Women in Prison in Ohio during World War One

• In Event: The History of Prisons and Whistle-Blowers in the United States

Abstract

During World War I, 154,000 Ohio men were drafted into the military and over 200,000 Ohioans entered into the war effort. The Ohio Industrial Commission was formed to place workers into jobs needed for the war effort. For many women, the war industries gave them their first exposure to non-traditional work. Yet, despite a shortage of workers, young, healthy women were sent to prison, the majority for non-violent offenses. This research will examine the factors that sent these women to prison. These factors include the racial, ethnic, and sexist attitudes of the day.

Author

• Brenda Chaney, Ohio State University