Diversity Timeline

Incarcerated Women: A Historical Perspective

1790

1927

1860's

1835

2003

1980s

1994

1970s

2004

2020s

2018

2010s

1790: First U.S. Prison Opens

• The Walnut Street Jail in Philadelphia becomes the first penitentiary in the U.S. with separate cells.
• Public shaming, corporal punishment, isolation, execution & labor --> "reform"
• No facilities for women—incarcerated women are held with men, often facing abuse.
• Most incarcerated for "moral crimes"
• Ignored gender needs

Wideman, J. E. (1996). Ascent by Balloon from the Yard of Walnut Street Jail. Callaloo, 19(1), 1–5. https://doi.org/10.1353/cal.1996.0034

2004: First National Study on Women in Prison by BJS

BJS - Bureau of Justice Statistics

• The study found that 60% of women in prisons have experienced physical or sexual abuse.
• They also found that incarcerated women have high rates of mental illness, substance use, and poverty.

2020s: Calls for Decarceration & Gender Justice Grow

• During COVID-19, poor prison conditions and health disparities for women began to be noticed, leading to stronger efforts to end mass incarceration, especially for pregnant women, LGBTQ+ people, and survivors of abuse.
• In 2021, Minnesota passed the Healthy Start Act, the first legislation of its kind in the nation, allowing newborn babies to stay with their mothers for their first year of life.

1860s: Female Reformaties Emerge

• First independent womens reformatory in U.S.
• Emphasized more aducation, Chrisitanity & domestic labor
• Black women faced harsher treatment
• Progressive & paternalistic
• Recognized need for womens safety
• Stricter gender and racial hierarchies

Indiana Women's Prison (1869)

Rise of Motherhood Justice Movements

• Essie Justice Group and National Council for Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls support policy changes

• Prioritize supporting women with children, family separation, and encourage alternative to incarceration,

1835: Mount Pleasant Female Prison Opens

• Mount Pleasant Female Prison in Ossining, New York opens the first women’s prison in the U.S., built adjacent to Sing Sing Prison.
• For women charged with various crimes from theft to prostitution
• Seen as a reform effort to separate women from men but conditions were still harsh and gendered.
• Male guards
• Daily life: sewing, cooking & laundry --> "reform"
• Focused on moral reform rather than education, skills or independence
• Broadened gender norms

Hilinski-Rosick, C.M. Sexual Abuse in Correctional Facilities. Curr Psychiatry Rep 27, 653–659 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-025-01637-1

1927: Federal Prison for Women Opens in Alderson, WV

• The Federal Industrial Institution for Women becomes the first prison for women in the U.S.

• An important step in women’s prison history, giving females a safe place to go while incarcerated.

• Emphasized domesticity and rehabilitation, but still reflects racist and classist ideologies

2018: Dignity for Incarcerated Women Act Introduced

• Suggested by Senators Cory Booker and Elizabeth Warren to protect the dignity of incarcerated women.

• The goal is to end shackling during pregnancy, improve access to healthcare, and allow more frequent family visits.

• Shows a major shift toward addressing the specific needs of incarcerated women.

• First Step Act: Pregnant women should have greater access to free menstrual products, along with improved privacy and dignity, as part of ensuring proper and respectful treatment in prison.

2003: Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA)

This U.S. Law mandates the prevention, detection, and punishment of sexual violence in prisons. It enacted a "zero tolerance" policy for all sexual violence in correctional facilities. Facilities were required to have training for thier staff, victim support, data colllection, rehousing for victims, and many more under this new law.

1970s: Feminist Movements and Reform Legislation

• Feminists such as Angela Davis highlight the intersection of race, gender, and incarceration. Supported abolition of racist and oprresive prison systems.

• 1971: The Attica Prison Uprising brings attention to poor prison living conditions for all inmates (Hinton & Cook, 2021).

• 1976: Estelle vs Gamble: 8th amendment requires medical care to be provided for prisoners (Iyer & Hughey, 2025). Deliberately ignoring health needs is unconstitutional.

1980s: The Mass Incarceration Era Begins

• The War on Drugs leads to a dramatic rise in female incarceration—especially for Black and Latina women. Increase in significant health care implications including access, reproductive health, and social and economic strains (Wildeman & Lee, 2021).

• Between 1980–2010, the number of incarcerated women in the U.S. increases by over 700%.

1994: Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act

• In 1994, President Bill Clinton signed into law the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act, which is largest crime bill in history. It has shaped law enforcement and incarceration as we know it today.

• This bill increased federal funding for both prisons and law enforcement, for more police officers, as well as more police presence.

• Some may say that this bill resulted in the mass incarceration we know today, which disproportionately affects women and mothers.