In the current age of mass incarceration, at least 1 in 4 women has an incarcerated loved one. Given that incarceration’s harm radiates from inside prison walls to well beyond them, a large number of women are directly suffering the consequences; having their entire lives defined and confined by criminal justice control. Simply put, mass incarceration is steadily worsening both gender inequality and racial inequality.

In May 2018, Essie published the groundbreaking report “Because She’s Powerful: The Political Isolation and Resistance of Women With Incarcerated Loved Ones.” The report asks and answers the question, what is mass incarceration doing to millions of women?