70 year old woman incarcerated for selling cocaine is understandable, but not for 30 years. That is just crazy. Her life is almost up as it is and you're going to lock her up so you know her last breathe will be taken in a jail cell? I heard that lady say that she is seeing women being locked up today for things they would not of been locked up for in the past. Why is that? Is it because women want to have equality? So we are treating them and sentencing them like we do to men? If so then they cannot complain, because their equality has kicked in within the justice system. It said that two-thirds female inmates are mothers. So these children are either taken from from the families from the state or the kids live with the family. So without the love and affection of their mothers what happens to these kids? -Ibanez789
I just read your first sentence and it made me upset to know someone would put a 70 year old woman in prison. Like are you serious dont matter what the case was. Put her in a nursing or something like let be real her life can end any second he shouldnt be in jail. That not just right.Shaylavon789
It is appalling to realize that grandmothers are being locked up for selling cocaine. For a moment today, while walking around the bookstore, I tried to ask myself, ‘What if she’s a dealer, or her, or her?’ Needless to say I found this very difficult to do. The fact that the court is issuing these women (or elderly persons in general) to sentences like these seem primarily to be a trend. The Bureau of Justice Statistics shows a 172.6 percent increase between 1992 to 2001, from nearly 42,000 to more than 113,000. The numbers presently are even further stretched. The elderly need to have a hope whenever there is a nonviolent drug charge. - StrongArm789
I agree with you who is going to take care of their kids and growing up without a mother i couldn't even imagine what life would be like. They should really work on giving women a second chance. -dicaprio789
It's unfortunate for the kids yes, but we can't just go easy on the mothers for the sake of the children. Equality is finally kicking in, like we've been wanting it to. Mothers should know better than to commit a crime, especially if they know they are responsible for the lives of their children. It is the mothers responsibility to do right, it is not our responsibility to go easy. As for the grandmother, yes that sentence seems a bit extreme. If it was a low end cocaine deal she doesn't need that much time. But a crime is a crime, simple as that. I get that she will inevitably die in prison, but she has had 70 years to learn the law. 70 years to know that you cannot sell cocaine without punishment. -Leilani789
The statistic that popped up towards the end of the conversation mentioned 1 in 33 women going to federal prisons are pregnant upon being admitted. In California alone, between 2011-2012, 233 inmates gave birth. This is one of the most sickening statistics, leading to the most degrading and dehumanizing issue that I can imagine, and I don’t care how good/great the quality of delivering a baby behind bars is. Andrea James’ insight into the women’s prison population and her group Families for Justice let us know that even though women are being incarcerated with harsher punishments for conspiracy drug charges, women’s issues are being addressed through some type of organization. With over a 600% jump from 1980 to 2010, women’s prisons are rapidly stripping children from their mothers and leaving them to grow up either with their remaining family members or by the system itself. Thanks to shows like ‘Orange Is the New Black’ or her book, however, it is imperative that the public sees just how miserable these situations are, even if in a comical frame-of-mind. The public is noticing that 85% of incarcerated women are mothers serving nonviolent drug offenses. Just like in the case of juveniles, women’s prison rights will be addressed very soon. - StrongArm789
I also agree with you when you say that womens prisons rights will be addressed soon. I hope that it is addressed soon because there are several problems with the womens prisons that it is almost hard to choose where to start at. I thought the statistic about the pregnant women in prison stat was appalling as well. I don't think it is right to deliver your baby in prison and never have to see him/her again. I wouldn't be able to imagine the effect it would have on the mother.
I loved Andrea James' points about the women in prison population. I think that women with children should not be sentenced as long because someone will need to take care of their child. The little side notes showing various statistic were also very interesting. I didn't know that 1 out of every 33 women incarnated were pregnant. I thought the little note around the beginning of the video that was saying things about Andrea wasn't very accurate. It said she was against the incarceration of women but really she is just against the I just incarceration of women especially those with children. I do think that incarcerating women with children who are charged with nonviolent crimes less would be good. This is because if a mother is in prison her child is more likely to do the same. Therefore, if we incarcerate women with children less the recidivism rate will decrease.
The fact that the percent of women incarcerated has jumped 646% from 1980-2010 is insane! I don't think that it's right for women to be incarcerated as long because most of them are the primary care givers of their families. No one else is going to be around to take care of their children. I can't even imagine how hard it would be for me as a young woman to grow up in a world without my mother. 85% of women incarcerated are the primary care givers of their families, that's a huge amount. Most women do have a victimized history and whatever has happened to them has ruled their whole life and I don't think thats quite fair. I'm not saying you shouldn't do the time for you're crime,but why lock away someone for a non violent drug charge for life. It just does not add up nor does it make any sense. -dicaprio789
I was also shocked by the increase in women incarcerated between 1980 and 2010. 646% is such a huge number that I was not expecting. The other surprising number that I noticed in this video was that only 7% of women who are in federal prisons committed a violent crime. Considering the number of women who committed a violent crime is so low, I think that it is ridiculous that there has been such an increase in incarcerated women. I agree with you that it does not make sense to lock someone away for a non violent drug charge for such a long time. It is expensive, and irrational, when we could be trying to change the women into productive citizens within the community instead. Cards789
Stop you had me at 646% lol. Man, thats crazy. You know I wonder if the rate of female prisoners have gone up because all the males are in prison already. "Hey guys all the guys are locked up, lets start arresting the gals!" I know that sounds as dumb to me as it does you BUT why the huge increase. Do we view women differently as we used to? Are woman more willing to and more prone to committing crime? Has the criminal justice system started focusing on females for criminal violations? Hopefully we see the % of women incarcerated for drug charges go down with some new legislature soon. Doberman789
I found it interesting how many women come into the prisons pregnant, 1 in 33. I understand that a child may have more ties to its mother and we may see that as the child needing it's mother around more than it's father. I think that if you are pregnant, or already have children, you should think about that before you commit a crime. Even if it's a low end drug crime it is still a crime. I don't think it is morally correct to give shorter sentences to mothers. Women want equal rights so badly but we want to change it and switch it up when it's convenient for us. Women can get the same sentencing as a man would. That is what is fair and just. If 85% of women incarcerated are the primary care givers for their families they should start to act like it. Don't do the crime if you can't do the time. -Leilani789
I am so glad that this video was given for a blog assignment because of the statistics provided that can be useful for our papers. Like many other people mentioned, one of the most surprising statistics in this video was the 646% increase of incarcerated women between 1980 and 2010. Although that statistic was one of the most alarming, it was not the only one that caught me off guard. I was also surprised by the fact that 1/33 women are pregnant while incarcerated and that only 7% of the women incarcerated committed a violent offense. I think it is absolutely ridiculous that such a low number of women committed violent offenses, yet so many of them are continuing to be incarcerated for a long period of time for things such as drug offenses. Another point that I would have not considered prior to seeing this video was that women may be getting caught up in the system due to things such as mandatory minimum sentences and other similar sentencing guidelines. It is important to consider the severity of the crime before sentencing women, ESPECIALLY MOTHERS that are the primary care takers of their children, for such a long time in federal prisons. Cards789
Draconian: Excessively harsh and severe (drink every time she says it) 30 years for ‘conspiring to import cocaine and money laundering.’ Yeah that feels draconian. Speaking of the big D lets talk about the war on drugs. Since its inception has decimated whole communities. Politicians cracking down on drug offenders trying to put their ‘best foot forward’ to get re-elected. Protect the best interests of the ‘concerned voters’. Cash cows. Certain companies benefit from mass incarceration. The war on drugs was a profitable war. Like all wars are. Do you need to stimulate the economy? “Lets go to war!” I wonder what would’ve happened if all the money spent to fight the ‘war’ was put into communities and programs for cleaning up people instead of the streets they walk on. Before I get started, get this host to a salon ASAP. If you want to be taken seriously dress and report as a professional. Donald Trump would say, ‘Low Energy, Low Energy.’ That’s not a nod for DT just saying. The expert speaker Andrea James did well, but the host .. I could do better and I’m a big dummy and a xenophobe ☺. Phyllis Hardy served 23 years 5 months of a 30 year sentence… I found a statistic looking up Mrs. Hardy. 58% of the 14,169 women in federal prisons are there on drug charges (2015). Women are moms, wives, and sisters. Just like men are dads, husbands, and brothers. There is no weighed increased importance on the gender of a prisoner. They should all be treated the same. Tangential?! ‘to touch lightly’ I’m not buying what she is selling there. I am buying that fact that this is an issue of sentencing just like the “Affluenza” case we looked at. Men and women both commit non-violent crimes to support their families. I think that women being more emotionally attached to their family might even be capable of doing more. All I know is couples that move weight together get locked up together I’ll have to admit I am ignorant when it comes to women in prison. That’s why I have picked ‘Women in Prison’ as my writing assignment. Women are capable of doing anything a man is. If you don’t think so you haven’t been around most women ☺. Women and men who are convicted of drug violations should have a chance at intermediate sanctions: DRUG COURT! That is the answer. Doberman789
70 year old woman incarcerated for selling cocaine is understandable, but not for 30 years. That is just crazy. Her life is almost up as it is and you're going to lock her up so you know her last breathe will be taken in a jail cell? I heard that lady say that she is seeing women being locked up today for things they would not of been locked up for in the past. Why is that? Is it because women want to have equality? So we are treating them and sentencing them like we do to men? If so then they cannot complain, because their equality has kicked in within the justice system. It said that two-thirds female inmates are mothers. So these children are either taken from from the families from the state or the kids live with the family. So without the love and affection of their mothers what happens to these kids?
ReplyDelete-Ibanez789
I just read your first sentence and it made me upset to know someone would put a 70 year old woman in prison. Like are you serious dont matter what the case was. Put her in a nursing or something like let be real her life can end any second he shouldnt be in jail. That not just right.Shaylavon789
DeleteIt is appalling to realize that grandmothers are being locked up for selling cocaine. For a moment today, while walking around the bookstore, I tried to ask myself, ‘What if she’s a dealer, or her, or her?’ Needless to say I found this very difficult to do. The fact that the court is issuing these women (or elderly persons in general) to sentences like these seem primarily to be a trend. The Bureau of Justice Statistics shows a 172.6 percent increase between 1992 to 2001, from nearly 42,000 to more than 113,000. The numbers presently are even further stretched. The elderly need to have a hope whenever there is a nonviolent drug charge. - StrongArm789
DeleteI agree with you who is going to take care of their kids and growing up without a mother i couldn't even imagine what life would be like. They should really work on giving women a second chance. -dicaprio789
DeleteIt's unfortunate for the kids yes, but we can't just go easy on the mothers for the sake of the children. Equality is finally kicking in, like we've been wanting it to. Mothers should know better than to commit a crime, especially if they know they are responsible for the lives of their children. It is the mothers responsibility to do right, it is not our responsibility to go easy. As for the grandmother, yes that sentence seems a bit extreme. If it was a low end cocaine deal she doesn't need that much time. But a crime is a crime, simple as that. I get that she will inevitably die in prison, but she has had 70 years to learn the law. 70 years to know that you cannot sell cocaine without punishment.
Delete-Leilani789
The statistic that popped up towards the end of the conversation mentioned 1 in 33 women going to federal prisons are pregnant upon being admitted. In California alone, between 2011-2012, 233 inmates gave birth. This is one of the most sickening statistics, leading to the most degrading and dehumanizing issue that I can imagine, and I don’t care how good/great the quality of delivering a baby behind bars is. Andrea James’ insight into the women’s prison population and her group Families for Justice let us know that even though women are being incarcerated with harsher punishments for conspiracy drug charges, women’s issues are being addressed through some type of organization. With over a 600% jump from 1980 to 2010, women’s prisons are rapidly stripping children from their mothers and leaving them to grow up either with their remaining family members or by the system itself. Thanks to shows like ‘Orange Is the New Black’ or her book, however, it is imperative that the public sees just how miserable these situations are, even if in a comical frame-of-mind. The public is noticing that 85% of incarcerated women are mothers serving nonviolent drug offenses. Just like in the case of juveniles, women’s prison rights will be addressed very soon. - StrongArm789
ReplyDeleteI also agree with you when you say that womens prisons rights will be addressed soon. I hope that it is addressed soon because there are several problems with the womens prisons that it is almost hard to choose where to start at. I thought the statistic about the pregnant women in prison stat was appalling as well. I don't think it is right to deliver your baby in prison and never have to see him/her again. I wouldn't be able to imagine the effect it would have on the mother.
DeleteCountryGirl789
I loved Andrea James' points about the women in prison population. I think that women with children should not be sentenced as long because someone will need to take care of their child. The little side notes showing various statistic were also very interesting. I didn't know that 1 out of every 33 women incarnated were pregnant. I thought the little note around the beginning of the video that was saying things about Andrea wasn't very accurate. It said she was against the incarceration of women but really she is just against the I just incarceration of women especially those with children. I do think that incarcerating women with children who are charged with nonviolent crimes less would be good. This is because if a mother is in prison her child is more likely to do the same. Therefore, if we incarcerate women with children less the recidivism rate will decrease.
ReplyDeleteCountryGirl789
The fact that the percent of women incarcerated has jumped 646% from 1980-2010 is insane! I don't think that it's right for women to be incarcerated as long because most of them are the primary care givers of their families. No one else is going to be around to take care of their children. I can't even imagine how hard it would be for me as a young woman to grow up in a world without my mother. 85% of women incarcerated are the primary care givers of their families, that's a huge amount. Most women do have a victimized history and whatever has happened to them has ruled their whole life and I don't think thats quite fair. I'm not saying you shouldn't do the time for you're crime,but why lock away someone for a non violent drug charge for life. It just does not add up nor does it make any sense. -dicaprio789
ReplyDeleteI was also shocked by the increase in women incarcerated between 1980 and 2010. 646% is such a huge number that I was not expecting. The other surprising number that I noticed in this video was that only 7% of women who are in federal prisons committed a violent crime. Considering the number of women who committed a violent crime is so low, I think that it is ridiculous that there has been such an increase in incarcerated women. I agree with you that it does not make sense to lock someone away for a non violent drug charge for such a long time. It is expensive, and irrational, when we could be trying to change the women into productive citizens within the community instead. Cards789
DeleteStop you had me at 646% lol. Man, thats crazy. You know I wonder if the rate of female prisoners have gone up because all the males are in prison already. "Hey guys all the guys are locked up, lets start arresting the gals!" I know that sounds as dumb to me as it does you BUT why the huge increase. Do we view women differently as we used to? Are woman more willing to and more prone to committing crime? Has the criminal justice system started focusing on females for criminal violations? Hopefully we see the % of women incarcerated for drug charges go down with some new legislature soon. Doberman789
DeleteI found it interesting how many women come into the prisons pregnant, 1 in 33. I understand that a child may have more ties to its mother and we may see that as the child needing it's mother around more than it's father. I think that if you are pregnant, or already have children, you should think about that before you commit a crime. Even if it's a low end drug crime it is still a crime. I don't think it is morally correct to give shorter sentences to mothers. Women want equal rights so badly but we want to change it and switch it up when it's convenient for us. Women can get the same sentencing as a man would. That is what is fair and just. If 85% of women incarcerated are the primary care givers for their families they should start to act like it. Don't do the crime if you can't do the time.
ReplyDelete-Leilani789
I am so glad that this video was given for a blog assignment because of the statistics provided that can be useful for our papers. Like many other people mentioned, one of the most surprising statistics in this video was the 646% increase of incarcerated women between 1980 and 2010. Although that statistic was one of the most alarming, it was not the only one that caught me off guard. I was also surprised by the fact that 1/33 women are pregnant while incarcerated and that only 7% of the women incarcerated committed a violent offense. I think it is absolutely ridiculous that such a low number of women committed violent offenses, yet so many of them are continuing to be incarcerated for a long period of time for things such as drug offenses. Another point that I would have not considered prior to seeing this video was that women may be getting caught up in the system due to things such as mandatory minimum sentences and other similar sentencing guidelines. It is important to consider the severity of the crime before sentencing women, ESPECIALLY MOTHERS that are the primary care takers of their children, for such a long time in federal prisons. Cards789
ReplyDeleteDraconian: Excessively harsh and severe (drink every time she says it) 30 years for ‘conspiring to import cocaine and money laundering.’ Yeah that feels draconian. Speaking of the big D lets talk about the war on drugs. Since its inception has decimated whole communities. Politicians cracking down on drug offenders trying to put their ‘best foot forward’ to get re-elected. Protect the best interests of the ‘concerned voters’. Cash cows. Certain companies benefit from mass incarceration. The war on drugs was a profitable war. Like all wars are. Do you need to stimulate the economy? “Lets go to war!” I wonder what would’ve happened if all the money spent to fight the ‘war’ was put into communities and programs for cleaning up people instead of the streets they walk on. Before I get started, get this host to a salon ASAP. If you want to be taken seriously dress and report as a professional. Donald Trump would say, ‘Low Energy, Low Energy.’ That’s not a nod for DT just saying. The expert speaker Andrea James did well, but the host .. I could do better and I’m a big dummy and a xenophobe ☺. Phyllis Hardy served 23 years 5 months of a 30 year sentence… I found a statistic looking up Mrs. Hardy. 58% of the 14,169 women in federal prisons are there on drug charges (2015). Women are moms, wives, and sisters. Just like men are dads, husbands, and brothers. There is no weighed increased importance on the gender of a prisoner. They should all be treated the same. Tangential?! ‘to touch lightly’ I’m not buying what she is selling there. I am buying that fact that this is an issue of sentencing just like the “Affluenza” case we looked at. Men and women both commit non-violent crimes to support their families. I think that women being more emotionally attached to their family might even be capable of doing more. All I know is couples that move weight together get locked up together I’ll have to admit I am ignorant when it comes to women in prison. That’s why I have picked ‘Women in Prison’ as my writing assignment. Women are capable of doing anything a man is. If you don’t think so you haven’t been around most women ☺. Women and men who are convicted of drug violations should have a chance at intermediate sanctions: DRUG COURT! That is the answer. Doberman789
ReplyDelete