Women Doing Life: Gender, Punishment and the Struggle for Identity

by Lora Lempert

The carceral experiences of women serving life sentences.

2017 Michigan Notable Book Selection presented by The Detroit Free Press

How do women – mothers, daughters, aunts, nieces and grandmothers – make sense of judgment to a lifetime behind bars? In Women Doing Life, Lora Bex Lempert presents a typology of the ways that life-sentenced women grow and self-actualize, resist prison definitions, reflect on and “own” their criminal acts, and ultimately create meaningful lives behind prison walls. Looking beyond the explosive headlines that often characterize these women as monsters, Lempert offers rare insight into this vulnerable, little studied population. Her gendered analysis considers the ways that women “do crime” differently than men and how they have qualitatively different experiences of imprisonment than their male counterparts. Through in-depth interviews with 72 women serving life sentences in Michigan, Lempert brings these women back into the public arena, drawing analytical attention to their complicated, contradictory, and yet compelling lives.





Women Doing Life focuses particular attention on how women cope with their no-exit sentences and explores how their lifetime imprisonment catalyzes personal reflection, accountability for choices, reconstruction of their stigmatized identities, and rebuilding of social bonds. Most of the women in her study reported childhoods in environments where violence and disorder were common; many were victims before they were offenders. Lempert vividly illustrates how, behind the prison gates, life-serving women can develop lives that are meaningful, capable and, oftentimes, even ordinary. Women Doing Life shows both the scope and the limit of human possibility available to women incarcerated for life.

Genres: Nonfiction

320 pages, Paperback

First published February 19, 2016

Reviews

[Rachel Schlegel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very research heavy, but loved the interviews and background of the incarcerated women sharing their stories. Loved the focus on how the concept of identity and purpose shifts so heavily when incarcerated.

[Faith · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not what I was expecting it was made for skimming and skim I did. :(

[Sean Kottke · Rating 5 out of 5]

An essential work of grounded theory that tells the story of 72 women sentenced to life in Michigan's prison system. This is the ideal sociological text to braid with Bitch Planet and Orange is the New Black. Did you know that 1/3 of the world's imprisoned women are in the United States?

[Kayci Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

In a criminal justice system that was designed for men, this book highlights the experiences of female lifers and the unique circumstances they experience. I found this to be an insightful read, based on well-developed research methodology. An excellent choice for one seeking to understand the female experience of the justice system.

[Judy Morris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book. It,was very long for me but it was very interesting book.