Women Behind Bars

Stealing copper, embezzling money, tossing gasoline on another person- then threatening to set them on fire. Heres a few more: Armed robbery, car jacking, identity theft and public intoxication. Just a few recent crimes weve reported that have one thing in common. They were all committed by Ark-La-Miss women. Two women accused of car jacking, this lady arrested for stealing copper, cops say she poured gasoline all over her boyfriend threatening to set him on fire. Just a few of the over one hundred women behind bars at the Ouachita Correctional Center. Dr Pamela Higgins-Saulsberry, "Now we have to restructure the way we look at crimes period". Dr Pamela Higgins-Saulsberry heads up ULMs social work department. The doctor points to the economy as one reason why more and more women are turning to a life of crime. She says, "When bread winning opportunities are thinner then youll find woman doing things like stealing copper or holding individuals up or writing bad checks". Dr Higgins-Saulsberry believes Americans put woman on imaginary pedestals. She tells us, "We tend to think of women as having a higher code of conduct than men". But the doctor says that just isnt true. And points to infamous examples of woman behaving badly. Dr Saulsberry tells us, "Historically like you know Adam & Eve, Ma Barker, Bonnie and Clyde". As more and more U.S. women commit serious crimes punishments have ratcheted up as well. In the last ten years eight women have been executed in American prisons. Another 57 currently sitting on death row.