The United States A Growing Problem With Women - 1553 Words

The United States has a growing problem with women in the criminal justice system. There has been a dramatic increase of women since the 1980’s. In addition, the increase of women has brought mothers into the equation. Pregnant mothers who are allowed to keep their newborn while incarcerated has been theorized to have many positive results. Including a higher chance of a positive reentry, allow bonding time between the mother and her child, and easing the pain of their incarceration. Laws vary from state to state, making it hard for parents in prison to get visitation time. The main focus will is that these rights should be given to all parents within the United States prison system. Granting mothers with newborns and other inmates’†¦show more content†¦In 2010 there was more than a million women in the criminal justice system, which has breads many problems within the criminal justice system. The rate women are incarcerated varies throughout the nation in each state. Nationally in 2010, 67 out of every 100,000 women were in prison. (Guerino, P., Harrison, P.M., Sabol, W. (2011). That being the average number for most states, but it has been found to higher in others. Guerino (2010) also found that in Oklahoma had incarcerated more women per capita in any other state with 130 out of 100,000 women in prison, with Maine having the lowest rate of any state incarceration at 21 out of 100,000. Including women that are in local jails, the number increases to 245,000 women that are now incarcerated. Indeed, the United States holds the first spot in leading the world in producing prisoners. Since there has been the increase of women in prison, brings the fact that some of these women are also mothers. In some cases these mothers are pregnant during the time of their incarceration. 1 in 25 women in state prisons and 1 in 33 federal prisons are pregnant when admitted to prison, Maruschak, L. (2008). There are laws in place that allow for the mothers to keep their new born for a period of time while she is incarcerated. Mothers that are incarcerated with children creates many negative effects on the children, their families, and even society. In a study by Anne