The socio-demographic characteristics and health needs of incarcerated women applying to a transitional housing re-entry program

Background The number of women under the jurisdiction of local, state, and federal correctional authorities has risen dramatically in the last several decades, increasing 646 percent from 1980 to 2010. As women are released from correctional facilities, they face legal restrictions, limited access to federal support programs and social stigma. These constraints can impact almost all parts of an individual’s social functioning, including one’s ability to obtain adequate housing, food, employment, education, credit cards, loans, parental rights, travel, and occupational licensing, increasing the likelihood of re-arrest