It’s not a secret to San Diego criminal defense attorneys that the criminal justice system in our state is seriously flawed. As a result, we have the largest prison system in the world, and are now under pressure to reduce the size of our prison population. A big part of dealing with prison reform in California has to do with rethinking our approach to the incarceration of women. According to California Atty. Gen. Kamala Harris’ transition team, not only is our current approach to the incarceration of women financially ruinous, but it also has serious social consequences because of the fact that there are women and families involved.

The transition team comprises of law enforcement and social justice leaders in California. According to the proposals that they have put forward, widespread and unnecessary incarceration of women in California's prisons has contributed to a troubling social structure. Incarcerated women who have no contact with their children are more likely to become repeat offenders. It's a vicious cycle, because the children of such women often end up becoming offenders themselves. Approximately 75% of the 9,500 women in California's prisons are mothers. Besides, the state has the dubious position of having the largest number of female prisoners in the country.

This focus on extensive and widespread incarceration has been financially devastating for the state. The state of California spends about $52,000 to keep one woman in prison for a period of one year. Besides, social services costs for children of female inmates amount to approximately $56 million annually.

For too long, the criminal justice system in California has promoted the extensive and widespread incarceration of women, even for low-level offenses. Most of the women who are currently in California's prisons were convicted of lower-level and nonviolent offenses. In fact, there are studies to indicate that these women are more often the victims of crimes, than the perpetrators of it. Four out of every 10 women in prison in California have been the victims of physical or sexual abuse.