Exploring the Differences of Life Adjustment among Female Inmates: A Comparsion between Prisoners and Suspects

• Main Authors: Chang,Chen-Yun, 張禎云
• Other Authors: Hsu,Hua-Fu
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2014
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/31287425795916939052

碩士 === 國立中正大學 === 犯罪防治研究所 === 102 === Abstract Due to the impact of gender mainstreaming on correctional field over the past decade, the issue of incarceration adjustment among women has been explored. Unfortunately, the female suspects’ life adjustment in jails has been disproportionately over looked at the same time. Heeding to the echoes from the exiting literature, this study attempts the fill the gap by exploring the differences of life adjustment between female prisoners and suspects. Also, the research models and significant influential predictors which have been developed from the western society were applied to Taiwanese women correctional settings. Using data with 649 respondents collected from women prisons and women jails, the findings indicated that, unexpectedly, female suspects significantly reported higher levels of physical maladjustment and mental depression than their counterparts, female prisoners. There was no difference over misconduct behaviors between these two comparative groups. At the same time, while record history, incarceration stress, interpersonal stress, family support, and staff support were significantly related to life adjustment among female prisoners, only incarceration stress and interpersonal stress produced significant impact on female suspects across misconduct behaviors, physical maladjustment, and mental depression. Respondents’ characteristics and criminal background factors produced varied and inconsistent associations with their life adjustment both in prisons and jails. Some unique discussions and policy implications also have been addressed for correctional agency and managers in the final section. Keywords: female inmates, life adjustment, incarceration stress, social support, jail