Pubdate: Mon, 30 Aug 1999
Source: Rocky Mountain News (CO)
Copyright: 1999 Denver Publishing Co.
Contact:  400 W. Colfax, Denver, CO 80204
Website: http://www.denver-rmn.com/
Author: Dick Foster

MORE WOMEN LAND IN CELLS

Colorado is sending more women to prison than ever before, and their
numbers are increasing at a rate faster than their male
counterparts.

While the increase reflects a nationwide trend, the rate of increase
in Colorado surpasses the pace nationally, statistics show.

"Women are becoming an increasing percentage of the criminal justice
system, without question," said G. Edward Wensuc of the state Division
of Criminal Justice research office.

"Women are entering the criminal justice system at all levels with
increasing frequency, from case filings, to sentences, to placement in
prison," he said.

Wensuc's office predicts further increases in women's imprisonments,
especially in four categories — assaults, thefts and forgeries, drug
offenses and parole violations.

Colorado's female prison population has tripled in the last 10 years,
from 392 in 1989, to 1,179 last June, said Department of Corrections
spokeswoman Liz McDonough.

While the women's population still pales in comparison to the men's —
13,547 last June — it reflects a steadily growing percentage of
Colorado's total prison population.

In 1989, female inmates were only 5.6 percent of the total in Colorado
prisons. This year, they are 8 percent.

The figure is no one-time spike, say statisticians. Women's portion of
the total inmate population has climbed in a constant pattern
throughout the 1990s - hitting 6.2 percent in 1994, 6.6 percent in
1996, 7.2 percent in 1997 and 7.4 percent in 1998. The rate is
predicted to be 8.4 percent by 2005.

Colorado's ratio of female prisoners has risen faster than the
national average. Nationally, women made up 5.7 percent of the total
prison population in 1990 and 6.5 percent in 1998, the last year available.

The Department of Corrections had only a single 294-bed women's prison
in Canon City until 1989. Since then it has added a 256-bed prison in
Pueblo and a 248-bed facility in Denver, which is being expanded to
900 beds.

The rise in female inmates is being fueled by more arrests on drug
offenses and related crimes of theft, forgery and burglary, and by
growing numbers of violent crimes, often related to gangs.

Among Colorado's female inmates:

Nearly one-third, 31.6 percent, are in prison for drug crimes. Some
were convicted as drug couriers for boyfriends or spouses.

Another 20 percent are serving time for theft, forgery or burglary,
often committed to support a drug habit, their children, or both.

A smaller number, 5.5 percent, are in prison for assault and other
violent crimes, although that number is expected to grow with
increasing numbers of women now joining gangs. About 10 percent are
serving time for murder.

Colorado's female offenders match the national profile. Many are
poorly educated and lack job skills. They have children and little
means of support. Many have been physically or sexually abused by a
spouse or family member.

Their circumstances feed a dynamic that makes drugs attractive and
theft necessary to support their children and their substance abuse
habit, say criminal justice officials.

Higher proportions of women than men are serving time for drug use
both nationally and in Colorado, said Eric Philp of the state's office
of probation services.

"When someone is not able to cope with the fact that she's trying to
raise five kids with no money, drugs become a very interesting
alternative," said Mary West, deputy director of special operations in
the Department of Corrections.

Often, women will deal drugs, forge checks or steal to support their
children and their drug habit, said Suzanne Pullen, research director
for the office of probation services.

"Women have traditionally gotten into crime for financial reasons. If
they have children and they're hooked up with someone who's not
providing child support, they need to find some means to support
themselves and their children," Fallen said. "Obviously, we have- a
lot of women who also have drug and alcohol problems so they may be
doing .both."

Wensuc said some women convicted of drug offenses hadn't used drugs
themselves, but acted as "mules" or couriers for spouses or
boyfriends, whom they depended upon for financial support.

"Relationships are a core component of women who go to prison. Women
may be financially dependent on a male for support," Wensuc said.

Judges often granted women second or third chances in more lenient
times, viewing their circumstances as problems to be overcome rather
than crimes warranting prison.

"Women tend to have lengthier criminal records than men before they're
finally sentenced to prison. The thought is that a woman often is the
sole custodial parent of minor children, and if she goes to prison the
kids go to social services. So often times they're given chances to
get their lives straight in the community," said Philp.

That has changed in recent years. With the national mood supporting
tougher treatment of criminals, "there isn't as much reluctance to put
women in prison," said West.

Another troubling trend is the increase violent crime among younger
women, and projections that it will rise in the coming years.

"There is some gang affiliation and additional violence in the
youngsters that are coming in. Gangs are much more popular with young
women than they have ever been," West said.

In 1989, the prison didn't keep track of gang affiliations. Today,
prison officials identify about 75 female inmates as gang affiliates.

Violence, often gang-related, is also rising, said
West.

West said the state is developing more programs to address women's
problems while they are in prison to reduce one of the biggest causes
of imprisonment, parole violation.

Traditionally, prison programs have been so focused on men, who still
comprise more than 90 percent of the total population, that programs
for women have been lacking.

Now, more counseling, education and training programs are being
developed to give women job and survival skills once they're released,
said West.

"We're trying to give women the things they need to make it," said
West. "So they don't go back."

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