Mother Jones: Kamala Harris Went to Prison So Others Won't Have To

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The rising incarceration of women is of particular concern to Harris. A studypublished last year by the Vera Institute found that, since 1970, the number of women in jail has increased at a rate 14 times that of men. Women who wind up behind bars are uniquely vulnerable, according to the report, given that about 4 out of 5 are mothers—and often are saddled with raising children alone, in addition to battling the scourges of addiction or poverty or joblessness.

In March, Harris teamed up with colleagues from both parties to reintroduce the National Criminal Justice Commission Act, legislation that would create a top-to-bottom review of the justice system. On Tuesday, speaking at a Justice Action Network event titled “Women Unshackled,” Harris will implore fellow lawmakers to dedicate more resources toward helping incarcerated women deal with trauma—drug addiction, sexual abuse, etc.—and pony up to create new reentry programs designed especially for women’s needs.

https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2017/07/kamala-harris-went-to-prison-so-others-wont-have-to/