The Heat: Female incarceration in the US prison system

The Heat

The Heat: Female incarceration in the US prison system

Much of the attention focuses on the disproportionately large numbers of African American males and Latinos serving time in the U.S.

But, according to the Institute for Criminal Policy Research, more than 200,000 women and girls are also incarcerated in America.

That’s more than one quarter of an estimated 700,000 women and girls in correctional institutions around the world.

Many have a history of drug addiction. And, many end up in prison despite being victims of violence prior to their incarceration.

Female prisoners also deal with some unique issues like pregnancy and the break-up of their families.

The personal stories of women who have served time behind bars in the United States. Donna Hylton was just 20 years old when she was convicted of kidnapping and second degree murder in 1986. She is now free on parole. Her story is part of a documentary called “A Walk to Freedom.”

The following guests joined The Heat about female incarceration in the United States:

  • Donna Hylton, was released from prison in 2012 after serving 27 years.
  • Elaine Lord, was Donna’s warden at the Bedford Hills Correctional Facility in New York. The former prison superintendent has spent 20 years rehabilitating female prisoners and she is now an advocate for criminal justice reform.
  • Evie Litwok, was convicted of tax fraud and served two years in U.S. federal prison.