"Start by doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible."
Francis of Assisi
Transform Your Life with Women's Reentry Network
The Issue
While the US only accounts for 4% of the world’s female population, the US accounts for over 30% of the world’s incarcerated women. According to the Sentencing Project, “as of 2010, more than one million women were under the supervision of the criminal justice system” in the United States. Between 1980-2010, the number of women incarcerated increased by 646 percent. By 2017, the increase was at 742 percent. Comparing nations with US states, the top 25 jurisdictions in all the world with the highest rates of incarcerating women are US states. In 2004, more than half of the women incarcerated had no prior criminal history, with 86% being convicted of nonviolent offenses and of those women, 61% were mothers.
Majority of women who find themselves involved with the criminal justice system have histories of physical and/or sexual abuse, substance abuse and/or mental health issues. It is widely accepted that root causes of subsequent delinquency, addiction and/or criminality are primarily physical and/or sexual abuse. Further, almost 75% of incarcerated women have symptoms of a mental health disorder. Ultimately, women who have been marginalized, suffered trauma, and have been victimized are the ones who have the most involvement with the criminal justice system.
Notwithstanding the data, society chooses, more often than not, to arrest and/or incarcerate women rather than helping with underlying issues, especially as it relates to women of color.
Upon release, women face numerous collateral consequences that limit employment, housing, and reunification with children. According to the Justice Center’s National Inventory, there are over 44,000 documented collateral consequences to having a felony conviction (Justice Center).
