The Drug War: A War on Women and Families

The United States is home to 5% of the world’s population and 25% of the world’s prisoners. One-quarter of those prisoners are now women – most of them incarcerated for a low-level drug violation or property crime. Women’s incarceration rates in the US have skyrocketed by nearly 800% since the late 1970s, paralleling the expansion of women’s self-determination and equal participation in civil society. The intergenerational costs to families and communities of this phenomenon cannot be overstated, especially considering that more than three-quarters of women in prison are mothers. This workshop will describe the ways that the drug war targets women and will outline strategies to end the criminalization of women and build healthier families and stronger communities.