Overcrowding at Women’s Prison

For a number of years, I have participated in the Friends Outside jail visiting program at Sybil Brand Institute for Women. We visit by permission of the Sheriff’s Department, and at the request of individual inmates.

The Time has carried several articles recently concerning overcrowding with emphasis on the Men’s Central Jail.

Our experience at Sybil Brand compels me to speak about what we’ve learned:

--Los Angeles County incarcerates many more women than New York and Chicago combined. We boast the largest institution for women in the free world.

--Over half of the women are awaiting trial, many on misdemeanors. Since they cannot afford bail, they must spend their time in a jail that’s bursting at the seams. Legally, we presume at least the possibility of innocence.

Most of the women are of child-bearing age and/or are the mothers of minor children. Our most common request is that we check on the well-being of the children, who often are shuttled to strangers (foster care) or Juvenile Hall.

Unnecessary and/or inappropriate incarceration of people reveals the level of civilization in a community. We all share in the blame. Why can’t a woman, who must wait two or three months for trial and who doesn’t represent a threat to society, remain at her job, or at home until her trial?

Why shouldn’t women convicted of minor crimes be sentenced to doing community service? Every taxpayer should certainly be interested in that possibility. Friends Outside has worked with such court referrals. The results have been good for the community and for the persons who might otherwise serve time in jail.

Restitution is also a necessary alternative, but impossible if the person is jailed.

It’s time for imaginative and economically prudent decisions--before a crisis erupts and before more lives are shattered.

JOYCE RIDE

President

Friends Outside

in Los Angeles Inc.