New research for the Council on Criminal Justice Women’s Justice Commission projects that the number of women under correctional control will rise to 1.1 million by 2035, with annual costs increasing by about 34%, or roughly $8 billion. A second analysis finds that reducing women’s time served in prison by half would produce substantial savings, with only a modest increase in annual arrests—most for nonviolent crimes.
Together, the findings raise important questions about the costs, benefits, and public safety tradeoffs of women’s incarceration. In this conversation, the Women’s Justice Commission and a panel of experts discussed what the data suggest, what risks remain, and how states can weigh safety, accountability, and cost.
Panelists
- Elias Diggins, Sheriff, City & County of Denver, Colorado
- Victoria L. Kuhn, Commissioner, New Jersey Department of Corrections
- John Roman, Senior Fellow and Director, Center on Public Safety and Justice, NORC at the University of Chicago
- Stephanie Kennedy, Policy Director, Council on Criminal Justice (moderator)
