Date of Award

2007

Document Type

Research Paper

First Advisor

Claudia Dorrington

Abstract

After learning about prisons in the United States, I decided to pursue a comparative analysis between Los Angeles and Barcelona on women in prison. Not surprisingly, my findings in Barcelona helped me ask better questions, but did not reveal the conclusions I had hoped for. My research and volunteer experiences in Barcelona impacted my research approach in Los Angeles. The research I conducted in Barcelona as exploratory, and undoubtedly enhanced the quality in Los Angeles. Similarities and differences are outlined between women’s incarceration in Barcelona and Los Angeles. The methods used in this project were participatory observation and interviews with key informants. I will use the data from my 6-month stay in Barcelona through field journals, which describe my research experiences and highlight central issues and themes related to women’s incarceration in Catalonia, Spain; they provide an illustration of social research, self-examination, personal growth, and the complexity of the issues of women in prison. I will present the data from my research in Los Angeles through a documentary film titled, ‘Women in Prison; A Cycle of Darkness,’ which outlines theoretical considerations, the profiles of women in prison, the experience of incarceration, the reintegration process, the barriers to employment, and the alternative methods of addressing social problems, rather than incarceration. It became clear that the subject of women in prison could not be illustrated through quantitative research alone. I started my research from an academic standpoint, but as my role changed to that of a systems participatory observer I was able to gain a deeper understanding of the impact of macro systems on women in prison. My initial disbelief turned to sadness and guilt, followed by anger, and eventually translated into action.

Comments

WSP Major: Social Work and Social Policy and Law

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