What is the primary reason for the increase in female incarceration rates?
Over the past 20 years the war on drugs has caused significant rise in the number of women incarcerated and their access to adequate drug treatment. Many women in prison have experienced physical or sexual trauma at the hands of men.
When was the Sentencing Project founded?
1986
The Sentencing Project/Founded
Founded in 1986, The Sentencing Project works for a fair and effective U.S. criminal justice system by promoting reforms in sentencing policy, addressing unjust racial disparities and practices, and advocating for alternatives to incarceration.
How many women in prison have a child?
More than 60% of women in state prisons have a child under the age of 18. 1) Glaze, L. E., and Maruschak, L. M. (2009). Parents in Prison and Their Minor Children.
How is the criminal justice system affecting women?
Over the past quarter century, there has been a profound change in the involvement of women within the criminal justice system. This is the result of more expansive law enforcement efforts, stiffer drug sentencing laws, and post-conviction barriers to reentry that uniquely affect women.
What happens to the children of an incarcerated mother?
Incarcerated mothers often lose contact with their children due to far distances and the high expense of having family members visit them (Travis & Waul, 2003). Arrest and incarceration raise the risk of child welfare involvement even when underlying offenses are unrelated to child abuse and neglect (Braman & Wood, 2003).
Is the rate of imprisonment for black women declining?
The rate of imprisonment for African American women has been declining since 2000, while the rate of imprisonment for white and Latinx women has increased. Between 2000 and 2019, the rate of imprisonment in state and federal prisons declined by 60% for black women, while the rate of imprisonment for white women rose by 41%.