Newsroom

April 12, 2023

Judge Lina Hidalgo along with Representatives Sheila Jackson Lee and Sylvia Garcia, Commissioner Lesley Briones and other officials Tuesday announced $4.7 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds to bring supportive programming to women housed in the Women’s Center jail. Approved by Commissioners Court last week, funding will provide mental healthsupport, trauma counseling, education and vocational training, substance abuse support, and other services.

“For a long time now, we’ve been fighting crime in Harris County by investing in smart, evidence-based strategies. I am proud that our approach is already showing success. Violent crime is down 10% in Harris County,” said Judge Hidalgo. “We kept looking for smart, evidence-based solutions that would tackle the root causes of crime, and we invested in them. The Women’s Reentry Program at the Women’s Center jail is just another example of our ongoing work to invest in reducing recidivism and improving public safety.”

The Women’s Center jail can hold up to 500 incarcerated women at its maximum capacity, although officials expect the facility will typically hold an average of 150 - 200 women at any given time. Individuals will be minimum- and medium-security inmates who are being held for nonviolent crimes like vandalism, trespassing, disorderly conduct, or failure to appear in court.

Women who are incarcerated, on average, are more likely to be affected by risk factors like substance abuse, trauma, or mental health issues that most often contribute to recidivism (Swavola, Riley, and Subramanian 2016). In Harris County, 87% of incarcerated women between the ages of 26 and 35 have a “mental health indicator,” meaning that they’ve either self-reported or jail staff has flagged them as likely having a mental health issue.

Through the Women’s Reentry Program, after an initial assessment, a case manager will work with both the individual and onsite staff at the Women’s Center jail to match her with the necessary services. If a woman needs help finding a place to live, the case manager will connect her with a housing navigator who will help find safe and affordable housing. If she is struggling with drug addiction, the case manager will have her work with a substance abuse specialist so she doesn’t relapse post-release.

Evidence-based programs designed to rehabilitate, rather than only punish women throughout the reentry process, are associated with lower rates of recidivism (Gobeil, Blanchette, and Stewart 2016). Further, substance abuse treatment programs can lower a woman’s odds of re-offending by as much as 45% (Tripodi, et al. 2011). Offering trauma-informed mental health services has also been shown to lower the risk of re-offending (Lehrer 2021).

To view the full press conference, click here.