Problem

The rate of increase for women prisoners is twice that of men. Since the 1980s, the number of female prisoners has risen 654 percent. About 70 percent were convicted of nonviolent crimes, 75 percent have children, and 5 percent give birth in prison.

These women spend on average 17 hours per day in their cells with limited or no access to educational materials; many only have the Bible as reading material.

The Gift

Ms. is often the only link to the outside world for women in prison. The Ms. Prison Program empowers women prisoners, bringing them news, investigative journalism, and other relevant information concerning the well-being of women. We’ve received dozens of letters from women prisoners, thanking us for inspiring them.

Because of limited resources, we can only send Ms. to 23,362 federal, state and county prisoners; a fraction of the total, but a number we’re proud of.

Your donation of $36 will send one year of Ms. to six women prisoners. Help us reach more women like Ramona Holderman in Arizona, who wrote to Ms., “I do appreciate and enjoy your magazine for its feminist stance and concerns for woman equality and empowerment. I am currently furthering my education … and look forward to … being dedicated to women’s rights, incarcerated and free!"