What do you think?
Rate this book
Women Behind Bars: The Crisis of Women in the U.S. Prison System
More and more women—mothers, grandmothers, wives, daughters, and sisters—are doing hard prison time all across the United States. Many of them are facing the prospect of years, decades, even lifetimes behind bars. Oddly, there's been little public discussion about the dramatic increase of women in the prison system. What exactly is happening here, and why? The answers are in Women Behind Bars, in which investigative journalist Silja Talvi sheds light on why American girls and women are being locked up at such unprecedented rates. Talvi travels across the country to weave together interviews with inmates, correctional officers, and administrators, providing readers with a glance at the impact incarceration has on our society. With a combination of compassion and critical analysis, Talvi delivers a timely, in-depth analysis of a growing and extremely complicated issue.
- GenresNonfictionFeminism
300 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2007
12 people are currently reading
359 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
January 7, 2010
Reading this reminded me of the fact that I haven't read specifically "women"-oriented non-fiction for a long time, and certainly nothing of the sort written by/for non-queer women in forever. There were some annoying generalizations about "femininity" and, in the chapter addressing lesbianism, an equation of "lesbian" with being "non-feminine" in appearance or demeanor. Annoying. Also, at a few points Talvi argues that women having to "dress like men" (i.e., wear the same uniforms as male prisoners) and being unable to wear makeup is a violation of their human rights. Not the biggest issue about women in prison, in my view.
I did like the book; it's good to have an accessible, anecdotal book (backed up by solid research) that will potentially reach a wider audience out there. And though parts of her book were ableist--such as one comment that a woman who had to have a cancer-related double mastectomy and hysterectomy "had to learn to live with a disfigured body that had taken away her femininity"-- I actually thought the chapter on mental health in prisons was well done. There was also some interesting media analysis around gender and criminality.
The end of the book--particularly the last four chapters--seemed to merely skim the surface of major issues. She writes about state-sanctioned right-wing Christianity in prisons, lesbianism, international comparisons, and federal and state prison transfer practices. In each instance I was left going, "that's it?" While I realize that no book is going to be comprehensive, these chapters seemed too narrowly focused on a few anecdotes and statistics without enough context.
Overall, though, it's a book that covers a lot of different issues and women's stories in an accessible and humanizing way. We need more of that.
I did like the book; it's good to have an accessible, anecdotal book (backed up by solid research) that will potentially reach a wider audience out there. And though parts of her book were ableist--such as one comment that a woman who had to have a cancer-related double mastectomy and hysterectomy "had to learn to live with a disfigured body that had taken away her femininity"-- I actually thought the chapter on mental health in prisons was well done. There was also some interesting media analysis around gender and criminality.
The end of the book--particularly the last four chapters--seemed to merely skim the surface of major issues. She writes about state-sanctioned right-wing Christianity in prisons, lesbianism, international comparisons, and federal and state prison transfer practices. In each instance I was left going, "that's it?" While I realize that no book is going to be comprehensive, these chapters seemed too narrowly focused on a few anecdotes and statistics without enough context.
Overall, though, it's a book that covers a lot of different issues and women's stories in an accessible and humanizing way. We need more of that.
May 26, 2008
In recent months I've been fascinated by the numerous prison, gang, and drug documentaries on television. It's fair to say these shows prompted my interest in this book.
What this book does, often brilliantly, is tell women's stories in their own words. Unlike the standard prison show, which places supposedly long suffering guards on a ridiculous pedestal and focuses on the most violent offenders, this book delves into the stories of women who have been locked up for drug possession or for killing their abusers only to find more abuse from guards inside.
Talvi does not attempt to present a balanced perspective (she only talks to a few American guards who she believes genuinely care about the women and advocate for their rehabilitation), but she is at least transparent about her approach. What is evident is that she cares deeply about the women she sees and with whom she speaks. One of the greatest successes of the book is how she humanizes women society has cast off and hidden out of sight. She breaks down the misconception that prisons are generally made up of people who have committed some crime that is damaging to others, from forgery to robbery to murder. On the contrary, a significant percentage of the prison population is there for drug possession alone, not even drug distribution. Our society's rush to imprison as the solution for all illegal activities looks truly laughable as Talvi presents it.
A small grievance I have with the book is the frequency of typos and grammatical or content mistakes (for example, she cites the film "Monster" as having been released in 1993, when the correct date is 2003). It reads like a second draft, not a final polished work. Talvi is also occasionally prone to generalizations of the very type she argues against (an offhand and unnecessary comment about the prevalence of guns in the South particularly annoyed me). But these small complaints don't detract from the power and importance of the book. I admire her greatly as a journalist and as an advocate for women.
What this book does, often brilliantly, is tell women's stories in their own words. Unlike the standard prison show, which places supposedly long suffering guards on a ridiculous pedestal and focuses on the most violent offenders, this book delves into the stories of women who have been locked up for drug possession or for killing their abusers only to find more abuse from guards inside.
Talvi does not attempt to present a balanced perspective (she only talks to a few American guards who she believes genuinely care about the women and advocate for their rehabilitation), but she is at least transparent about her approach. What is evident is that she cares deeply about the women she sees and with whom she speaks. One of the greatest successes of the book is how she humanizes women society has cast off and hidden out of sight. She breaks down the misconception that prisons are generally made up of people who have committed some crime that is damaging to others, from forgery to robbery to murder. On the contrary, a significant percentage of the prison population is there for drug possession alone, not even drug distribution. Our society's rush to imprison as the solution for all illegal activities looks truly laughable as Talvi presents it.
A small grievance I have with the book is the frequency of typos and grammatical or content mistakes (for example, she cites the film "Monster" as having been released in 1993, when the correct date is 2003). It reads like a second draft, not a final polished work. Talvi is also occasionally prone to generalizations of the very type she argues against (an offhand and unnecessary comment about the prevalence of guns in the South particularly annoyed me). But these small complaints don't detract from the power and importance of the book. I admire her greatly as a journalist and as an advocate for women.
September 27, 2010
This book is well researched, well documented and beautifully told. Talvi steps behind the walls of various women's prison systems and gets right at the truth of what goes on. We're shown how the system treats women accused of committing crimes and the disparity with their male counterparts. We meet women who have suffered horribly from lack of medical care for health conditions unique to females. Some of the stories are heartbreaking, some enlightening and others infuriating. Everyone should read this book because what happens to these women ultimately affects us all.
April 13, 2008
This is a very good, well researched overview of issues related to the imprisonment of women in the U.S. After laying out in detail the many horrors of the U.S. system, and providing very useful background on, say, the so-called War on Drugs and the misery it has caused, the author visits several prisons for women abroad and finds, not surprisingly, that several other countries have implemented some of the reforms she advocates without experiencing the parade of horribles U.S. officials warn will take place if reforms are implemented here.
Some citations are less than authoritative, such as papers published on the web by small groups which are not even cited with a URL, but overall it's a powerful and convincing book.
Some citations are less than authoritative, such as papers published on the web by small groups which are not even cited with a URL, but overall it's a powerful and convincing book.
December 19, 2007
Talvi is a freelance journalist who writes for In These Times and The Nation, among other magazines and journals. She's done an amazing job of digging into women's experiences in the criminal justice system. It was a great idea to focus on many stories across the board, rather than just one. A great book for anyone interested in criminal justice, it should be required reading on course syllabi in law schools.
June 17, 2008
Not that prisons ever provide "good experiences," but this book brings to light serious problems within the U.S. prison system. It also goes further than womens' experiences, but shows how damaging incarceration can be for any minority group. First hand testimony makes this book much more poignant
August 25, 2008
Combining factual information and personal narratives makes for compelling narratives from the women so affected. Anyone with a pulse has to recognize that there must be action for more constructive responses for women mostly caught in a spiral of addiction and trauma.
August 18, 2012
I am reading this currently for my class Adolescence Substance Abuse and Criminality. It is really an interesting and informative look at women in the prison system and what brought them to being in the current situation they are in.
Want to read
December 27, 2007just heard author on kuow recount stories from this book. completely heartbreaking but honest look at prison system.
http://www.sealpress.com/book.php?isb...
http://www.sealpress.com/book.php?isb...
August 8, 2010
I liked this because it brought up a subject that I know little about and opened my eyes to it. I highly recommend it so that others can learn about our prison system.
January 5, 2011
Disturbing in what it reveals. Carefully research and thorough. A gripping read that will anger you about what is happening in prisons all over the country.
September 24, 2012
I highly recommend this book to everyone. Really, I think you should read it.
November 26, 2023
This book was a good combination of research and stories to tie it all together and the best part, it wasn't a dry read. What this book did do for me was invoke a variety of emotions from sadness to anger at the injustices that are perpetuated throughout the whole American prison system by the people in authority. It's so maddening to hear about the abuse that happens on all levels, to women. I would imagine the only way you are saved is if you are a celebrity, which these women are not. I am also startled at the exceptionally harsh sentences that are imposed on women. I don't understand the reasoning and the only thing I can think of is it keeps more people in prison, therefore, more money to the private companies.
I am angry at the cavalier attitudes towards women in custody like they don't mean anything to the world, so therefore they don't deserve even the basic modicum of respect. I am horrified that women are left to suffer with their health and are laughed at instead of being offered healthcare. I am horrified that even though they are prisoners that they are shackled to their beds in the active dying process. The system should be ashamed and they aren't.
One of the quotes from the show 60 Days In, that I remembered when the informants had finished their time and were asked for their feedback by the Warden's, was 'this isn't a country club', when they were told that the prisoners needed better nutrition. That this is a sentiment all the way through the system is, again, horrifying. No one is saying that prison is a country club but people deserve to be given decent food and good healthcare. When is a better time to do Hep C treatment? The women are contained and will have the opportunity to take all their meds and hopefully seroconvert and not spread it around.
I was saddened to hear that Canadian prisons, specifically, Allouette, was ranked by the author to be just above the status of American prisons. I had thought that it would be better, being Canada.
I am angry at these injustices towards women and writing this makes me more angry. I think this book has a good educational component and is well worth the time it takes to read.
I am angry at the cavalier attitudes towards women in custody like they don't mean anything to the world, so therefore they don't deserve even the basic modicum of respect. I am horrified that women are left to suffer with their health and are laughed at instead of being offered healthcare. I am horrified that even though they are prisoners that they are shackled to their beds in the active dying process. The system should be ashamed and they aren't.
One of the quotes from the show 60 Days In, that I remembered when the informants had finished their time and were asked for their feedback by the Warden's, was 'this isn't a country club', when they were told that the prisoners needed better nutrition. That this is a sentiment all the way through the system is, again, horrifying. No one is saying that prison is a country club but people deserve to be given decent food and good healthcare. When is a better time to do Hep C treatment? The women are contained and will have the opportunity to take all their meds and hopefully seroconvert and not spread it around.
I was saddened to hear that Canadian prisons, specifically, Allouette, was ranked by the author to be just above the status of American prisons. I had thought that it would be better, being Canada.
I am angry at these injustices towards women and writing this makes me more angry. I think this book has a good educational component and is well worth the time it takes to read.
September 29, 2025
The fact of the matter is that before this book was written, no one had even attempted, with the NOTABLE exception of Jessica Mitford any many decades earlier, to dig into these issues with such investigative depth & clarity.
Talvi spoke with hundreds of women & prison staff & advocates etc across the country and in Canada, Finland & the UK for comparative perspective. She went undercover. She insisted & spent time with women in solitary & death row.
The sheer level of dedication and outrage that she pours into this book is astonishing.
The phenom of women in prison really wasn’t even in the table until she wrote this book, and hearing her speak once, she recounted the struggles of even getting a single editor to take women in prison as a serious and constantly growing crisis.
At one point, she recalled having been laughed out if a room by a major fellowship grant board of directors who told her she might have luck with Good Housekeeping.
To them, as for so many others, women in prison weren’t just invisible—they were seen as worthless, damaged beyind repair. The moral judgments wee (and still are) an incredible thing to behold considering HOW MANY girls & women are and have been punished with extreme sentences for simply refusing to snitch or roll over on a boyfriend or husband, etc.
The book is a must-read for any criminologist, CJR activist or woman doing time, in addition to anyone looking for insanely great investigative reporting.
From what I now know l from reading her on X & BlueSky is that she had to flee the country after she started her next book on torture in US solitary. The details are complex but she literally had to go to ground and barely escaped the U.S. with her life. She’s somewhere in Europe now—I can’t remember but it’s somewhere in the North—and is still writing on prisons and other issues.
Do yourself a favor and read this book. You’ll see why a shows like Orange is the New Black are really an insult to the horror of life behind bars for most women. It’s amazing how little people REALLY understand about what happens insure—and why.
Bravo. 👏🏽
Talvi spoke with hundreds of women & prison staff & advocates etc across the country and in Canada, Finland & the UK for comparative perspective. She went undercover. She insisted & spent time with women in solitary & death row.
The sheer level of dedication and outrage that she pours into this book is astonishing.
The phenom of women in prison really wasn’t even in the table until she wrote this book, and hearing her speak once, she recounted the struggles of even getting a single editor to take women in prison as a serious and constantly growing crisis.
At one point, she recalled having been laughed out if a room by a major fellowship grant board of directors who told her she might have luck with Good Housekeeping.
To them, as for so many others, women in prison weren’t just invisible—they were seen as worthless, damaged beyind repair. The moral judgments wee (and still are) an incredible thing to behold considering HOW MANY girls & women are and have been punished with extreme sentences for simply refusing to snitch or roll over on a boyfriend or husband, etc.
The book is a must-read for any criminologist, CJR activist or woman doing time, in addition to anyone looking for insanely great investigative reporting.
From what I now know l from reading her on X & BlueSky is that she had to flee the country after she started her next book on torture in US solitary. The details are complex but she literally had to go to ground and barely escaped the U.S. with her life. She’s somewhere in Europe now—I can’t remember but it’s somewhere in the North—and is still writing on prisons and other issues.
Do yourself a favor and read this book. You’ll see why a shows like Orange is the New Black are really an insult to the horror of life behind bars for most women. It’s amazing how little people REALLY understand about what happens insure—and why.
Bravo. 👏🏽
April 22, 2022
Some parts were pretty interesting, but she repeats herself in many places and gets preachy too.
August 18, 2013
I reviewed this for Prison Legal News. An important book with sound sociology and a collection of women's narratives.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews