A new report by the Vera Institute of Justice found the number of women in local jails is almost 14 times what it was in the 1970s, making it the fastest growing incarcerated population in the country. We examine what’s driving this trend and the challenges women face behind bars. 

Joining for the conversation: 

  • Elizabeth Swavola, Senior Program Associate at the Vera Institute of Justice and one of the study’s authors
  • Priscilla Fennell, former Georgia inmate and now organizer of Women On The Rise, a project by the Racial Justice Action Center in Atlanta 
  • Sara Totonchi, the Executive Director of the Southern Center for Human Rights
Tags: Jails  women  Criminal Justice  Atlanta  Georgia