Learn more about the Institute on Women & Criminal Justice.
Read The
Punitiveness Report. HARD HIT:
The Growth of Imprisonment of
Women, 1977–2004.
Latest Institute News, Publications, and Events:
New Report: 2011 Shackling Brief June 2011 - WPA announces the release of our policy brief on legislation across the U.S. dealing with shackling of pregnant incarcerated women during childbirth. Read the full brief.
Previous Reports:
Mothers, Infants and Imprisonment
May 11, 2009 - WPA announces the release of our national report on prison nurseries and community-based alternatives. Read the press release and the full report.
Women's Voices: Formerly Incarcerated Women Lead the Way
March 3, 2009 - WPA's newest report spotlights the efforts of women around the country who are rolling up their sleeves, using their voices, and working to reduce our nation's reliance on incarceration. Read the report.
In the News: Lullabies Behind Bars
Fall 2008: Ms. Magazine features WPA in this article about prison nurseries in the United States. Read it online.
WPA Practice Brief: Mentoring Women in Reentry
October 31, 2008 - A mentor can help a woman navigate reentry into her community following incarceration. This new WPA Practice Brief explores the concept of reentry mentoring, and offers examples of programs around the country. Download it now.
2008 Stats on Incarcerated Mothers: WPA Briefing Sheet
October 31, 2008 - WPA presents a summary of the latest statistics on incarcerated mothers from the Bureau of Justice Statistics. Download it here.
Women Continue to Lead Imprisonment Growth Trend in 2006
December 5, 2007 - WPA analysis of the latest federal prison, probation, and parole statistics reveals dramatic growth in women's criminal justice involvement.
Addressing Women's Incarceration: A Survey of State Efforts
This online resource from WPA highlights 20 state-level commissions and task forces created to face the challenges presented by growth in women’s criminal justice involvement. Providing links to authorizing legislation, final reports, as well as other information generated by these bodies, this resource is meant to serve as a tool for decision-makers and concerned community members.
Over 2.4 Million Women Arrested in 2006; More Than 200,000 for Drug Crimes
September 27, 2007 - According to data released by the FBI this week, over 2.4 million women were arrested in 2006, accounting for nearly a quarter of all arrests in the U.S. Nationwide, the number of women arrested increased by 4% from 1997 to 2006. During the same ten-year period, the number of men arrested decreased by 7.1%. Further analysis reveals the following trends:
The War on Drugs drives increase in arrests of women
Women continue to be hard hit by the war on drugs. Between 1997 and 2006, women’s arrests for drug abuse violations rose by 29.9%, while men’s arrests for the same type of crimes rose by 15.7%. Over 200,000 adult women were arrested for drug abuse violations in 2006, an increase of nearly 23% from 2002.
Violent crime arrests of women down
The number of both women and men arrested for violent crimes has decreased over the past ten years. Men show a sharper decline in these arrests (-14%) than women (-2.7%) when data from the years 1997 and 2006 are compared. In 2006, women made up 17.8% of those arrested for violent crimes. The number of women arrested for violent crimes in 2006 was slightly lower than in 2005.
Decline in property crime arrests of women
Arrests for property crime were down among women and men, though women experienced a slower decline than men. (Property crimes include burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson.) The number of women arrested for property crimes was down 18.3% between 1997 and 2006, while the number for men decreased by 27.1% over the same ten-year period.
Increase in arrests of women for DUI
Women have experienced a 29.1% increase in arrests for driving under the influence (DUI) since 1997, while men have seen a decline of 6% in arrests for the same offense over the same period of time. There was a 7.3% increase in arrests of women for DUI between 2005 and 2006.
