Blog # 15

In the United States, prisons have been around for about two hundred years. In the begging there was no separation of women and men. During these times women were often thought of as not women because they did not follow typical gender norms. It was thought that if a woman was raped while she was in prison, it was her own fault. It was also difficult because women were treated either the same as men, or worse by the prison guards. There was a difference in their tasks while being in prison as well. The women were given tasks such as cooking, sewing, or cleaning, while men were not given these tasks. Soon after came the reform movement, where we moved away from corporal punishment and made other changes to prisons. Many women were also moved to halfway homes, which at the time were almost like a wayward home for little girls. Here the women inmates were taught how to be proper women and taught how to be domestic. This also resulted in the separation which stopped rapes, allowed for feminine care, and they were managed by women staff. Also, while women were being taught to cook and clean, men prisoners were generally “leased” to do construction work or working on the railroad. Also, the role of officer’s differed in these institutions well. Women officers were expected to be more motherly, or like mentors while men were expected to be the parliamentary mold. However, now there is a difference in the numbers of inmates that are being held in US prisons. Women inmates are growing much more quickly than male inmates. Also, the role of officer’s differed in these institutions well. Women officers were expected to be more motherly, or like mentors while men were expected to be the parliamentary mold.

In Arizona, the first prison was in Yuma and there was no separation for women. Often times, the Governor of Yuma often pardoned the women inmates and they were released much sooner than men inmates. With the reform also came the separation of males and females, and the separate institutes in Arizona are still around today.