Breaking the Rules

Breaking the Rules: Women in Prison and Feminist Therapy challenges therapists, public policymakers, voters, and those in the criminal justice system to find treatment options, empowerment strategies, viable resources, community support, and policies that can help women with problems such as drug abuse, domestic violence, poverty, and prostitution rather than perpetually punishing them.

Breaking the Rules shows you how our society makes ‘other’of those among us who are most vulnerable, injured, and without resources. It digs under your skin and forces you to look at:
the histories of abuse among women who have murdered their partners
the impact of race and ethnicity on patterns of mothering and caretaking of children of women prisoners
the lack of treatment options for addicted women prisoners
how prison reawakens the feelings of powerlessness in women who have suffered childhood physical and sexual abuse
helping women inmates develop marketable educational and vocational skills, support systems, and positive perceptions of themselves
collaborative strategies that challenge the status quo of programs and support available to female offenders and their families
a relational model of treatment that is based on the integration of three theoretical perspectives
the strengths and limitations of twelve step programs for women

Mapping the problems and offering solutions, Breaking the Rules walks you through treatment strategies and self-confirming experiences--such as feminist therapy, prisoner-led support groups, affirmative prison programming, and art therapy--that help women draw on their strengths, come to terms with their pasts, and meet future challenges head on.