There are nearly 200,000 women and girls incarcerated in the U.S. And women, as a group, have been incarcerated at nearly twice the pace as men in recent decades, according to Prison Policy Initiative.

Despite this alarming growth, women in the criminal legal system still report feeling like an afterthought. Women experience some of the same emotional, psychological and spiritual challenges incarcerated men face, but the fact that women are housed in a system built for men makes their hardships unique. 

In the stories below, incarcerated women from across the U.S. share their experiences behind bars. The stories range from essays about the importance of maintaining one’s identity to profiles of their peers. These stories, no matter their differences, all have something in common: They shine a light on some of the obstacles women face and allow the opinion of one of the fastest-growing prison populations to be heard and documented.

— PJP Editors

“Why My Hair Started to Matter in Prison” by Lindsey Smith: When you’re stripped of everything,” she writes, “you’ll find anything to hold on to.”

“A Book Examines Myths and Stereotypes About Women’s Violence” by Amber Bray: In a review of “If Love Could Kill: The Myths and Truths About Women Who Commit Violence,” by Anna Motz, Bray gives her opinion on how the book can help “bridge the gap between what society is shown on so-called ‘true crime’ shows and the more complicated reality experienced by each woman who acts violently.”

“This State Prison System Is Failing to Meet Women’s Needs” by Taira Beller: From bras that are expensive and provide no support to less visitation time than incarcerated men get, Beller’s story details the ways the Kentucky prison system fails to meet the needs of women. 

“Should an 18-Year-Old Be a Guard at a Maximum Security Prison?” by Jamie Silvonek: In response to an influx of young guard trainees at her Pennsylvania prison, Silvonek gets the perspective of those on the inside, including that of her peers, older guards and even one of the younger ones.

“In Pennsylvania, Women With Life Sentences Could Have a New Shot at Freedom” by Jamie Silvonek: After a landmark ruling by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, which deemed life sentences without possibility of parole for second-degree murder unconstitutional, incarcerated women share their hope and skepticism around the possibility of being resentenced. 

“In Prison, If We Didn’t Teach Each Other, No One Would” by Alairis Hamilton: Hamilton describes what it takes to get an education in prison. In noisy dorms, women carved out space wherever they could and supported one another when the prison system all but abandoned them. 

“Surviving Suicide Watch in a Missouri Prison” by Lexie Handling: Confined to a malodorous, cold cell with bright lights that remain on 24 hours a day, Handlang details her time on suicide watch and how daily visits from a mentor helped her endure. 

“Why Prisons Should Let Trans Women Dress the Way They Want” by Da’Shae Breeze: “I never thought I would ever be able to transform into a woman nor have the ability to dress and act like one in public. But in the unlikeliest of places, prison staff have accepted my gender identity. For a moment, I can feel liberated.”

“One Woman’s Tormented Path to Prison” by Jamie Silvonek: Silvonek profiles Caroline Guy’s path to prison. Marked by mental illness and abuse, her story is one that is all too familiar to that of other incarcerated women

“Tracing Women’s Lives Behind Bars in Beyond In Photos” by Carla Canning: Sara Bennett’s new book, “Looking Inside: Women with Life Sentences,” features photos of women incarcerated with Judith Clark, whom Bennett had helped in her quest for clemency after serving 28 years in a New York prison. “I wanted to show something that I took for granted,” Bennett writes, “that people with life sentences are ‘ordinary’ human beings, in the best sense of the word, who should be treated with compassion and respect.”