Source: Texas Tribune
The Texas Criminal Justice Coalition released a report highlighting the obstacles faced by the more than 12,000 women in Texas’ prisons.
The study found that more than half of the women in the state’s prisons have been convicted of nonviolent offenses and the number of women imprisoned has grown over the years.
The advocacy group’s report recommended ways for policy makers to develop alternatives for the hundreds of women that end up in prison due to poverty and mental health issues.
Additionally, the report notes that most of the women in prison have children and many of them have “extensive trauma histories”
“It is critical that we help these women address the root causes of their criminality through community supports and services, rather than through incarceration,” said one policy attorney of the Texas Criminal Justice Coalition.
Read Full Story: Texas Tribune