in the system face as we attempt to provide the best possible services to women in our institutions. Morton is to be praised for her thoughtful, compelling work and thorough research of the subject. She has provided the system with a classic in the field.

AUTHOR_AFFILIATION

Reviewed by Cheryl Lirette Clark, Ph.D., director of the Shock Incarceration Program for the New York State Department of Correctional Services.