Women’s Pathways to Justice-System Involvement, Pre-Arrest Interventions, and Research Opportunities
Coinciding with the public launch of the Women’s Justice Commission, the commission’s first meeting focused on exploring women’s pathways into the criminal justice system. Commissioners discussed the unique drivers of women’s justice system involvement and possible pre-arrest intervention opportunities. The group also considered its research agenda and prioritized topics for exploration.
The meeting featured three research presentations.
- Kathy Sanchez, CCJ research specialist, highlighted the key findings of the Women’s Justice: By the Numbers report.
- Emily Salisbury, associate professor of social work at the University of Utah and director of the Utah Criminal Justice Center, provided an overview of the research on women’s risk factors and pathways into the criminal justice system.
- Emily Wright, senior research fellow at the Urban Institute, presented research on the drivers of women’s incarceration in jails.
During the three-day convening, commissioners visited the Brownsville Community Justice Center, where commissioners learned about some of the center’s many gender-responsive programs. The center offers holistic approaches to support healing and healthy development for young women and girls, including the Reimagining Intimacy through Social Engagement (RISE) Project. RISE transforms responses to intimate partner violence, focusing specifically on its intersection with gun violence.
The commission also heard from an expert panel on the practical realities of implementing community safety efforts targeting women in New York City. Panelists included Deanna Logan, director of the New York City Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice; Ana Oliveira, president and CEO of the New York Women’s Foundation; and Rev. Sharon White-Harrigan, executive director of the Women’s Community Justice Association director of the Women’s Community Justice Association.
