Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Category
Social Sciences/Humanities
Abstract/Artist Statement
The Montana State Prison in Deer Lodge opened when the state was still a territory in 1870. While it was open it housed not only men but a number of women. The first female inmate arrived in Deer Lodge in 1867 and the prison quickly realized it had no adequate housing for female prisoners. In the eyes of the general public women were not meant to be criminals and the territory had not prepared for them. Both violent and non-violent female offenders were housed in the prison during this time. The prison records of 189 women have been recently digitized on the Montana History Portal allowing scholars the opportunity to study these inmates. The records range from 1909-1960, though the prison remained open until 1979. Through an analysis of these records alongside additional archival materials, including census data, marriage and divorce records, and newspaper reports, this work argues that violent female offenders were wielded within media as examples of immoral women and held to an imagined standard of female purity. Additionally, women of color were further targeted for their crimes and given no remorse by media correspondence who allowed white women forgiveness while simultaneously condemning the actions and lives of others. Through a demographic analysis of these records and a direct look at female offenders this work shows that women of color were being arrested and detained at a higher rate than white women. By identifying how the media depicted women and their crimes, I discuss the media’s inherent biases passed by its authors onto its readers, creating a shared narrative about these women, their lives, and their crimes. These views have persisted into the twenty-first century and continue to affect marginalized women.
Mentor Name
Jody Pavliack
Women Behind Bars: A History of Montana Female Offenders and Their Portrayal in Montana Media; 1909-1960
UC 332
The Montana State Prison in Deer Lodge opened when the state was still a territory in 1870. While it was open it housed not only men but a number of women. The first female inmate arrived in Deer Lodge in 1867 and the prison quickly realized it had no adequate housing for female prisoners. In the eyes of the general public women were not meant to be criminals and the territory had not prepared for them. Both violent and non-violent female offenders were housed in the prison during this time. The prison records of 189 women have been recently digitized on the Montana History Portal allowing scholars the opportunity to study these inmates. The records range from 1909-1960, though the prison remained open until 1979. Through an analysis of these records alongside additional archival materials, including census data, marriage and divorce records, and newspaper reports, this work argues that violent female offenders were wielded within media as examples of immoral women and held to an imagined standard of female purity. Additionally, women of color were further targeted for their crimes and given no remorse by media correspondence who allowed white women forgiveness while simultaneously condemning the actions and lives of others. Through a demographic analysis of these records and a direct look at female offenders this work shows that women of color were being arrested and detained at a higher rate than white women. By identifying how the media depicted women and their crimes, I discuss the media’s inherent biases passed by its authors onto its readers, creating a shared narrative about these women, their lives, and their crimes. These views have persisted into the twenty-first century and continue to affect marginalized women.