Women in Prison

Women in Prison

Women in prison face many problems that are unique to them because of their gender. Unfortunately, women are often times housed in institutions that were built to house men and therefore these institutions do not meet their needs. DC Prisoners’ Legal Services Project works to expand opportunities for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated women. We endeavor to create an atmosphere in corrections institutions that is both understanding and respectful of gender specific needs. The following is a simple overview of the demographics and problems pertinent to female inmates.

Women are being incarcerated in record numbers. There are over 90,000 women in prison in the United States today. Most of these women are incarcerated for convictions that are nonviolent and are considered “ poverty crimes” such as, check forgery and unauthorized credit card use. 92% of women in prison in the United States report that they had an income under 10,000 dollars before they were incarcerated.1

The average age of a woman in prison is 29, and 58% have not finished high school. Racism, economic discrimination and sexism are directly linked to severe inequalities in the court system and the prison system.
There are women who are incarcerated in the United States who did commit violent crimes. Of this pool of female offenders, the vast majority were convicted for defending themselves or their children from abuse. Average prison sentences are twice as long for killing husbands as they are for killing wives.2

There are a disproportionate number of women of color who are incarcerated in the United States, this is directly linked to poverty which leads to poor lifestyle and often, drug use. Due to “the war on drugs” and increasingly strict drug offense sentencing laws, the number of women in prison for drug crimes has skyrocketed. The number of women in prison in the United States rose from 12,300 in 1980 to 82,000 in 1997. Drug offenses have been cited as accounting for 49% of the rise of women in prison compared to 32% of the increase of men.

Once women are incarcerated, they find it very hard to get the medical care that they need and deserve. It is very difficult for women to get annual pap smears and mammograms that are considered routine preventative care. Often, gynecological care is administered only when the need becomes an emergency.

Reproductive rights are a very important topic for women in prison. Many women enter the correctional system pregnant and others become pregnant while they are incarcerated. Many times, fundamental reproductive freedom of choice is severely limited to women in prison. According to U.S. law, abortion is a fundamental right of every woman in the United States whether she is incarcerated or not. Although, it is a legal right, it is generally not very accessible to women in prison. It is also very trying for women who are pregnant to receive proper prenatal and postpartum care. In addition, due to strict laws about parenting rights while a woman is incarcerated many women find it very difficult to cultivate the proper mother/ child bond. When women go to prison, it takes a devastating toll on the family, 67% of women incarcerated in the United States are mothers of children under 18; 70% of these women had sole custody of their children before their incarceration.3

It is also clearly documented that women are subject to horrific forms of abuse once they are inside a prison or jail. These abuses can range from verbal harassment to physical and sexual abuse. Women in prison are more susceptible to these types of violations because they are often housed where men are in the position of authority. They are also threatened with physical harm or disciplinary action if they complain about these abuses.4

Moreover, when women are released from prison they tend to be more isolated than men and, have a harder time reconnecting with their families and their communities.5

1. Burke, L. (1994 May) Women in Prison. Women’s Economic Agenda Project. Retrieved on May 13, 2003, from http://prisonactivist.org/women/women-in-prison.html
2. Casson, W. (2000 January) Self Defense Is Not a Crime. National Clearing House in Defense of Battered Women, Washington, D.C. Retrieved May 13, 2003, from http//prisonactivist.org/women/self-defense-not-a-crime.html
3. Farmer, A. (2002, June) Mothers in Prison Loosing All Parental Rights. National Organization for Women. Retrieved May 13, 2003, from http://www.now.org/eNews/june2002/062102prison.html
4. homas, D, Blatt, D, Levi, R, Lai, S, Mariner, J, Ralph, R. (1996, December) All Too Familiar; Sexual Abuse of Women in U.S. Prisons. Human Rights Watch. Retrieved May 13, 2003, from http://hrw.org/reports/1996/Us1.htm
5. Tower, C. (November 2000) Women in Prison. Razorwire. Retrieved May 13, 2003, from http://www.november.org/razorwire/rzold/05/0502.html