Women in Prison

Since 1997, the number of women in prison has increased by a whopping 757 percent. Women are the fastest growing segment of the prison system, surpassing men in all 50 states.

Over the past 15 years, the number of women prisoners in California doubled to approximately 11,681. Last year alone, the number was up by eight percent.

The majority of those women have survived domestic violence and 80 percent are mothers. Because 1 in 10 of the state’s female inmates is pregnant, a new baby is born in prison on an almost daily basis.

The population of mothers in prison has drastically increased since the 80s, largely due to tougher sentencing for nonviolent drug crimes. Because the number of women having babies in prison is also increasing, California officials are preparing to open the state’s first prison nursery. Shouldn’t this be causing us to question what this says about us as a society? Do we really want children being raised behind bars?

It’s time to have a discussion about why so many women and mothers are behind bars in the first place, and recognize the fact that female prisoners have different needs than male prisoners. It’s highly unlikely than any politician will honestly tackle this issue during an election year for fear of being labeled “soft on crime.”

3 Comments

storiesinamerica on June 12, 2006 at 2:26 pm

Because they don’t have a voice, the issue of women prisoners doesn’t get much attention. The Bay Area is home to many formerly incarcerated women who are now running organizations to help this growing population…

Arcturus on June 12, 2006 at 10:07 pm

People are all too happy to forget those we lock up. It’s become a major, self-perpetuating $$$-making industry. Thanks for doing this. My wife represents one of the women on CA’s ‘female’ death row in Chowchilla. Hope you don’t mind a little piling on.

Here’s a few links of interest:

One bay area group is the California Coalition for Women Prisoners whose Family Visiting Day helps families from SF & LA visit inmates who are often at great distance from home.

from their DP editorial:

There are eight women living on California’s death row at Central California Women’s Facility in Chowchilla. Because there are so few women, they are usually forgotten in discussions of the death penalty. Even if there is a huge media flurry when a woman is convicted of a capital crime, once that woman is sentenced and sent to CCWF, she becomes invisible.

Two of the women on death row are African-American; two are Latina; the other four are white. They range in age from mid-twenties to late-fifties. For many of them, this is their first conviction. Most of them say that they were battered at some time in their lives prior to their incarceration. Many of them have no family outside of the prison. They have built a close-knit community amongst themselves at CCWF. All of their cases are presently on appeal and none of them is expected to be executed in the near future.

Women and the Death Penalty

DEATH PENALTY FOR FEMALE OFFENDERS,JANUARY 1, 1973, THROUGH JUNE 30, 2003

Damnit Janet on June 12, 2006 at 2:29 pm

MoJo had a story on this. Laredo TX has babies behind bars, too.

Most women in prison give birth with their legs locked to the table as they might escape while delivering a baby “they” say… which is a complete load of bullshit.

I heard over this weekend something that I’m still thinking on…

A country treats it’s citizens as it treats it’s prisoners.

Which is very true. We have no respect for life here in the land of “we’re Number One”. We have no value on life, the land, or loving.

I think it’s very telling how a country treats ALL people but mostly how it treats those who are incarcerated as well as those they choose to incarcerate and for what reasons.

My “country” is a sick and horrible place for human beings…

storiesinamerica on June 12, 2006 at 2:26 pm

Because they don’t have a voice, the issue of women prisoners doesn’t get much attention. The Bay Area is home to many formerly incarcerated women who are now running organizations to help this growing population…
- Arcturus on June 12, 2006 at 10:07 pm
  
  People are all too happy to forget those we lock up. It’s become a major, self-perpetuating $$$-making industry. Thanks for doing this. My wife represents one of the women on CA’s ‘female’ death row in Chowchilla. Hope you don’t mind a little piling on.
  
  Here’s a few links of interest:
  
  One bay area group is the California Coalition for Women Prisoners whose Family Visiting Day helps families from SF & LA visit inmates who are often at great distance from home.
  
  from their DP editorial:
  
  There are eight women living on California’s death row at Central California Women’s Facility in Chowchilla. Because there are so few women, they are usually forgotten in discussions of the death penalty. Even if there is a huge media flurry when a woman is convicted of a capital crime, once that woman is sentenced and sent to CCWF, she becomes invisible.
  
  Two of the women on death row are African-American; two are Latina; the other four are white. They range in age from mid-twenties to late-fifties. For many of them, this is their first conviction. Most of them say that they were battered at some time in their lives prior to their incarceration. Many of them have no family outside of the prison. They have built a close-knit community amongst themselves at CCWF. All of their cases are presently on appeal and none of them is expected to be executed in the near future.
  
  Women and the Death Penalty
  
  DEATH PENALTY FOR FEMALE OFFENDERS,JANUARY 1, 1973, THROUGH JUNE 30, 2003
Damnit Janet on June 12, 2006 at 2:29 pm

MoJo had a story on this. Laredo TX has babies behind bars, too.

Most women in prison give birth with their legs locked to the table as they might escape while delivering a baby “they” say… which is a complete load of bullshit.

I heard over this weekend something that I’m still thinking on…

A country treats it’s citizens as it treats it’s prisoners.

Which is very true. We have no respect for life here in the land of “we’re Number One”. We have no value on life, the land, or loving.

I think it’s very telling how a country treats ALL people but mostly how it treats those who are incarcerated as well as those they choose to incarcerate and for what reasons.

My “country” is a sick and horrible place for human beings…

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