Women and Girls in the Criminal Justice System

Both in California and nationwide, the number of girls in the juvenile justice system and women who are incarcerated is increasing dramatically. In part, this is the result of California's drug offense and three-strikes laws that carry harsher penalties. More than 11,000 women live in state prisons, a system designed for male offenders. While good efforts have been made in the past two years to develop strategies that are gender responsive and serve women better, much work remains to be done. While reducing the number of girls and women who are incarcerated calls for examination of public policy on crime, it also calls for preventive programs targeted to all youth and greater access to treatment programs addressing mental health and substance abuse programs at every level.

For more information on these issues, please see below.

Women and Corrections

• It's time for California to remove shackles from pregnant inmates - Sacramento Bee Viewpoints, Britta Guerrero, August 28, 2010
• Female Offenders in the Community: An Analysis of Innovative Strategies and Programs (PDF)
• Women Offenders: Programming Needs and Promising Approaches (PDF)

Girls in the Juvenile Justice System

• Adolescent Motherhood: Implications for the Juvenile Justice System (PDF)
• Girls in the Juvenile Justice System - Fact Sheet (PDF)
• National Efforts to Address the Needs of the Adolescent Female Offender
• Unique Needs of Girls in the Juvenile Justice System (PDF)

Children of Incarcerated Parents

• Children of Incarcerated Parents (PDF) - National Conference of State Legislatures, March 2009
• A Behavioral Health Toolkit for Working With Children of the Incarcerated and Their Families (PDF) - This online toolkit, developed by the State of Washington, includes tools for professionals, information for youth and caregivers, and research on interventions, December 2009.