WOMEN IN PRISON

Health

 

HEALTH PROBLEMS FOR INCARCERATED WOMEN:

• Women in prison have significantly higher rates of mental illness compared to women in ther general population 

• Sharing a cell due to overcrowding can contribute to negative mental health issues including

  • Self-harm

  • Stress

  • Depression

  • Anxiety

  • Suicidal ideation

  • Other psychological issues

• 13% of women in federal facilities and 24% of women in state prisons have been diagnosed with a mental disorder.

• Women in prison have a higher risk of being HIV positive due to unsafe sexual behaviors and drug use

  • The general percentage of women infected with HIV in the United States is 0.3%, while women who are incarcerated in federal and state facilities is 3.6%; however, rates have decreaded since 1999

• Estimates indicate that between 20% and 50% of women in jails and prisons are affected by Hepatitis C, which can lead to liver damage

  • Treatment for Hepatitis C is very expensive, and most facilities do not routinely test for it

• There are higher rates of chronic illness in female inmates compared to male inmates

• Female inmates tend to have higher need for treatment than males, however, getting treatment in prison is nothing like getting treatment in "the real world"

  • Many facilities fail to provide therapeutic resources as part of treatment, and many provide an excess of mediciations which can be harmful to those taking them 

  • Getting gynecological treatment is also difficult in prisons due to the cost and resources

• There is a high need for drug treatment in women's prison facilities due to drug being a large reason for incarceration 

 

PREGNANCY AND BIRTHING IN PRISON:

• 5-10% of women who enter prison are pregnant

• A major concern is prenatal health

• In 2011, 36 states allowed women to be shackled while pregnant and while giving birth

• Shackles make it extremely difficult for medical help

• If there are medical problems during labor, the restraints can get in the way and cause more harm due to the time it can take to take off the restriants

• Shackling pregnant and birthing women goes against their 8th Amendment right that protects against cruel and unusual punishment

• 9 states have prison nurseries which allows women to remain with their child for at least part of their sentence (generally 12 to 18 months). This is beneficial becasue it allows the mother and her child to form and attachment and bond, which is essential in the early part of life.