Multimedia and Web Resources
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Video
Why are so many women in prison? • BRAVE NEW FILMS: JUSTICE #3
It's no secret that the incarceration rate in America has skyrocketed since the 1970's. But did you know the number of women behind bars has grown nearly twice the rate of men in recent years? Why are we locking up so many women? The War on Drugs has a lot to do with it. In the eighties, crack was the culprit. Thousands of African-American women were caught up in the system. Many because the so-called "girlfriend" problem -where a women will take the brunt of the charges when she unknowingly assisted a boy friend or relative committing a drug crime.
Alternatives to Incarceration for Women
The United States has one of the highest, most expensive, and fastest growing incarceration rates in the world. Erika Kates, Ph.D., Senior Research Scientist at the Wellesley Centers for Women, discusses the impact incarceration can have on women's physical health, emotional well being, family life, and economic stability. In this video, Kates discusses alternatives to incarceration, such as women-centered counseling and pre-trial probation.
Incarcerated women and reproductive healthcare
Carolyn Sufrin is an obstetrician-gynecologist and a medical anthropologist. She provides Ob/Gyn care to vulnerable populations of women, including women in jail. Her research focuses on the complex intersection of health rights and the politics of reproduction as they play out in institutions of incarceration.
Audio
Domestic Violence protection still resonate 20 years after crime bill
Number of Incarcerated Women on Rise
A recent report from the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics shows the number of women entering America's prisons is growing. The incarceration rate for African-American women is particularly high, compared to Hispanic and white female offenders. Leoneda Inge explores how some intervention programs are working to bring the numbers down.
Letters: Shackling Pregnant Inmates During Labor
Listeners had strong reactions to Friday's story about the shackling of incarcerated women while they're in labor. Robert Siegel and Michele Norris read some of those letters.
Prenatal Care Behind Bars
Bedford Hills Correctional Facility in upstate New York houses the oldest prison nursery in the country. Pregnant inmates are given prenatal care and parenting classes. Some women are permitted to keep their babies with them in prison for up to 18 months, in an effort to create bonds between mother and child.