Women's Prison Association facts for kids
The Women's Prison Association (WPA) is the oldest group in the United States that helps women who have been involved with the criminal justice system. It was started in 1845. The WPA has mostly focused on issues in New York City and New York State.
In its early years, many of the WPA's clients were poor Irish immigrants who faced challenges. Over time, the types of people the WPA helps have changed. However, the organization has always worked to help people deal with poverty, families being separated, and other personal difficulties.
History of the WPA
The WPA began from another group called the Prison Association of New York. This group was started by Isaac T. Hopper, who was a Quaker and worked to end slavery. A special team was formed to look into the conditions for women in prisons in New York. In January 1845, this team became the Female Department of the Prison Association. Important members included Hopper's daughter, Abigail Hopper Gibbons, and writer Catharine Sedgwick.
Hopper Home: A Place to Start Fresh
Right from the start, the Female Department said that prisons in New York City were not good enough. They believed that women needed a safe place to go after prison. By the summer of 1845, the Female Department opened Hopper Home. This was like a halfway house today. It helped former prisoners or homeless women learn new skills and get back on their feet.
Hopper Home was first located on Fourth Street in Manhattan. Later, it moved to 191 Tenth Avenue. In 1874, it moved again to 110 Second Avenue. Sadly, Hopper Home was sold in 2024. This happened because a fire from a nearby building damaged it, forcing the facility to close.
Becoming the Women's Prison Association
In 1853, the Female Department became its own organization. It was officially named the Women's Prison Association by New York State. Abigail Hopper Gibbons became its leader. The WPA became more influential. They fought against problems like overcrowded jails, which is still a challenge today.
The WPA's efforts led to important changes. For example, female staff were hired in all state prisons that held women. Also, a separate reformatory (a special facility for rehabilitation) for women and girls was created in Bedford, New York, with the WPA's help. A new rule was also made that only female staff could search women prisoners.
Later Developments and New Programs
In the 1960s, after more than 100 years, the WPA received its first money from the government. This funding came from the federal government. In the 1980s, Hopper Home was used as a federal facility where people could work while still serving their time. However, this program ended in 1990.
In 2012, the WPA started a new program called JusticeHome. This was the first program in the country that offered alternatives to prison by letting people stay at home.
In 2024, Meg Egan became the new chief executive officer of the WPA. She had worked before on making changes to the criminal justice system. Her work often focused on reducing the number of people in jail and making jail conditions better.
Current Services for Women
In the 1990s, the number of women in prison grew quickly. Because of this, the WPA started offering more and different services. Hopper Home was updated in 1992. It became a place where women, especially those facing challenges, could live as an alternative to going to prison.
In 1993, the WPA opened the Sarah Powell Huntington House (SPHH). This is a temporary home for women who have been involved with the justice system and are homeless. It helps them reunite with their children.
Health and Reentry Support
Around the same time, the WPA created programs to help women in the New York criminal justice system who had specific health needs. These programs include education and planning for when women leave jail or prison. They also offer case management to help women continue getting support after they are released. The WPA helps organize peer education and support programs at Bedford Hills Correctional Facility for Women and Taconic Correctional Facility.
Because these programs were so successful, the WPA started offering discharge planning and support services to all women, not just those with specific health needs. Their first program like this began at Rikers Island in 2000.
Today, the WPA offers many services. These include support for returning to society, alternatives to prison, job training, legal help, emergency aid, counseling, and housing support. In 2025, the WPA opened The Rise. This is a supportive housing building in Brownsville, Brooklyn. It provides housing and services for women and their families who have been impacted by the justice system. The building is designed to be calming and energy-efficient.
Other Important Projects
The WPA also works on other projects to help women and families.
Incarcerated Mother's Law Project
One project is the Incarcerated Mother's Law Project (IMLP), started in 1994. It works with other legal groups. This program holds workshops for mothers in prison. These workshops help them understand and deal with visits from their children and family court issues. The IMLP began in New York state prisons and has grown to help women in New York City jails and those using WPA's community services.
Community Focus in Brooklyn
Since the late 1990s, the WPA has focused on the East New York area of Brooklyn. This neighborhood is one of the areas where many people from New York City's prison population come from. In 1999, the WPA opened its Brooklyn Community Office (BCO) there. It aims to help with problems like poverty, poor housing, health issues, and child neglect. The goal is to help families stay together and break cycles of difficulty. This program works with other organizations and expanded in 2005 to include nearby neighborhoods like Bushwick and Brownsville.
National Conversation on Women and Justice
Beyond its local work, the WPA started the Institute on Women & Criminal Justice in 2004. This institute aims to create a national discussion about women and the criminal justice system, especially how it affects families and communities.
See also
- Incarceration of women in the United States
