Closing Rikers Island: Why Community-Based Solutions Are Critical Investments
Closing Rikers Island doesn’t just mean shutting down the facilities—it’s about investing in prevention and true public safety. Alongside partner organizations, we’re urging the city to expand proven initiatives that invest in our communities, not the carceral system. With the Rikers Island jail complex set to close in 2027, these critical changes are essential to…
Alcohol Awareness Month: The Urgent Need for Treatment Access Before, During, and After Incarceration
April is Alcohol Awareness Month—a time to acknowledge the widespread impact of substance misuse and advocate for effective treatment solutions. For women impacted by the criminal legal system, substance use disorders, including alcohol misuse, are often both a cause and a consequence of incarceration. The Women’s Prison Association (WPA) understands firsthand that addressing substance misuse…
Annual Report 2023-2024: The Impact of Our Critical Work
WPA is excited to share our 2023-2024 Annual Report, highlighting the past year of meaningful opportunities and lasting change created for those impacted by incarceration. As we embark on a new chapter at WPA, we are so grateful for the support we receive that leads to positive outcomes for women and gender-diverse individuals before, during, and after…
Hear from a WPA Clinical Intern, Fatoumata Magassa
Fatoumata Magassa (she/her) is passionate about bringing trauma-informed care into client-centered counseling at jails and prisons, advocating for the rights of incarcerated individuals, and helping her clients find hope and unyielding courage during incarceration and reentry. A Harlem native, Fatoumata is graduating in May of 2025 with a master’s in social work from Columbia University….
How We Empower Formerly Incarcerated Women with Transformative Opportunities through Workforce Development
Every woman deserves meaningful opportunities that empower her to take charge of her life. At the Women’s Prison Association (WPA), our Workforce Development program gives formerly incarcerated women the resources and support they need to prepare for and pursue employment. “One of the greatest challenges people face after incarceration is securing a job; the hiring…
Testimony of Meg Egan, CEO of the Women’s Prison Association, for the Committee on Criminal Justice Preliminary Budget Hearing
March 7, 2025 Good afternoon, my name is Meg Egan, and it is my great honor and privilege to lead the Women’s Prison Association. Chair Nurse and the rest of the members of the committee, I want to thank you for the opportunity to testify before the Criminal Justice Committee today. Throughout its 180-year history,…
5 Black Female Leaders in the Criminal Justice Reform Movement
In celebration of Black History Month, WPA is highlighting five unforgettable Black female leaders in the criminal justice reform movement. Angela Davis (b. 1944; Birmingham, AL) Angela Davis is a scholar, activist, and author known for her work in civil rights, social justice, and prison abolition. Davis gained national attention in the 1970s when she…
Books Are Magic is Supporting WPA Through Purchases of Abolitionist and Feminist Books
Books Are Magic is supporting WPA through literature! For the month of February, 30% of sales from a selection of abolitionist and feminist books will be donated to WPA. All of these books, covering topics such as mass incarceration, capitalism, and racial discrimination, are written by or include the work of BIPOC editors and authors….
The Rise: Affordable Housing for Formerly Incarcerated People in Brownsville, Brooklyn
The Women’s Prison Association (WPA) has a long history of driving change to positively impact individuals, families, and communities affected by incarceration. WPA continues this critical work through The Rise, a residential facility located in Brooklyn, New York. Most of the building’s subsidized units are home to formerly incarcerated women and their families, creating a…
Alternatives to Incarceration Are an Essential Tool to Closing Rikers Island
A new NYC ATI/Reentry Coalition report shows a clear and urgent need to accelerate efforts to close Rikers & expand the use of alternatives to incarceration (ATI), including WPA’s JusticeHome program. “Alternatives to Incarceration are an essential tool to reducing incarceration and, ultimately, closing Rikers Island. But more importantly, they are essential to a safe…