Please join us for the upcoming Criminology Forum on Wednesday, November 6 in 406 Oswald Tower from 3:00 PM- 4:00 PM. Lindsay Bostwick, Ph.D. PA Commission on Sentencing Postdoctoral Scholar will be presenting her research.

Research has shown incarcerated women often have histories of abuse and may be dealing with mental health or substance abuse issues as a result. This study fills a gap in our knowledge about prior abuse by interviewing female inmates in Illinois prisons. Interview questions concentrated on participants' histories of substance abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, stalking and emotional trauma, and help seeking strategies related to these issues. Life history calendars were used to record the events over the life course for each woman. The majority of women had experienced some form of physical, emotional, or sexual abuse in their lifetime and the majority reported periods of regular substance use. The majority of women sought help through friends and family rather than through official channels.