The WALL
Drug War Casualties: Women

Women are the fastest growing population within the vast U.S. prison complex - especially women of color. Women often play minor roles in drug conspiracies, yet serve longer prison sentences than their male partners.

Many women are raised in poverty and have struggled with addiction. After years in prison, held far from home and loved ones, they suffer greatly from prison policies designed to corrupt, weaken and eventually destroy family ties.

The stories you will discover on The Wall are presented to emphasize the humanity of everyone you find here. These people could be your neighbor, your friend's friend, or someone you heard about on the nightly news. Reading The Wall is a journey beyond statistics and into the lives of the victims of the failed drug war.

Chrissy Taylor
Diana Buchanan

 
Could YOU be next?
Marsha Cunningham

Women are the fastest growing and least violent segment of prison and jail populations. 85% of female jail inmates are behind bars for nonviolent offenses.

From 1986 (the year mandatory sentencing was enacted) to 1996, the number of women sentenced to federal prison for drug crimes increased from 2,400 to 24,000 and has been the main element in the overall increase in the imprisonment of women.

The rate of imprisonment for African-American women is at least eight times the rate of imprisonment of white women; the rate of imprisonment of Hispanic women is nearly four times the rate of imprisonment of white women.

Zulima Buitrago


Lizette Calderon


Teddy Solano


Tamala Woods


Liz Chapa
Yraida Guanipa
Debi Campbell
Jackie Quarterman

Men

Main Wall Page

All Name Index

More Women

Female Prisoner Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6

Working to end drug war injustice

Meet the People Behind The U.S. Sentencing Guidelines

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