Looking Beneath the Surface

• DOI: 10.1177/1557085112439224
• Author: Shannon M. Lynch,April Fritch,Nicole M. Heath
• Date: 01 October 2012
• Published date: 01 October 2012

Feminist Criminology

7(4) 381 –400

© The Author(s) 2012

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DOI: 10.1177/1557085112439224

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439224FCX7410.1177/15570851124

39224Lynch et al.Feminist Criminology

1Idaho State University, Pocatello, ID, USA

2Tripler Army Medical Center, Honolulu, HI, USA

3Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA

Corresponding Author:

Shannon M. Lynch, Idaho State University, 921 So 8th Ave, Stop 8112, Pocatello, ID 83209, USA

Email: lyncshan@isu.edu

Looking Beneath the

Surface: The Nature of

Incarcerated Women’s

Experiences of Interpersonal

Violence, Treatment Needs,

and Mental Health

Shannon M. Lynch1, April Fritch2, and Nicole M. Heath3

Abstract

Female offenders report higher rates of interpersonal violence (IPV) and mental health

problems than incarcerated men. The purpose of this study was to describe the nature

of incarcerated women’s (N = 102) IPV experiences, to investigate characteristics of

IPV as predictors of current mental health, and to explore women’s perceptions of

their treatment needs. Utilizing multivariate multiple regression analyses, the authors

found that recent partner violence, multiple types of IPV, chronic IPV, and distress

at the time of the IPV were all significant predictors of current mental health. In

narrative responses, participants recognized the connection between IPV and their

mental health and indicated a need for trauma-informed interventions.

Keywords

incarcerated women, interpersonal violence, treatment needs

In 2009, the Bureau of Justice Statistics reported that approximately one in every 133

residents of the United States was in the custody of state or federal prisons or jails

(Sabol, West, & Cooper, 2009) and 114,979 women were under state or federal jurisdic-

tion (West, 2010). As the number of incarcerated women has increased substantially in

382 Feminist Criminology 7(4)

recent decades, so too has the literature about this unique population. One consistent

finding is that incarcerated women have different experiences prior to incarceration

than male prisoners do (Bloom, Owen, & Covington, 2003; James & Glaze, 2006). In

particular, female offenders report higher rates of intimate forms of interpersonal vio-

lence (IPV; e.g., child abuse, rape, partner violence) and mental health problems than

incarcerated men. Women also are more likely to be incarcerated for reasons related to

substance use and less likely to be charged with violent crimes than are male offenders

(James, 2002). These differences in rates of experiencing intimate forms of IPV, mental

health problems, and substance use can result in female offenders having distinct treat-

ment needs from their male counterparts, yet most current programming is based on

models developed for male offenders (Hills, Siegfried, & Ickowitz, 2004). In addition,

treatment programs vary by facility type. Jails typically offer fewer services given that

they are intended to be short-term holding facilities for individuals awaiting sentencing

or serving a sentence of less than a year (often misdemeanor charges), whereas prisons

are longer-term facilities typically holding individuals who committed felony offenses.

The purpose of this article is to explore the nature of IPV experienced, the mental

health concerns, and treatment needs of a sample of 102 female offenders in a state

prison. Furthermore, we examine the extent to which a variety of aspects of IPV are

associated with female offenders’ current psychological health.

Incarcerated Women’s Experiences of

IPV and Mental Health

Conservative estimates indicate that approximately half of incarcerated women have

been physically or sexually assaulted before imprisonment (Greenfeld & Snell, 1999;

James, 2002). Other recent studies of female inmates have found that between 77%

and 98% have a history of some type of IPV exposure (e.g., childhood sexual or

physical abuse, sexual assault, and/or partner violence; Bloom et al., 2004; Green,

Miranda, Daroowalla, & Siddique, 2005; McDaniels-Wilson & Belknap, 2008). Next,

it is widely recognized that experiencing traumatic events, particularly of an intimate

and interpersonal nature, increases the risk of subsequent psychological problems.

Specifically, exposure to various forms of IPV over the lifespan is a significant risk

factor for depression, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), suicide, and substance

use problems (Campbell, 2002; Dutton et al., 2006; Hedtke et al., 2008).

Given the extent of IPV exposure reported by incarcerated women, it is not surprising

that the rate of serious mental illness among inmates is 3 to 5 times higher than in the

general population and that female offenders report higher rates than male offenders

(Drapalski, Youman, Stuewig, & Tangney, 2009; Hills et al., 2004; James & Glaze,

2006). In 2005, more than half of all jail and prison inmates reported mental health

problems (James & Glaze, 2006). Similarly, Trestman, Ford, Zhang, and Wiesbrock

(2007) interviewed 200 women in jail and reported 56% met criteria for psychologi-

cal disorders. In their 2003 review of the existing literature, Bloom and colleagues

report that substance abuse/ dependence, PTSD, and depression are among the most

common disorders found in female offenders.