Together Home

May 14, 2024 – Today, the national nonprofit For The People is launching Together Home, an initiative that will raise awareness about the unique challenges incarcerated women face, and support prosecutors in identifying women who can be safely released from prison. The organization is partnering with the following District Attorneys’ offices: San Diego, Riverside, Contra Costa, Los Angeles, Santa Clara, and Yolo counties. Participating counties will undergo training to integrate a gender-specific approach into their existing sentence review practices. Additionally, For The People has teamed up with leaders in reentry including Five Keys Home Free, A New Way of Life, Sister Warriors Freedom Coalition, and California Coalition for Women Prisoners to ensure successful transitions for women returning home from prison through this initiative. The initiative will include people housed in women’s facilities and women-identified candidates.

Although there are many more men in prison than women, women are the fastest-growing segment of the U.S. prison population. The number of women incarcerated in the U.S. grew at an alarming rate of more than 525% from 1980 to 2021. Over the past three decades, there have been several reforms in the criminal justice system to address lengthy or outdated sentences, including one innovation that enables prosecutors to recommend a person’s release to the court. This area of law is called Prosecutor-Initiated Resentencing (PIR). Spearheaded by For The People, this reform presents a new opportunity for rehabilitated women to return to their communities.

Unfortunately, few women have been resentenced through this mechanism. At the same time, there is an emerging understanding that histories of trauma and abuse should be considered in criminal justice decisions. This is especially relevant to women’s cases: up to 70% of incarcerated women have experienced childhood physical or sexual abuse, and up to 80% have experienced intimate partner violence as adults. Over half (58%) of women in prison are mothers to minor children, often serving as primary caretakers, which can lead to significant disruptions and instability within families.

"As a former prosecutor, I understand that women's cases are often incredibly complex,” says Hillary Blout, Founder and Executive Director of For The People. “And as a mother, I know the critical importance of launching an initiative to bring more mothers home. Repairing bonds between mothers and children benefits whole communities.”

Summer Stephan, District Attorney of San Diego County, lends the perspective of a career prosecutor using this law. “Five years ago, we were one of the first California counties to look back at past cases under Prosecutor-Initiated Resentencing,” she says. “Since then, it’s clear to us and other counties doing this work across the country that a large majority of people released are men. We will continue analyzing our prison population and will now also identify new opportunities for expanding justice for women. This is an extension of our commitment to fair and equal justice not just for some—but for all.”

To ensure successful reentry for women who are released, For The People is collaborating with top reentry providers including Five Keys Home Free, A New Way of Life, California Coalition for Women Prisoners, and Sister Warriors Freedom Coalition. The project will support women returning home for three years following their release, facilitating a peer-to-peer learning cohort to develop the skills needed to thrive long term. The initiative will include comprehensive trainings to support District Attorney’s Offices with gender-specific case review.

For Susan Burton—Founder of the nationally-acclaimed reentry program A New Way of Life—joining Together Home is personal. “For more than 20 years, it has been my life’s work to provide a safe, supportive home for women reentering our communities. I also once needed that support myself,”  she said. “This is why I am so heartened to see prosecutors involved in this issue, which requires actors from all corners of the justice system to take immediate action.” 

“Hillary and I have been discussing this idea since the day we first met,” said Amika Mota, Executive Director of Sister Warriors Freedom Coalition and For The People Board member. “As a formerly incarcerated mother and advocate for women inside, I am thrilled to finally see this seed of an idea grow into a reality in multiple prosecutors’ offices.” 

Contra Costa District Attorney Diana Becton, whose office has long focused on the issues of women, says: “This program creates pathways for women to succeed after incarceration. Building stronger families means building safer communities, and we're proud to be part of that.” To learn more, visit fortheppl.org/womens-initiative