Making It in the Free World: Women in Transition from Prison (Suny Series, Women, Crime & Criminology) [Paperback]

Patricia O'Brien (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 31, 2001 | Series: Suny Series, Women, Crime & Criminology

Explores how women inmates make the transition from prison back into society.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

This research study by O'Brien (social work, Univ. of Illinois, Chicago) is based on interviews with 18 women formerly incarcerated for transgressions involving substance abuse or property. She shows how their prison and parole experiences affected their reentry into the "free world" as they sought to establish homes, experience healthy relationships with family and others, and live productive lives. The author found that each woman's degree of stability was strongly related to the availability and quality of education, counseling, and vocational training during her confinement as well as the nature of supervision and assistance from parole officers and others following their release. Among other topics, she ties together a review of related literature, a description of her research strategy, and a serious questioning of the value to society (as well as to the individual) of the current "get tough" incarceration solution to nonviolent "criminal" activity of both sexes. Recommended for academic and professional attention. Suzanne W. Wood, SUNY Coll. of Technology at Alfred
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From the Back Cover

This is the first study to address the important but neglected topic of how women return to the "free world" after single or multiple experiences of incarceration. It uses first-person narratives and a comprehensive review of contemporary theory to provide useful suggestions for practitioners and policymakers concerned with responding to the increasing number of women in the criminal justice system.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 220 pages
• Publisher: State University of New York Press (January 31, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0791448622
• ISBN-13: 978-0791448625
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,460,431 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Major Contribution, October 25, 2001

By 

Katherine van Wormer (cedar falls, Iowa United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Making It in the Free World: Women in Transition from Prison (Suny Series, Women, Crime & Criminology) (Paperback)

There are many books on female offenders and women in prison but none previously to my knowledge on women in transition following imprisonment. Making It in the "Free World" admirably fills this gap. Read this book and hear the stories of women who have made it on the outside; read about the hurdles set by an uncaring system before them. This book is a must read for politicians,proabation officers, and social workers.Well written and compelling reading.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Powerful stories of former women prisoner's struggle outside, June 11, 2001

By 

David Barnett (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Making It in the Free World: Women in Transition from Prison (Suny Series, Women, Crime & Criminology) (Paperback)

Based on Dr. O'Brien's thoughtful research, this book was a fascinating look into the lives of women as they struggled to create a new life for themselves after serving their sentences in prison. This is clearly an academic book, but stories the women tell in their own words are quite moving. They relate desperate efforts to make it on the outside, in many cases so that they can be reunited with their children. I found Dr. O'Brien's discussion of what these women have to teach us to be quite thought-provoking. She makes excellent use of theory to help make the reader understand ways we can view the aftermath of prison life. She also convincingly urges practitioners to take a more proactive stance when working with non-recidivist women (and makes suggestions which may help pracitioners assist more women to avoid the revolving door back into prison life by helping the reader to better understand and to identify needs of this population and more responsive to these needs of these women). In addition, I was ver interested in her suggestions of ways to change policies -- especially alternatives to imprisonment (which could also better serve the children of women who are now sent hundreds of miles away to serve their sentences and denied regular access to their children).

I strongly recommend this book to anyone interested in the impact of the USA's criminal justice system on women and children. This topic is all too often ignored in the ever-increasing discussions of sentencing guidelines. This book is a giant step forward in helping us all to better understand how the transition from prison life can be facilitated or barricaded for women. The voices of the women in this book need to be heard!

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Major Contribution, October 25, 2001

By 

Katherine van Wormer (cedar falls, Iowa United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Making It in the Free World: Women in Transition from Prison (Suny Series, Women, Crime & Criminology) (Paperback)

There are many books on female offenders and women in prison but none previously to my knowledge on women in transition following imprisonment. Making It in the "Free World" admirably fills this gap. Read this book and hear the stories of women who have made it on the outside; read about the hurdles set by an uncaring system before them. This book is a must read for politicians,proabation officers, and social workers.Well written and compelling reading.