Women and Incarceration

Since 1980 the number of women and girls who are incarcerated has increased seven-fold. And although many more men than women are behind bars in this country, women are entering jails and prisons at double the rate of men, with nearly 200,000 behind bars today.  When it comes to serving time in jail, an alarming 60 percent of women currently behind bars have not been convicted of a crime, and are simply awaiting trial. That’s because women often cannot come up with the bail money required, which is typically about the amount of money they might earn in an entire year.  If you are a female who has been charged with a criminal offense, don’t think for a moment that your gender, or the fact that you are a mother, will protect you from incarceration. Only a good, experienced criminal defense attorney has any chance of accomplishing that.

Greater Rates of Incarceration 

In the past 25 years, a number of factors have impacted the relationship of women and the criminal justice system.  Among the most significant influences are the following:

The development of tougher sentencing laws:

• Mandatory minimum sentences;
• Long prison terms;
• Zero tolerance policies related to drugs and/or violence.

More extensive efforts from law enforcement:

• Strategic targeting;
• Technology and enhanced information gathering;
• More outreach and collaboration between agencies.

Stronger barriers to reentry post-conviction:

• Limited employment opportunities;
• Housing restrictions;
• Issues related to family reunification
• Social stigma;
• Financial instability;
• Limited education and skills;
• Access to resources.

 Female Incarceration Facts 

• Black females are imprisoned at over 1 ½ times the rate of white females;
• Latinas are imprisoned at 1.2 times the rate of whites;
• Rates of imprisonment for Black and Latina women are declining, while rates for white women are increasing;
• In Nevada, 54 out of every 100,000 female residents are incarcerated;
• Women in state prisons are most likely there due to convictions related to violent offenses (46 percent), drug offenses (25 percent), or property crime offenses (19 percent);
• Suicides involving incarcerated women have jumped 65 percent in the past 20 years;
• Women die of alcohol or drug intoxication behind bars at twice the rate of men;
• 14 percent of incarcerated youth are girls;
• The number of girls living in residential placement centers has dropped by 75 percent in the last 20 years;
• Native American girls are incarcerated at more than four times the rate of white girls;
• Black girls are incarcerated at two- and one-half times the rate of white girls;
• 37 percent of juveniles who are incarcerated for status offenses such as curfew or truancy violations are girls;
• A quarter of girls who are incarcerated are there for status offenses or parole violations.

Are You Afraid of Incarceration? 

If you are a female who is looking at potential incarceration, the dedicated Las Vegas criminal defense attorneys at Lobo Law will exercise every legal tactic they can to achieve the best possible outcomes for you.  To discuss, schedule a confidential consultation in our Las Vegas office today.

Source:

sentencingproject.org/fact-sheet/incarcerated-women-and-girls/