Despite her claims of innocence, Erica Hayden, a young expectant mother, is convicted of robbery and sentenced to 5 years in a state penitentiary for women. According to the rules of the institution, she is permitted to keep her baby with her for 3 years, whereupon the child is put up for adoption if no guardian can be found to care for the child until the mother is paroled. Erica is assigned as a maid in the private residence of the sadistic warden, Cole, who falls in love with her and begins to show greater leniency toward the inmates. Erica's parole hearing and her daughter's 3rd birthday simultaneously approach, but the welfare authorities take Robin away when Erica cannot find anyone to take care of her until her almost-certain release from prison. Cole, afraid of losing Erica, blocks her parole and orders all prison children separated from their mothers. Shortly thereafter, the son of hard-boiled Sophie Brice is killed in a fall from a prison roof. Completely berserk, Sophie incites a riot and takes a parole board member as hostage. She attempts to hurl the woman from the ledge of the roof from which her son plunged, but Erica and the prison doctor restrain her and rescue the parole board member. The incident makes newspaper headlines, resulting in the expulsion of Warden Cole and the hiring of his replacement, a woman. Erica wins her parole and is reunited with her little daughter.

Director:
Walter Doniger	Director
Russell Saunders	Assistant Director
Al Alleborn	Assistant Director
Cast:
Shirley Knight	as Erica Hayden
Andrew Duggan	as Warden Cole
Constance Ford	as Sophie Brice
Barbara Nichols	as Candy Kane
Margaret Hayes	as Zoe Stoughton
Jeanne Cooper	as Helen Jennings
Virginia Gregg	as Mrs. Hunter
Patricia Huston	as Doris
Jason Evers	as Dr. Conrad
Jennifer Howard	as Addie Gates
Caroline Richter	as Clemens
Colette Jackson	as Aggie
Gayla Graves	as Jackie
Jacqueline Scott	as Mrs. Stevens
Paul Lambert	as Mr. Dunn
Carolyn Komant	as Nan
Virginia Capers	as Sarah
Drew Vigen	as Tommy
Laurie Sheridan	as Robin
Cinematography:
Harold Stine	Director of Photography
Writer:
Crane Wilbur	Writ (see note)
Producer:
Bryan Foy	Producer
Editing:
Leo H. Shreve	Film Editor
Music:
Howard Jackson	Music
Art Director:
Leo K. Kuter	Art Director
Make-Up:
Gordon Bau	Makeup
Louis La Cava	Makeup
Jean Burt Reilly	Hairstyles
Peggy McDonald	Hairstyles
Costume-Wardrobe:
Alexis Davidoff	Wardrobe
Florence Hackett	Wardrobe
Art Department:
John P. Austin	Set Decoration
Sound:
Robert B. Lee	Sound
Film Production - Main:
Meta Rebner	Script Supervisor
John Monte	Stills

Although screenwriter Wilbur took over direction midway through production, he was denied directing credit and declined co-directing credit. The working title of this film is Ladies of the Mob.

Released in United States Winter January 1, 1960

Shown at New York Lesbian & Gay Film Festival May 12-22, 1994.

Remake of the 1950 film "Caged".

Released in United States Winter January 1, 1960

Completed shooting September 10, 1949.