Justice for Female Veterans in Prison
Public Counsel Staff Attorney Amanda Pertusati was working with several formerly incarcerated women veterans when she identified a significant discrepancy in legal services – the veterans told her that while California Institution for Women (CIW) is located in the city of Chino, CA. It has approximately 2,155 inmates, with an occupancy rate of 154%. CIW suffers from severe overcrowding, which has placed a strain on providing resources to female veterans.
incarcerated male veterans had access to legal services, incarcerated female veterans did not. Amanda investigated and found that while many men’s prisons provide a full range of services for veterans, such assistance is largely lacking in women’s prisons. She determined that there were likely hundreds of incarcerated female veterans in California who could benefit from legal support. Amanda took her concerns to the Directing Attorney of Public Counsel’s newly formed Audrey Irmas Project for Women and Girls’ Rights, Jill
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