This project involves coordinating a coalition to identify best practices for serving women in Massachusetts' prisons.

This work documented the policies and practices affecting women in prison’s family connections, particularly with their children in the state’s women’s prison and three houses of correction.  It provided an estimate for the first time of the number of women in prison annually in MA and the number of children who were affected.  Produced “Women in Prison in Massachusetts: Maintaining Family Connections”. 2005. Available from Erika Kates.

In 2006 she led a team of researchers to interview a randomly selected group of women in the state prison to document their family connections, producing, “Parenting from Prison: the Family Relationships of Incarcerated Women in Massachusetts. 2007. Available from the Author.

• Executive Summary: Exploring Alternatives to Incarceration for Women in MA 8/11 (PDF)
• Report: Exploring Alternatives to Incarceration for Women in MA 8/11 (PDF)