The public demand for criminal justice reform in the United States has grown exponentially over the past couple of years, evident in media coverage and the current presidential election. Incarcerated people of color and imprisoned non-violent drug offenders are often cited as examples of the Department of Justice’s flaws — however, some experts believe that another group deserves significantly more attention in these DOJ reform conversations: women.
One such expert is Boston University professor Danielle Rousseau. An expert on criminology, justice policy and women’s studies, Rousseau serves as an assistant professor of criminal justice at BU’s Metropolitan College (that boasts the nation’s top-ranked criminal justice online graduate program). She also serves as the faculty coordinator for BU MET’s Prison Education Program, which offers undergraduate courses to inmates at area prisons.
Rousseau discussed the need to reform the criminal justice system to better serve women in the following Q&A.