Dignity for Women Prisoners

Women are the fastest growing segment of US prison and jail populations. In 1970, there were 5,600 incarcerated women in the US, in 2004 there were 103,000 with no increase in the crime rate for women. Most women have committed nonviolent offenses (66%), are mothers of minor children (64%), and were unemployed (60%) or poor (40%) at the time of their arrest. Despite being nonviolent with special needs around drug addiction and family unification women prisoners are treated like male offenders, and are usually guarded my male officers. Women prisoners and their advocates have campaigned to end cross gender pat searches, to stop the assignment of male staff to housing units and for decent medical care, appropriate vocational and educational training and gender specific programs on drug use, family needs and hygiene and clothing supplies. Correctional administrations need to be encouraged to develop gender responsive strategies to meet the needs of women prisoners to preserve their dignity.