The way America handles crime in general is pretty abysmal. Sweden’s approach to rehabilitation, by contrast, is much different. My hope is that these three essays shed much needed light on where America is failing its citizens.
Compare the female crime rate in the United States with one other country with a vastly different female crime rate.
I selected Sweden, which according to the U.S. Department of State, enjoys a lower crime rate than that of the United States (Sweden, 2020: Crime and safety report, 2020). Examining data from a 2006 International Study of women’s prisons, America houses a total of 209,980 female inmates at the combined local, state, and Federal levels (International Centre for Prison Studies, 2008). The U.S. maintains a total of 108 female custody facilities (Young & Reviere, 2006, p.). As of 2006 data, Sweden only maintains four female-only prison facilities, the largest able to accommodate 95 prisoners (International Centre for Prison Studies, 2008). The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime reports the 2016 homicide rate in America to be 5.35%, with Sweden’s homicide rate at just 1.08% (United Nations, n.d.). In America, women comprise 9% of the prison population, while in Sweden, women make up 6.8% (International Centre for Prison Studies, 2008). Drug offenses are the number one cause for incarceration for both America and Sweden (International Centre for Prison Studies, 2008).
How is the treatment of females the same in the two countries? How is the treatment of females different between the two countries? Be sure to compare both the formal laws and the cultural norms and values from each country.
Treatment of female prisoners in the United States and Sweden are similar in that both are housed in separately from male prisoners (International Centre for Prison Studies, 2008). Health care is important, viewed as a basic necessity with a woman-centered approach for both countries (International Centre for Prison Studies, 2008). Both countries allow babies to stay with their incarcerated mothers, but for significantly different lengths of time (International Centre for Prison Studies, 2008).
Sweden’s treatment of female prisoners in Sweden is arguably better than that of female prisoners in the United States. The Scandinavian model is utilized, ensuring imprisonment is as much like normal life as possible (International Centre for Prison Studies, 2008). Female prisoners with infants up to a year old are allowed to care for their children while they are incarcerated (International Centre for Prison Studies, 2008). Hinesburg, a large women’s only prison contains an apartment with a small garden for children to have overnight visits (International Centre for Prison Studies, 2008). Home leave is regularly employed, in which prisoners are able to go “on leave” with the specific purpose of maintaining family ties (International Centre for Prison Studies, 2008). As long as adequate staff and space is available visits are encouraged and prisoners may have as many visits as possible (International Centre for Prison Studies, 2008).
The United States however is quite different. Most women are held in dormitories with small cell accommodations (International Centre for Prison Studies, 2008). Depending on the facility, babies are only allowed to stay with their mothers for up to 3 months (International Centre for Prison Studies, 2008). Unlike the Scandinavian prison model, the American model of prisons includes barb wire walls, heavy doors, and the use of segregation as punishment (International Centre for Prison Studies, 2008). The children of incarcerated mothers are at high risk of foster care placement and since mothers cannot participate in reunification plans, termination of their parental rights may occur (Finney-Hairston, 2003). I am truly impressed in the way Sweden connects offenders with their family. Considering that work-family conflict is higher in America, I am saddened, yet unsurprised that the United States fails to place the same emphasis on family (Williams & Boushey, 2010).
Do the differences in treatment of females between the two countries explain the different in the crime rate?
I believe that Labeling Theory plays a heavy role in how female prisoners behave and are treated. The societal stigma against female parolees has been found to be greater than that facing males (Cowan, 2019). In step with Feminist theories, United States prisons are mainly designed for men, which vocational programs favoring traditional female careers such as secretaries or beauticians (Lilly et al, 2019).
I also believe the difference in living conditions and treatment contribute to the differences in crime rates. The living conditions in United States prisons consistently remind one that they are in a prison, where the Scandinavian prison model typically looks more like a home, even described as “cushy” (Larson, 2013). Scandinavian prisons better prepare people for life on the outside by letting them practice life skills while serving time. Unlike America, criminal justice policy also rarely enters political debate in Sweden (Larson, 2013). Sweden trusts its prison professionals and adopts results-based policies, developed by accomplished criminologists and scholars (Larson, 2013).
References
Cowan, B. A. (2019, April). Incarcerated women: Poverty, trauma and unmet need. American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/pi/ses/resources/indicator/2019/04/incarcerated-women.
Finney-Hairston, C.F. (2003). Prisoners and their families: Parenting issues during incarceration. In J. Travis and M. Waul (Eds). Prisoners Once Removed: The impact of incarceration and reentry on children, families and community (p. 259-282). The Urban Institute Press.
International Centre for Prison Studies. International profile of women’s prisons. (2008, April). King’s College London, University of London.
Larson, D. (2018, August 30). Why Scandinavian prisons are superior. The Atlantic. https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2013/09/why-scandinavian-prisons-are-superior/279949/.
Lilly, J. R., Cullen, F. T., & Ball, R. A. (2019). Criminological theory: context and consequences. SAGE Publications, Inc.
Sweden 2020 Crime & Safety Report. (2020, April 2). https://www.osac.gov/Content/Report/fb7befd9-197b-4db3-aeb0-185988c85fb5.
United Nations. Intentional Homicide Victims | dataUNODC. United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. https://dataunodc.un.org/crime/intentional-homicide-victims.
Williams, J. C., & Boushey, H. (2010, January 25). The Three Faces of Work-Family Conflict. https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/economy/reports/2010/01/25/7194/the-three-faces-of-work-family-conflict/.
World Prison Brief. (2018). Sweden. https://www.prisonstudies.org/country/sweden.
Young, V., Reviere, R. (2006). Women behind bars: Gender and race in U.S. prisons. Lynne Rienner Publishers Inc.
