In rural counties across the U.S., the number of women being incarcerated has significantly increased in recent years, according to The Rural Blog. Four out of five of those inmates are being imprisoned for nonviolent crimes.
As The New York Times recently reported, women are now held in jails in nearly every county. The Times called this “a stark contrast to 1970, when almost three-quarters of counties held not a single woman in jail.” Women are being incarcerated in rural counties for a variety of relatively minor offenses. These include drug possession and shoplifting, as well as violating parole, failed drug tests and missing court appointments. Some are simply unable to pay fees and fines.
The incarceration numberscome from the Vera Institute of Justice and the Safety and Justice Challenge.