Are there any female prison wardens?

Terri Gonzalez takes command of the California Men’s Colony with more than two decades of experience, and a quiet confidence. What you won’t read on her résumé is her latest achievement: Gonzalez is the first female warden at the prison in its 56-year history.

What is the world’s largest women’s prison?

She is incarcerated at the Central California Women’s Facility (CCWF), the largest women’s prison in the world.

How do inmates find out who they are in prison?

She recalls that through their incarceration, many female inmates find out who they are for the first time in their life because they are not being abused; they do not have a john or a pimp lurking around the corner waiting to use or abuse them. Male inmates, on the other hand, have to prove themselves.

Do female inmates help each other out?

Both Warden Arnold and Assistant Warden Gillis feel that, more often than not, female inmates will help each other out. They will work with one another to get through a crisis, and bond when one of them needs help, whereas men are less likely to signal that they’re hurting or share the particulars of their pain.

What is it like to be a male in prison?

Male inmates, on the other hand, have to prove themselves. They are hostile and often blame others for the situation in which they find themselves. And of course, Arnold said, they are rarely open to accepting help. “The male ego often gets in the way with making progress in prison,” Arnold said.

Are female inmates receptive to rehabilitation programs?

Gillis explained that, unlike most male inmates, the majority of female inmates are very receptive to rehabilitation programs, and they take the initiative to get involved in programs, classes and other activities that will begin to pave the way for their future.