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Alabama to Open First State-Run Rehabilitation Facility Exclusively for Women

MONTGOMERY,Ala. – The Alabama Bureau of Pardons and Paroles (ABPP)‌ is preparing to open a rehabilitation facility specifically ⁣designed for⁤ women,addressing ‌a critical ⁣gap⁣ in the state’s reentry⁤ services and acknowledging the unique challenges women face⁢ post-incarceration.The facility,⁤ announced recently, will offer ⁣services ‌mirroring those available to men, with added programming ​focused‌ on family reunification and job training tailored to women’s preferences.

The⁢ move ‌comes as national data highlights disparities in ⁢recidivism rates and the distinct needs of formerly incarcerated​ women. A 2018 Bureau of Justice Statistics study of ‍24 states found that 44% of formerly incarcerated‌ men ‌were rearrested within one year of release,compared‍ to 34% of‍ women.⁤ After three years, those numbers shifted to⁢ 31% for men and 29% for women.

Though, experts emphasize that these numbers don’t tell the whole story. Stephanie C. Kennedy,policy ⁢director at the Council on Criminal Justice,an independent,nonpartisan think‍ tank,argues ‌that the availability of supportive services ⁣is especially crucial for women. “They don’t ⁣have a safe place to⁣ land‌ to get everything done, so they are going back to an abusive parent, they are going back ⁢to an abusive partner, and that complicates everything,” Kennedy‌ said. “Women’s experience of trauma is much ⁤more interpersonal, more likely ⁣to include sexual violence, intimate partner violence,⁣ so when we are thinking about reentry, we ‍need to be‌ using a trauma-informed lens.”

Women leaving incarceration are ​statistically more likely to struggle with substance⁣ abuse, economic instability, homelessness, limited⁣ job history, and lower educational attainment than their male counterparts. Data presented by Kennedy underscores the⁤ severity‌ of the situation: women are 5.5 times more likely to experience a fatal overdose within two years of release compared to‍ women⁢ in the ​general population, while⁢ the risk for men‍ is 3.3⁢ times ⁢higher.

Adding ​to these challenges, women are disproportionately likely to be⁤ primary caregivers. ⁣”When they are leaving⁤ confinement, they are having to​ do all ‍the things that ​we ask ⁤everyone ⁤to​ do, find a⁢ job, get an⁤ address, but they ⁢are ‌also needing to reunify, to work a ⁢case plan⁤ for child welfare, to navigate the transition back⁢ to caretaking ​from a parent or a sibling, or⁣ a friend to get⁣ their children back,” Kennedy explained.

The ABPP facility⁣ aims to address these specific needs. According ‌to ⁣ABPP officials, the new program will include services⁤ like family⁣ reunification support and job training geared towards fields showing strong interest from ⁣women, such as commercial driver’s license (CDL) training.

The opening of this facility ​marks a significant step towards a more ‌equitable and effective reentry system in Alabama, recognizing ⁣that a one-size-fits-all⁢ approach fails to adequately support the unique‍ needs of women returning ⁤to their communities after incarceration.

This‌ article ‍was originally published ⁤by the Alabama reflector, an‌ independent, nonprofit‍ news association.