Nearly Half of US States Don't Collect Data on Incarcerated Women With Children
58% of all women in prison are mothers
A study conducted between July and October of this year by the nonprofit Girls Embracing Mothers, a non-profit organization focused on empowering young girls with mothers in prison, found that only 11 US states gather data on incarcerated mothers and 24 states do not collect that information at all. The organization reached out to Department of Corrections in all 50 states. Nine states reported that they do gather data directly from incarcerated women but called it “unreliable,” not helpful” “not routinely updated,” and “not factual,” according to the report. Six states did not respond to the study.
The lack of reporting means an unknown number of children could be facing neglect and a host of socioeconomic challenges despite there being organizations that want to help, said Brittany Barnett, founder and president of Girls Embracing Mothers. The lack of reporting has a disproportionate impact on Black families and their communities, given Black persons are incarcerated at a higher rate than other races.
Barnett said children of incarcerated parents are at increased risk of behavioral issues, learning disabilities, depression and other mood disorders, and are more likely to enter the criminal justice system themselves. "It's very troubling. We have no idea the extent of the devastation caused by maternal incarceration. I feel we are only touching the surface of the number of children who have been impacted," said Barnett.
According to the Prison Policy Initiative, the number of incarcerated women has grown twice that of the rate of incarcerated men. Between 1980 and 2020, the number of incarcerated women increased from 26,326 to 152,854, representing and increase of 475%. 58% of all women in prison are mothers, and the vast majority are the primary caretakers of their children. Many of those women are being held because they cannot afford bail or for non-violent offenses.
You can read and download the report
"Love Beyond Bars" from
Girls Embracing Mothers at their website.
