EXECUTIVESUMMARY

A Rising Tide

Understanding Incarceration’s Multigenerational Impact on Women, Girls, and Communities

BROUGHTTOYOUBY

The Fierce Advocacy Fund

BACKGROUND

Thepublicfaceofover-incarcerationisoverwhelminglymale.However,between1980and2016,thenumberofincarceratedwomenintheU.Sincreasedbymorethan700percent.i

Toidentifysolutionsandprovokechangearoundtheincarcerationofwomen,girls,andparentingfamilies,MaternityCareCoalitioninpartnershipwiththeStoneleighFoundationhostedARisingTide:UnderstandingIncarceration’sMultigenerationalImpactonWomen,Girls,andCommunities.

Thisday-longforumbroughttogetherpolicymakers,systemstakeholders,industryleaders,advocatesandcommunitymemberstospurconversationandchallengepersistentinequalitiesaffectingthehealthandwell-beingofwomen,girls,andcommunitiesimpactedbythecriminaljusticesystem.

DEVELOPINGTRENDS

Hereareseveralpromisingtrendsandsuggestionsforreformthatemergedduringthepolicyforum.

1. Decrease/eliminatecashbailforpregnantwomenandparentingmothers.

2. FocusonMedication-AssistedTreatment(MAT)forpregnantwomenandmothersstrugglingwithsubstanceabusedisorders.

3. Expandtheusageofrestorativejusticepractices.

4. Increasediversionprogrammingandofferhomevisitingservicesforpregnantandnewlyparentingwomen.

Attheconclusionofthissummary,youwillfindalistofsuggestionsforhowyouoryourorganizationcancontinuetoengageinandsupportthiswork.

SCHEDULEOFEVENTS9:00 – 9:10 am Welcoming Remarks

RonnieL.Bloom,ExecutiveDirector,StoneleighFoundationMarianneFray,ChiefExecutiveOfficer,MaternityCareCoalition

9:10 – 10:10 am Opening Keynote Conversation

CriminalizationofGender&GenderedProsecutionandSentencingLawrenceS.Krasner,DistrictAttorney,CityofPhiladelphiaJeannettePai-Espinosa,President,NationalCrittentonModeratedby:MarshaLevick,ChiefLegalOfficer&Co-Founder,JuvenileLawCenter

10:25 – 11:10 am Breakout Session Period A

MothersBehindBars:PregnancyandParentingWhileIncarceratedBridgetBiddle,Advocate,MaternityCareCoalitionBlancheCarney,Commissioner,PhiladelphiaDepartmentofPrisonsMargaretZhang,StaffAttorney,Women’sLawProjectModeratedby:KathleenCreamer,ManagingAttorney,FamilyAdvocacyUnit,CommunityLegalServices

IncarcerationandHealthAccessBruceHerdman,ChiefofMedicalOperations,PhiladelphiaDepartmentofPrisonsTamraWilliams,DeputyChiefClinicalOfficer,CommunityBehavioralHealthCharmaineSmithWright,MedicalDirector,CenterforSpecialHealthCareNeeds,ChristianaCareHealthSystemModeratedby:HollyHarner,AssociateProfessorofPublicHealth,LaSalleUniversity

SCHEDULEOFEVENTS(CONTINUED)

11:25 am –

12:10 pm

Breakout Session Period B

ServingTimeontheOutside:Women,Girls,andReentryFaithBartley,LeadFellow,People’sPaperCo-opClaireShubik-Richards,ExecutiveDirector,PennsylvaniaPrisonSocietyJulieWertheimer,SeniorDirectorofCriminalJusticeReformStrategies&Programs,CityofPhiladelphiaModeratedby:MarjieMogul,SeniorDirectorofResearch,MaternityCareCoalition

PunitiveTreatmentofPregnantWomenExperiencingSubstanceUseDisordersColetteGreen,DirectorofBehavioralHealth,MaternityCareCoalitionCathleenPalm,Founder,TheCenterforChildren’sJusticeCarolE.Tracy,ExecutiveDirector,Women’sLawProjectModeratedby:NanFeyler,StoneleighFellow,DeputyManagingDirector’sOfficeforHealthandHumanServices,CityofPhiladelphia

1:30 – 2:20 pm

Closing Plenary

IntersectionalityandtheJusticeSystemAmberHikes,ExecutiveDirector,OfficeofLGBTAffairs,CityofPhiladelphiaAngelaIrvine,FounderandPrincipalConsultant,CeresPolicyResearchKeeTobar,StoneleighEmergingLeaderFellowandStaffAttorney,CommunityLegalServicesModeratedby:MarieN.Williams,SeniorProgramOfficer,StoneleighFoundation

2:20 – 2:30 pm Concluding Remarks

CRIMINALIZATIONOFGENDERANDGENDEREDPROSECUTIONANDSENTENCING

Shacklingwomenbefore,during,orafterchildbirth

wasprohibitedbyAct45in2010ii

PhiladelphiaDistrictAttorneyLarryKrasneropenedtheconferencewithadiscussiononthehistoryofPennsylvania’sinequitablesentencinglawsandhighlightedthewaysinwhichgendereddiscriminationisapersistentissueinthejusticesystem.

NationalCrittentonPresidentJeanettePai-Espinosaintroducedfourprimaryfactorsthatdrivegirlsintothecriminaljusticesystem:

• Statusoffenses

• Schoolpushout

• Familyviolence

• Domesticminorsextrafficking

Overthelastfewdecades,theshareofgirlsinthejusticesystemhasincreased,evenastheoverallnumberofyouthindetentionhasdeclined.iiiItisessentialtostopdetaininggirlsfortheirsafetywhentheiroffenseisnotarisktothepublic.

DistrictAttorneyKrasnerreiteratedhiscommitmenttocreatingmoreintentionalsentencingguidelinesandtoprioritizinggreatergenderbalancewithintheOfficeoftheDistrictAttorney.

MOTHERSBEHINDBARS:PREGNANCYANDPARENTINGWHILEINCARCERATED

Onecollateralconsequenceofincarcerationisthetraumaexperiencedbychildrenofincarceratedparents.Researchshowscontinuedcommunicationwithanincarceratedparentisaprotectivefactorthatcanminimizeachild’strauma.ivBridgetBiddle,aMaternityCareCoalitionAdvocateattheRiversideCorrectionalFacility,alsoemphasizedtheimportanceofprovidingtrauma-informedOBGYNsandprenatalcarespecialists,aswellasfindingwaystoincreasemothers’timewiththeirchildren.

PhiladelphiaDepartmentofPrisonsCommissionerBlancheCarneyspokeabouttheCityofPhiladelphia’sinitiativesfocusedonparentingfamiliesandaddiction.

InadditiontopartneringwithMCC’sMOMobileprogramtoprovidesupporttowomenattheRiversideCorrectionalFacility,theCitywasalsoawardedagrantfromtheMacArthurFoundationtoreducethesizeofthelocaljailpopulation.v

Whenpregnantwomenareincarcerated,theyhavedifferentneedsfromthoseofmen.MargaretZhang,astaffattorneyattheWomen’sLawProject,explainedsomeofthewaysinwhichthejusticesystemwasdesignedformenandnotwomen.Mostsignificantly,themajorityofwomenaretheprimarycaretakersoftheirminorchildrenuponbeingincarceratedandwillagainbecaretakerswhentheyarereleased.

81%OFINCARCERATEDWOMENINPHILADELPHIACOUNTY

AREPRE-TRIALvi

INCARCERATIONANDHEALTHACCESS

Allincarceratedindividualshaveaconstitutionallymandated“righttocare.”However,unmetmentalhealthneedsarerampantandespeciallypronouncedamongwomenandchildren.Dr.TamraWilliams,DeputyChiefClinicalOfficerofCommunityBehavioralHealth,spokeaboutthechallengesfacingincarceratedwomenandgirls,andthetreatmentoptionsavailabletothem,inPhiladelphia.

Untilrecently,incarceratedwomenwereservedthesamemealsasincarceratedmen.Thisledtoincarceratedwomengaininganaverageof17lbsduringtheirfirstyearofincarceration,which,inturn,

islinkedtopoorcardiovascularandbehavioralhealthoutcomes.viiBruceHerdman,ChiefofMedicalOperationsatthePhiladelphiaDepartmentofPrisons,highlightedtheneedforstrongerexternalsystemstopreventincarceration(andre-incarceration)fromoccurring.

Dr.CharmaineSmithWrightexplainedthebenefitsofadoptingatwo-generationapproach,whichtakesintoaccountthehealthandwell-beingofbothmothersandtheirchildrenduringincarceration.Newinitiativesfocusoninfusingacultureofhealthintocorrectionalfacilities,includingnutrition,exercise,andmentalhealth.

17LBSAVERAGEAMOUNTOFWEIGHTTHATWOMENGAINDURING

THEIRFIRSTYEAROFINCARCERATION

SERVINGTIMEONTHEOUTSIDE:WOMEN,GIRLS,ANDRE-ENTRY

Listeningtoindividuals’“livedexperience”iscriticaltoinformingandshapingcriminaljusticereform.FaithBartley,LeadFellowatthePeople’sPaperCo-op,spokeaboutherexperiencesandthespecificneedsofformerlyincarceratedwomenreturningtothecommunity.TheCo-opconnectsformerlyincarceratedindividualswithartists,lawyers,andmanyothers.

“Preventionisaboutmovingpeopleoutofpoverty.”

FaithBartley

ClaireShubik-Richards,ExecutiveDirectorofthePennsylvaniaPrisonSociety,spokeaboutthecontinuedneedtoaddressshacklingduringlaboranddeliveryinPennsylvaniastateprisons,andsomeofthesupportsherorganizationprovidestokeepfamiliesconnectedbyfacilitatingvisitstostateprisons.

TheCityofPhiladelphiahas30differentprograms,policiesandstrategiescurrentlyinplacetoreduceitsjailpopulationandtodecreaseracialandeconomicdisparitieswithinthejusticesystem.JulieWertheimer,SeniorDirectorofCriminalJusticeReformStrategies&ProgramsfortheCityofPhiladelphia,spokeaboutseveralCityobjectives,includingendingcashbail,reducingthenumberofpeopleonprobation,andrampinguppolice-assisteddiversionprograms.

PUNITIVETREATMENTOFPREGNANTWOMENEXPERIENCINGSUBSTANCEUSEDISORDERS

CarolTracydiscussedtheWomen’sLawProject,andthehistoryoftheWaronDrugs.Drugtreatmentprogramsduringthe1980swereoftenfocusedonpunishing,ratherthantreating,patients.Inoneinstance,amotherwasplacedonthechildabuseregistryforherdruguse.viii

TheCenterforChildren’sJusticehasspentthepastfiveyearsworkingtochangestatestatutesinPennsylvania.CathleenPalm,theCenter’sfounder,discussedAct54,whichaimstoprovidemultidisciplinarysupportforwomenandinfantsaffectedbysubstanceusedisorders.

Expertsagreethatgroupandindividualtherapy,inconjunctionwithMedication-AssistedTreatment(MAT)foropioid-usedisorders(OUD),arethemosteffectivetreatmentsforsubstancedependence.

MaternityCareCoalitionSeniorDirectorofProgramsColetteGreenspokeaboutthepromiseofMATinaddressingOUD.ApersonwithOUDwhoisreleasedfromjailwithoutMATissignificantlymorelikelythansomeonefromthegeneralpopulationtodieofanoverdosewithinthefirsttwoweeksofrelease.Currently,manyincarceratedwomenareforcedtoendurepainfulopioidwithdrawalwithoutanyassistance.

InadditiontotherapyandMAT,long-termresidentialfacilitiesandrecoveryhousesforwomenandchildrenarecriticalinhelpingwomengetbackontheirfeet.Unfortunately,womenareoftendischargedprematurelyfromthesefacilitiesduetoarbitrarytime-limits,whichcanbeaset-upforrelapseandrecidivism.

MEDICATION-ASSISTEDTREATMENTHASBEENSHOWNTOREDUCEixPOST-INCARCERATIONOVERDOSEFATALITIESBYASMUCHAS

75%

INTERSECTIONALITYANDTHEJUSTICESYSTEM

AmberHikes,theExecutiveDirectoroftheOfficeofLGBTAffairsfortheCityofPhiladelphiahighlightedtheimportanceofbringingyouth,andmembersoftheLGBTQcommunity,tothetableinasubstantiveway.Philadelphia,ashometooneofonlyfourofficesofLGBTQAffairsinthestate,ismakingprogress.

Gender-responsiveprogramsareanimportanttoolincombatingoppression.AngelaIrvine,FounderandPrincipalConsultantofCeresPolicyResearch,spokeabouttheimportanceofconsideringnot

justgender,butalsorace,sexuality,immigrationstatus,andgenderexpression,intheseprograms.

Homelessyouthmaystopseekingoutandreceivinghealthbenefitsfromcareorganizationsiftheydon’tfeelsafebasedontheirgenderidentityorrace.KeeTobar,aStoneleighEmergingLeaderFellowatCommunityLegalServices,spokeaboutherFellowship’seffortstoleverageyouthservicestofighthomelessnessinPhiladelphia.

BLACKWOMENARE

3TO4TIMESMORELIKELYTODIEINCHILDBIRTHTHANWHITEWOMENx

TRAUMAANDJUSTICEINVOLVEMENTAMONGWOMENANDGIRLS

“Ifyouimproveservicesforwomenandgirls,itwill

improveservicesformen.Ifyouonlyfocusonimprovingservices

formen,itneverimprovestheserviceforwomenandgirls.”

StephanieCovington

AddictiontreatmentservicesdesignedformenandboysareonlyoneoftheobstaclesincarceratedwomenintheUnitedStatesface,accordingtoStephanieCovington,Co-DirectoroftheInstituteforRelationalDevelopmentandtheCenterforGenderandJustice.Despitebeinghometoonly5%oftheworld’swomen,theUnitedStatesholds30%ofallwomenincarceratedglobally.InEurope,mother/childunitswithinprisonsaremorecommon,andinUzbekistan,pregnantwomencannotbeincarcerated.xi

ChangeintheU.S.criminalsystemmovesslowly.Trauma-informedcareismorewidespreadinEurope,butitismakingitswayintotheU.S.Forthosewithahistoryofaddictionortrauma,programssuchasHealingTraumaandBeyondViolencearecreatingsafeenvironments,whichcanleadtolonger-termrecoveryandhealing.xii

WHATCANYOUDO?Stayconnectedwith…

• MaternityCareCoalition• StoneleighFoundation

Learnabout…

• NextStepActof2019• DignityforIncarceratedWomenLegislativePackage

Readmoreon….

• Traumaandjusticeinvolvementamongwomenandgirls• MassIncarceration,anditseffectsoncommunities• LegalresourcesforpeopleinprisoninPennsylvania

CITATIONSihttps://www.sentencingproject.org/publications/incarcerated-women-and-girls/iihttps://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/li/uconsCheck.cfm?yr=2010&sessInd=0&act=45iiihttp://www.nationalcrittenton.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Gender_Injustice_Report.pdfivhttps://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/publication/60691/410627-Effects-of-Parental-Incarceration-on-Young-Children.PDFvhttp://www.safetyandjusticechallenge.org/challenge-site/philadelphia/viCarne,Blanche."RE:ARisingTide"ReceivedbyHayimWolf,12April2019.Emailinterview.viihttp://www.nationalacademies.org/hmd/~/media/Files/Activity%20Files/SelectPops/HealthDisparities/2018-JUN-06/presentations/Charmaine%20Smith%20Wright.pdfviiihttp://ssrn.com/abstract=1003683ixhttps://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/add.13779xhttps://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/maternalinfanthealth/pregnancy-mortality-surveillance-system.htm?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Freproductivehealth%2Fmaternalinfanthealth%2Fpmss.htmlxihttps://stoneleighfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/A-Rising-Tide-Trauma-and-Justice-Involvement-Among-Women-Girls.pdfxiihttps://www.stephaniecovington.com/books-and-curricula.php