Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | TuneIn | RSS
This discussion addresses the unique challenges faced by women in the criminal justice system. Moderated by Sherri Bloodworth the Operations Support Director with the Department of Community Supervision in Georgia. She was joined by Melanie Scarborough, Pamela Wiggins, Renace Nead, and April Ross, representing various Georgia state agencies, including the Georgia Department of Community Supervision, the Georgia Department of Corrections, and the Georgia Commission on Family Violence.
The panellists discussed the distinct challenges women face within the criminal justice system, highlighting the need for gender-responsive approaches. Many facilities, originally designed for men, fail to meet the specific needs of women, emphasizing the need for dedicated spaces that ensure privacy and proper hygiene. Effective re-entry programs were identified as crucial, focusing on family reunification, mental health, substance abuse treatment, and educational opportunities to help women transition back into society.
The discussion underscored the high rates of trauma, domestic violence, and substance abuse among incarcerated women, calling for trauma-informed care and education on healthy relationships to break cycles of violence. Various supportive initiatives were highlighted, such as hygiene cabinets and post-partum units, which provide essential support and maintain dignity for women in custody. Educational and vocational training, like welding certifications, were also discussed as important for improving employment prospects and self-sufficiency for women upon release.
Systemic changes were deemed necessary, including legislative support, adequate funding for gender-specific programs, and enhanced community partnerships to create a more effective support system. Looking to the future, the panellists discussed plans to expand programs, including introducing doula services for pregnant offenders and continuing to focus on trauma-informed care and peer support.
Women and Criminal Justice: Georgia’s Collaborative Approach
What does it take to address the unique challenges faced by women in the criminal justice system? This was the focus of an IN-CJ Newsdesk 2024 session featuring Sherri Bloodworth (Georgia Department of Community Supervision), Melanie Scarborough (Max Out Reentry Programme), Pamela Wiggins (Director of Women’s Services, Georgia Department of Corrections), Renee Sneed (Reentry Services Division, Georgia DCS), and April Ross (Executive Director, Georgia Commission on Family Violence).
The panel began by highlighting the scale of the issue. In Georgia, around 38,500 women are under community supervision, with most serving probation rather than parole. In correctional facilities, approximately 4,000 women are incarcerated, two-thirds of whom are mothers, and many with histories of trauma, substance abuse, or domestic violence. The speakers stressed that women’s pathways into offending differ from men’s, often shaped by relationships, abuse, and caregiving responsibilities.
Wiggins noted the challenges of infrastructure, with most prisons designed for men and later adapted for women. She outlined initiatives such as gender-responsive and trauma-informed training for staff, postpartum units, and hygiene cabinets to preserve dignity. Scarborough described her work in transitional centres, where reentry planning focuses on reconnecting women with children, addressing mental health and addiction, and providing vocational training such as welding programmes linked to employment opportunities. She emphasised the importance of continuity, supervising women both inside transitional centres and after release.
Ross discussed the intersection of family violence and the justice system, noting how women who are victims of domestic abuse are sometimes wrongly criminalised as aggressors. She called for greater contextual understanding and programmes on healthy relationships to break cycles of trauma. Sneed added that reentry services are strengthened by community partnerships, including domestic violence shelters, pregnancy resource centres, healthcare providers, and literacy programmes, which provide holistic support for women returning to society.
The discussion also addressed societal attitudes. The panellists observed that women are often judged more harshly than men, especially when their offending is linked to substance use or caregiving failures. They emphasised the importance of education, respectful communication, and policies that treat women’s needs as distinct rather than exceptional. Programmes such as doula support for pregnant women in custody and case management frameworks grounded in dignity and respect were highlighted as practical steps forward.
In closing, the panel underlined the importance of collaboration across corrections, supervision, and community agencies. By working together, Georgia aims to create pathways that are responsive to women’s lived realities, reduce reoffending, and support family and community wellbeing.