Women and girls are too often invisible in talks of criminal justice and reform. 

Although they comprise a minority of people who are incarcerated in the United States, they are a fast growing population, with unique entry points into the system. They also present different needs than men once there. The situation is particularly concerning for women of color, immigrants, LGBTQ women, and people who are trans or gender non-conforming, who must deal with additional implicit and explicit biases.

In addition, the justice system affects more women than those who pass through it directly, such as those who become the sole breadwinner or single parent of their household after other family members are incarcerated, or those who must also cover the cost of criminal-justice related fines, fees, and other costs—such as medical care or substance abuse treatment—incurred by their justice system-involved loved ones.

These women, both incarcerated and in the community, are an important piece of the puzzle when it comes to addressing mass incarceration and reimagining prisons and jails. At Vera, we’ve written extensively about their stories in our Gender and Justice in America blog series and, for Women’s History Month, we invite you to read the most popular of these articles:

• Breaking the Silence about Women in Prison by Taylar Nuevelle
• How the Criminalization of Adolescence Fuels the School-to-Prison Pipeline by Kristi DiLallo
• Alternatives to Incarceration for Moms Aim to Strengthen Families by Tess Domb Sadof
• Women Suffer When Drug Treatment Focuses on Men’s Needs by Chelsea Davis
• Mass Incarceration and Its Impact are Devastating to Women by Charmaine Davis
• Juvenile Justice Reform is Not About Boys vs. Girls by Lindsay Rosenthal
• More Incarcerated Women Deserve Clemency by Sarah Zarba
• Ending the Unjust Treatment of Girls Charged with Minor Offenses by Lindsay Rosenthal
• Transgender People at Higher Risk for Justice System Involvement by Evan Zavidow
• Reproductive Justice Should Be Included in Reform Efforts by Chelsea Davis

Through the Gender & Justice in America blog series, Vera will explore issues facing justice-involved women and girls in the fields of adult corrections, youth justice, immigration, victimization, substance use, and mental health.