Black Women in the Criminal Justice System

• NCJ Number: 85546
• Journal: Urban League Review Volume: 6 Issue: 1 Dated: (Fall 1981) Pages: 55-61
• Author(s): H Greene
• Date Published: 1981
• Length: 7 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This article presents an overview of information on black women in the criminal justice system, highlighting their statistical profile at several stages in the system, their unique problems, and future directions for research, programs, and policies.

Abstract

Although women are more likely to be arrested for drunkenness, prostitution, disorderly conduct, and drug abuse than for violent crimes, it is impossible to obtain any information about black female arrestees from the Uniform Crime Reports. Of the 9,296 female inmates held in local jails in 1978, 50 percent were black. Information is not available on the number of unconvicted women not detained in jails or regional differences. Little information is currently available on the offenses of incarcerated black females, although Glick and Neto, in their 1977 study found drug violations, murder, and larceny to be the primary offenses of black women. Black female offenders are more likely to be heads of households with one or more dependent children. They are less likely to be able to make bond and are thus confined more frequently in jail. They are also less likely to be able to afford legal counsel and so are more likely to receive an inadequate defense. If convicted and sentenced to a correctional institution, black females are likely to be confined a great distance from their families and friends, making transportation expensive. All females in the criminal justice system suffer from the lack of programs and policies specifically related to their needs. Prerelease programs, which can ease the transition from confinement to society, often do not exist for women, and there are few programs that aid female ex-offenders in their communities. The greatest research need for black female offenders is to develop a data base that can provide a foundation for the development of policies and programs relevant to them. Fourteen notes are listed.