According to the suit, women prisoners in New Hampshire don't receive the same treatment, services, pay and housing as the state's male prisoners. Among the allegations of gender disparity is that the state's male prisoners have access to more mental health services, including a specialized unit for inmates with difficulty in the general population.

In an answer to the suit, and according to a separate report released by the state earlier this month, state officials generally agree. Blame is placed on inadequate infrastructure, staff and money.

Janice Hutt is a former nurse who stole someone's identity and cash, then violated probation. She's also one of four inmate plaintiffs named in the four-count lawsuit against the state alleging violation of constitutional protections and state laws.

Hutt is housed in the women's prison with 21 other female inmates in a single room with double bunks lining the walls. She claims it's "extremely unlikely" she'll ever work as a nurse again, so she'd like vocational training on par with offerings at the men's prison in Concord.

There, male inmates can study culinary arts, furniture making, auto repair, building trades, business education and computer technology, according to the lawsuit. But for Hutt and the other 121 women currently incarcerated by the state, only the business and computer classes are available, their suit alleges.

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