With Less Than 365 Days to Close Rikers Island, WPA Pushes for Critical Change
The legal deadline to close Rikers is one year away. On August 31st, WPA joined community partners and advocacy groups at the Countdown to Closing Rikers Day of Action. Organized by the Freedom Agenda, this Day of Action raised awareness of the horrible conditions at Rikers Island and the urgent need to advance…
How Does an Anti-Carceral Healing Framework Support Trauma-Responsive Care?
Effectively caring for women and gender-diverse individuals impacted by incarceration and injustice requires a model of treatment that is comprehensive, compassionate, and gender-responsive, addressing the intersection of trauma and incarceration. Using an anti-carceral healing framework supports responsible, trauma-responsive care. The Council on Criminal Justice reports that a majority of women enmeshed in the criminal legal system have experienced childhood trauma, intimate partner violence, and chronic abuse, and…
An Action Plan to Advance Gender Justice and Reduce the Incarceration of Women in New York City
Right now, there are 400+ women and gender-expansive people detained at Rikers Island. Most of them are mothers and primary caregivers, separated from their families and stuck in a system designed to hold them back at every turn. Nearly all are trauma survivors, often jailed due to housing instability, untreated health needs, or survival-related behaviors…
Liz Swavola on Advocacy, Policy Change, and Shifting the Narrative Around the Incarceration of Women
Liz Swavola serves as Chief Impact Officer at the Women’s Prison Association, leading the Impact Department, which leverages storytelling, data, research, and advocacy to shift public opinion, influence criminal legal system practices and policies, and advance community-based support as an alternative to incarceration. With her team, Liz ensures that WPA’s data, resources, communications, and advocacy…
Miriam Goodman on Building Trauma-Responsive Care for Justice-Impacted Women
As the Senior Director of Clinical Care at the Women’s Prison Association (WPA), Miriam Goodman brings over fifteen years of experience working at the intersection of the criminal legal system and gender-based violence. Her work is rooted in the belief that transformative change is possible through survivor-centered, trauma-informed, and community-driven approaches that both support healing and challenge the structures that…
Issues Women Face Due to Incarceration
Systems-impacted women and gender-expansive people often face unique issues before, during, and after incarceration, including high rates of trauma, economic instability, housing insecurity, mental health crises, and the need for family reunification. Furthermore, race, poverty, and gender are primary drivers in the disproportionate criminalization of Black and Brown women, leaving many homeless, unemployed, and struggling to survive. To make…
Social Justice in Action: Five Ways We Show Up for Women Impacted by the Criminal Legal System
Our commitment to social justice means investing in community, advancing decarceration, and ensuring women impacted by the criminal legal system have the resources they need to thrive. Here’s how we remove barriers and create pathways to stability and success for the women we serve: Court Advocacy We fight to keep women in their communities where…
Women’s Prison Association Announces Leadership Transition and Strategic Opportunity for Justice Reform
The Women’s Prison Association (WPA) is entering an exciting new chapter of leadership, growth, and influence. Luisa H. Taveras, Esq. has joined WPA as Interim Chief Executive Officer and will guide the organization as it moves forward with focus and urgency to advance decarceration. Luisa co-led the development of WPA’s recently adopted Strategic Plan, and…
2025 Impact Report: The Women’s Prison Association
WPA is proud to share our 2024–2025 Impact Report, highlighting a year of measurable progress and meaningful support for women impacted by incarceration and injustice. This past year, more than 500 women and gender-diverse people enrolled in our programs. None of this would have been possible without the dedication of our partners, supporters, and staff. Together, we are creating…
Clinical Care in Social Services: Supporting Women’s Mental Health and Stability
Learn how trauma-informed clinical care serves as a crucial resource for women receiving social services and working with case managers on individualized care plans, supporting their mental health and well-being while empowering them to set goals toward a stable future. Clinical Care in Action Shenetta Giles, LMSW, CASAC, serves as a Clinical Supervisor at our…