The Gender Gap in Incarceration: A State-Level Analysis (1980-2010)

• In Event: Gender and Imprisonment

Abstract

While the “grand experiment” of mass incarceration in the United States may be leveling off or declining in recent years, scholars will likely plumb the depth and breadth of this experiment’s effects for years to come. Much has already been documented about the rise in incarceration for men (who comprise 90% of U.S. prison populations), but less research has been done to understand growing incarceration rates for women. Using state-level panel data gathered from government sources (e.g. BJS, U.S. Census) this paper analyzes factors influencing incarceration rates for both men and women from 1980 to 2010. We ask whether similar political, economic, and social factors lead to increases for both genders. Preliminary results show that racial composition of the population similarly affected growth in incarceration for both genders, but political control by Republicans led to greater increases in women’s incarceration rates than men’s. Future analyses will explore the influence of gender inequality in the labor market and education at the state level, as well as spatial variation in incarceration rates by gender, given that the proportion of incarcerated population that is female varies dramatically across states (e.g. Hawaii is ranked 42nd in incarceration for men, but 9th for women).

Authors

• Heather McLaughlin, Oklahoma State University

• Sarah Shannon, University of Georgia