We Are Still Human:
Women, Reentry, and Incarceration
Pathways To Incarceration, Jazz Shares Her Story
Over the past three decades, the number of women incarcerated has increased by eight-hundred percent (Harris, 2017). This increase can be attributed to untreated mental health illness, substance abuse (Anderson et al., 2015; Covington, 2007; Mollard & Hudson, 2017), social and economic disparities (Mollard & Hudson, 2017; Morenoff & Harding, 2014), histories of physical and sexual abuse (Ferszt et al., 2009) and tougher sentencing laws for women's drug offenses (Ferszt et al., 2009; Harris, 2017).
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However, the current correctional system does not take into consideration the gendered needs of women who are incarcerated (Anderson, et al., 2015, Boxer, Middlemas, & Delorenzo; 2009; Ferszt et al., 2009; Mollard & Hudson, 2015) and how their reentry into society can be hindered by unresolved grief and loss (Ferszt, 2002; Ferszt et al., 2009; Harner, Hentz, & Evengelista, 2011).
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We Are Still Human explores through narrative story telling, poetry, and monologues the marginalized voices of incarcerated women. This workshop concludes with a panel of educators and advocates who work with incarcerated and formally incarcerated individuals.
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The Day My Mother Died: International Human Rights Arts Festival, NY