Research has demonstrated that over the last 15 years, the number of imprisoned women in the United States has increased dramatically. While the number of men in state and federal prisons has grown 67% since 1990, the number of imprisoned women has increased by 92% (Beck and Mumola, 1998). Offenses related to illegal drugs account for nearly 40% of this increase. Historically, offenses such as larceny, forgery, embezzlement and prostitution accounted for the majority of women’s sentences (OJP Special…
Words 1717 - Pages 7