Video: Prison Rates for Women Continue to Rise

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STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – Since 1980, the number of women in prison has doubled that of men. One third of those women are jailed because of drug offenses.

Women are the fastest growing prison population in America. Popular new shows like “Orange is the New Black” on Netflix portray what life is like for women behind bars. Colissa Hall spent 6 months at the Rankin County Restitution Center last year. She was sentenced for selling drugs and says many of the women she met in prison were just like her.

“A lot of women that I talked to in prison, they’re in there for basically the same thing. It’s either drugs, the boyfriends got them hooked on drugs. Then they have them running drugs and it’s mostly that,” says Hall.

Hall says she was unprepared for how much prison time would affect her family life. Now she’s taking steps to get her life back on track.

“As soon as I got out, I re-enrolled in school, got back in school. I just tried to make up time with my kids. I’ve been trying to spend as much time as I can with them. I’ve been putting in job applications. It’s kind of hard getting a job as a convicted felon. I’m putting in job applications but really school is the main thing I’m focused on so I can get a career,” says Hall.

In the last 30 years, the prison population for women has skyrocketed from nearly 15,000 to over 110,000 women incarcerated nationwide. Many of these women usually have a history of physical and sexual abuse along with high rates of substance abuse. The Emerson Family Center in Starkville helps women learn life and parenting skills after there are released from prison.

“Budgeting is definitely a skill that they need. Trying to update their resumes, trying to get in school. The Department of Family Center programs provide all of that kind of support for families,” says Elmarie Carr Brooks with the Emerson Family Center.

There are now over 200,000 women in prison throughout the country. Currently there are about 2100 female prisoners with the Mississippi Department of Corrections.