Rep. Sherrill Joins Launch of Legislative Commission on Reentry Services for Women

Trenton, NJ -- Representative Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) joined Governor Jim McGreevey, the New Jersey Reentry Corporation, and Members of the New Jersey State Senate and Assembly in Trenton yesterday for the release of the Legislative Commission on Reentry Services for Women's reporton the incarceration of women in New Jersey. The Commission, established by the legislature this summer, will review programs and conditions for women at the Edna Mahan women's correctional facility.

The statistics compiled in the Commission's report are startling. Two-thirds of women incarcerated at Edna Mahan reported having been diagnosed with a physical health condition that can be classified as "chronic," such as asthma, diabetes, hepatitis, and HIV/AIDs. More than half of the women at Edna Mahan identified themselves as having been the victim of emotional, physical, and/or sexual abuse. But health care, mental health services, job retraining, and family visitation are limited for women.

A transcript of Representative Sherrill's remarks can be found below:

Too much of the burden of incarceration is borne by too few communities. And it's so easy in certain communities to not think about it. To not worry about people who are suffering incarceration. And so, I just want to thank the women who have spoken today about their experiences. I just want to thank them because I'm sure it opened up some old wounds, but was really important for all of us to unflinchingly hear their stories so we better understand and we better advocate for people in this country so I'd like to give them a round of applause, I was very moved.

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I think the data is clear; and the personal narratives are heartbreaking. This report demonstrates, beyond a doubt, that our prison system neglects the needs of women. Like so many institutions in our society, the specific needs of women are treated as an afterthought, or even worse, specifically ignored.

According to the Prison Policy Initiative, women's state prison populations grew 834% over nearly 40 years — that's more than double the pace of the growth among men. And yet, state prisons do not have regular gynecological services and do not focus enough on healthcare, substance abuse counseling, mental health services, job training programs, or housing.

And this is particularly insidious given the fact that women entering prison have a higher co-occurrence of mental health issues, substance use disorders, and history of sexual abuse and trauma.

So while 60 percent of women in prison have a child under 18, the anxiety and depression caused by separation, or the long-term impact on families caused by limited family visitation policies, is not treated as a serious barrier to reducing recidivism or improving the lives of women.

My time as the Outreach and Reentry Coordinator at the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Jersey showed me just how much work we have to do to make sure our justice system works for all Americans.

I have seen the importance of strong reentry programs. I have also seen the difference in access to job training, substance use counseling, and mental health services make in the lives of prisoners. This report lays out a roadmap to improving the quality of life for women in prison.

I know that the leaders of this commission will work to make policies that have a lasting impact on reentry and on the lives of families.

In Congress, I will continue to work with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to make change at the federal level. So thank you, thank you Governor for your commitment to this issue, and thank you again for having me.

Representative Sherrill served as the Outreach and Reentry Coordinator at the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Jersey, where she worked to establish the state's first federal reentry program for individuals leaving federal prison.

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