Abstract
Within the Austrian penal and correctional system, female inmates constitute a statistical minority, thereby indicating that the system’s norms are predominantly male. This article therefore examines on the basis of several qualitative studies and theoretical reflections, how gender is constructed in the Austrian correctional system in the sense of doing gender. An empirical exploration reveals that female inmates are often constructed as emotional, impulsive, or manipulative, with such gender-stereotypical attributions being reinforced by institutional structures and everyday routines. However, the women affected resist these external definitions in their narratives. The article demonstrates that the forensic system is not a gender-neutral space; rather, it produces a binary gender order that is inherent to the system.
Keywords: doing gender, women, gender relations, enforcement of measures