Dismantling this cycle of violence and substance abuse for formerly incarcerated women, has been a difficult task for community organizations that advocate for a more effective reentry system.

Advocates agreed that the incarceration system often contributes to the cycle rather than ending it.

“It’s a long battle, and the system of care and reentry just doesn’t exist at the level it needs to in L.A. County, particularly for women, LGBTQ+ and gender non-conforming folks with kids,” Said Eunisses Hernandez, executive director of La Defensa.

These organizations struggle with funding, creating spaces where women can rehabilitate themselves. Most importantly, advocates believe it’s imperative to change the perception that people of color are inherent criminals.

“People need to ask themselves the question,’Do you believe that these communities are inherently violent compared to white populations?’,” Ivette Ale, co-founder of La Defensa asked. “If you don’t believe that then you have to actively engage in dismantling those systems.”

According to the Sentencing Project, women of color have the highest incarceration rates in the United States. The imprisonment rate for black women is 1.7 times higher than the rate of white women. For Latinx women, it is 1.3 times higher than white women.

Organizations like La Defensa, Paving the Way, and CCTRP are working to change the system in order to give people a chance at restarting their life over again.

“The reentry system is pretty difficult, and we built some policies to help build out this system of care and housing,” Hernandez said. “We worked on Measure J, and got it passed to move those dollars.”

Measure J is allowing for organizations to fund programs for women who are incarcerated.

These programs offer education services, drug and alcohol recovery programs, employment services, housing, and support even after they leave the program.

Participants see a future for themselves that does not include being incarcerated.

Makena San Miguel graduated from one of the CCTRP’s programs. She said she has seen positive changes in herself thanks to the program’s focus on rehabilitation, which she didn’t experience at all while incarcerated.

The directors of these programs agree that Incarceration does not improve the lives of individuals who have committed a crime. They agree that compassion, rehabilitation, and therapy encourage formerly incarcerated individuals to improve themselves and be better productive members of society.

“I wasn't necessarily a bad person before I got locked up. I know I wasn't,” San Miguel said. “However, I've changed, I feel pride in myself that I’ve changed for the better.”