Kamlager-Dove Reintroduces Women in Criminal Justice Reform Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37) reintroduced the Women in Criminal Justice Reform Act, legislation to address the ways that women are disproportionately impacted by the criminal justice system.

Between 1980 and 2023, the number of incarcerated women increased by over 600%. Despite this increase, men are still considered the "default prisoner," for which prisons and jails were largely designed. The Women in Criminal Justice Reform Act helps close these gaps by providing gender-responsive action and trauma-informed care, promoting fair sentencing and alternatives to incarceration, and supporting family stability and successful reentry.

"It's shameful that most prisons and jails in America were designed with men in mind, despite the number of women interacting with the legal system increasing each year," said Rep. Kamlager-Dove. "Women face harsher sentencing, poorer conditions, and higher rates of sexual assault in a system unequipped to safely house or rehabilitate them. The Women in Criminal Justice Reform Act takes an important step toward righting this wrong. By recognizing the distinct needs of women throughout the incarceration lifecycle, we can bring greater dignity, safety, and fairness to our justice system and give more women a real shot at a second chance."

"Women navigating our criminal justice system face distinct challenges that too often go unrecognized and unaddressed. The Women in Criminal Justice Reform Act takes a compassionate approach to justice for women-increasing access to healthcare, making sure law enforcement and sentencing practices reflect women's experiences, and strengthening reentry support so women can successfully rebuild their lives," said Democratic Women's Caucus Chair Teresa Leger Fernández (NM-03). "The Democratic Women's Caucus endorses this bill because every woman across this country deserves dignity, safety, and the opportunity to build a better future."

The Women in Criminal Justice Reform Act recognizes and confronts the unique circumstances and needs of justice-involved women by:

• Enacting gender informed arrest and law enforcement practices;
• Prioritizing family reunification to reduce recidivism and protect children;
• Pursuing gender informed alternatives to incarceration;
• Eliminating discriminatory sentencing practices;
• Enforcing gender-responsive and trauma-informed imposition of a sentence;
• Implementing gender responsive prison reform; and
• Providing gender informed reentry reform.

The Women in Criminal Justice Reform Act is cosponsored by Reps. Henry C. "Hank" Johnson, Jr., Eleanor Holmes Norton, Joyce Beatty, Lateefah Simon, Bonnie Watson Coleman, and Summer L. Lee.

The Women in Criminal Justice Reform Act is endorsed by the National Action Network (NAN), Families Against Mandatory Minimums (FAMM), the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, A New Way of Life Reentry Project, Justice Action Network, Girls for Gender Equity (GGE), the National Council for Incarcerated & Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), and the Democratic Women's Caucus (DWC).

Bill text is available here.

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