80% of women in jail are mothers, and most are primary caregivers for their children. (1)

96% of juvenile female prisoners were sexually abused prior to entering prison. Sexual abuse is a “primary predictor” for involvement with the juvenile-justice system, and girls of color are disproportionately affected. (2)

82% of women in jail are held on non-violent charges and, often, violent charges are not accurate reflections of women’s experiences at the time of arrest. (3)

It costs $556K a year to send a woman to a New York City jail, and only $20K a year to offer an ATI (alternative to incarceration) with WPA. (3)

The statistics are shocking, but women’s personal stories demonstrate how incarceration causes generational trauma and harms communities. Elaine was wrongfully accused while six months pregnant. Tamanika was separated from her four children for three years during her time at Rikers. Keisha was imprisoned on drug charges and unable to reunite with her mother before her passing.

I first learned about WPA when I lived 3 blocks north of their Second Ave shelter in the East Village. I had the opportunity to visit and see their apartments for women and their children, all of whom were part of WPA’s ATI (alternative to incarceration) program. I learned about their comprehensive case management and access to legal services to navigate the criminal justice system and regain custody of their children. WPA helps women understand their options to secure gainful employment despite their criminal charges.

I left with a clear understanding of the dire need for more women to regain custody of their children, access safe housing, secure meaningful employment, and lead their families as they heal from the trauma of family separation.

I am so excited to run my first marathon in support of the Women’s Prison Association, and am grateful for your donations!

Learn more about this impactful work:

How the Women’s Prison Association Keeps Mothers With Their Children (Vogue):  https://www.vogue.com/article/womens-prison-association-is-working-to-keep-mothers-with-their-children

Keeping Mothers Out of Jail (CNN):  https://www.cnn.com/videos/us/2019/04/19/how-one-mother-avoided-jail-time-beme.beme

The Sex Abuse to Prison Pipeline (Marie Claire):  https://www.marieclaire.com/politics/a20651072/sex-abuse-to-prison-pipeline/

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(1) prisonpolicy.org/reports/pie2019women.html

(2) https://now.org/blog/what-you-need-to-know-about-the-sexual-abuse-to-prison-pipeline

(3) https://www.wpaonline.org/issue-and-impact/