In May 2023, 23-year-old Charizma Jones tragically died at Rikers Island, New York City’s largest jail, with her death being ruled as “preventable and agonising” by her family’s attorney. After being detained on a minor charge, Jones fell into a coma and suffered multiorgan failure due to a lack of medical care. According to reports, despite her deteriorating condition, correction officers at Rikers repeatedly blocked medical staff from administering treatment, citing vague “security concerns.” Jones’ death is part of a growing crisis in US jails, where the mortality rates for incarcerated women are rising at an alarming rate.

In this piece, we’ll explore the broader issues of healthcare access in correctional facilities, the rising mortality rates among women in U.S. jails, and the urgent need for reform to address these systemic failures.

Women are now the fastest-growing incarcerated demographic in the United States. Between 1980 and 2018, the number of women arrested rose by a horrifying 41 per cent, while male arrest rates dropped by 9 per cent.  As a result, women are increasingly entering jails for nonviolent offences —often spending lengthy amounts of time inside awaiting trial. Moreover, the mortality rates in jails, especially for women, are disturbingly high.

Women in jail face a much higher risk of death than their male counterparts. In 2018 alone, women had a 7 per cent higher mortality rate than men. The key difference? Jails are underfunded and lack the resources for proper medical care. Unlike prisons, which can offer long-term healthcare, jails are often overwhelmed with short-term detainees and have little infrastructure to meet the critical health needs of incarcerated individuals.

A significant factor contributing to the high mortality rate among women in jail is mental health. Studies show that women in jails are more likely than men to suffer from serious mental health conditions, including trauma, depression, and anxiety. Even in the UK, 76 per cent of women in prison report having a mental health problem. Many of these women enter jail with existing health issues, most of which go untreated or are ignored due to a lack of medical resources.

Nonetheless, the mental health crisis in US jails is worsened by the fact that mentally ill offenders often face mistreatment and neglect. As Human Rights Watch notes: “Prisons have become the nation’s primary mental health facilities,” with Jamie Fellner, director of the US Program, adding: “For those with serious illnesses, prison can be the worst place to be.”

As of now, women are disproportionately affected, with one in five 19 per cent women experiencing a common mental disorder like anxiety or depression, compared to one in eight 12 per cent men, according to Women’s Mental Health Facts.

The crisis deepens when combined with a systemic disregard for women’s healthcare needs. And as we previously mentioned, Jones’ case is not an isolated one. The 23-year-old was reportedly suffering from symptoms of scarlet fever, a treatable condition, but received no medical intervention until it was too late. In many cases, correctional facilities prioritise security over health, exacerbating conditions for vulnerable women in custody.

The intersection of race and gender further exacerbates the crisis. Black women, in particular,  are overrepresented in jail deaths and are disproportionately affected by inadequate healthcare. The systemic neglect experienced by women of colour in US jails reflects the broader inequities in both the criminal justice system and healthcare access.

Jones, a Black woman, is just one tragic example of how the system fails to provide basic care to marginalised groups. The ongoing federal court case against Rikers Island highlights the severe neglect faced by detainees, and experts have warned that the jail’s failure to meet medical standards is contributing to the rise in deaths, particularly among women of colour.

Women in jail are also far more likely to die by suicide than men. The suicide rate for women in jails is a staggering 28 per 100,000, compared to just 6 per 100,000 in the general population. Many of these women have experienced significant trauma—whether physical or sexual abuse—and their mental health deteriorates rapidly under the harsh conditions of incarceration.

Lack of proper mental health care is a massive issue. Without adequate funding for mental health services, jails have become de facto treatment centres, and the results are devastating. The mental health crisis among incarcerated women continues to worsen, contributing to higher suicide rates and increasing mortality rates across the country.

Advocates are calling for urgent reforms to address these intersecting crises of women’s health, mental health, and incarceration. Reducing arrests for nonviolent offences is a key first step. Most women in jails are held for minor crimes, often related to poverty or substance abuse. These women, like Charizma Jones, are often locked up for issues that should be treated outside the criminal justice system.

Investing in mental health services is another critical solution. Proper community mental health programs could reduce the need for incarceration in the first place, and better care in jails could prevent the worsening of conditions.

As of now, the consequences of incarcerating large numbers of women—especially mothers—extend far beyond the prison gates. Seventy to eighty per cent of women in jails are mothers, many of whom are the primary caretakers of their children. The effects on families are devastating, with children left without their primary caregivers and the cycle of trauma deepening for entire communities.