In the mid 1980’s mandatory sentencing laws took effect, thus rapidly increasing the female population in California prisons. The incarceration rate for women still pales in comparison to the male prison population, but the rates for women are steadily increasing.

According to the Criminal Justice Consortium of the California Department of Corrections, in 1996 77.6 percent of women in California Prisons were incarcerated for non-violent offenses. Most crimes are drug related or property crimes, such as check forgery and illegal credit card use. Of those charged with violent crimes, the majority of women were either defending themselves or their children. In California there are over 600 women incarcerated for killing in self-defense. The average sentence for killing a husband is twice as long than for killing a wife.

Nationally, women prisoners are usually minorities, with African-American making up 46 percent of the female prison population, while they only make up 13 percent of California’s females. Hispanic females make up about 14 percent and Caucasian women about 36 percent of females incarcerated nationwide. Racism is also profound in the judicial system when it com

Women spend about 17 hours a day in their cell and are allowed one hour of exercise time whereas males spend roughly 15 hours a day in their cells and are allowed one and a half hors of exercise per day.

In all prisons worldwide, medical care is not where it should be. Incarcerated women rarely have the opportunity to receive gynecological examinations or mammograms unless the situation is deemed as an emergency. Women suffering from cancer or AIDS are sometimes given nothing stronger than an ibuprofen to ease their pain.

The California Rehabilitation Center in Norco is a medium security level prison for both male and females. The center treats those with drug abuse and mental health problems. CRC opened the first Joint Venture program, where female inmates worked as operators for a message service owned by a private business.

California operates four large women’s facilities. The California Institution for women in Frontera opened in 1952 and was originally named “frontera,” meaning, “new beginning” since it was the only prison for female felons until 1987. CIW houses women in security levels ranging from one to four, one being open dormitories without secure perimeters and four being cells, fenced or walled perimeters, electronic security and armed officers. CIW was designed to house 1,026 prisoners, but now holds 2,107 with a staff of only 656. As well as housing women at diffe

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