We are committed to ending the mass
incarceration of women & girls.
The United States is the global leader in
locking up women & girls.
One third of the world’s women prisoners are locked up in the U.S. even though just 4% of the world’s female population lives here. In Pennsylvania, the incarceration rate of women and girls exceeds that of every other nation on earth.
172,700
Women & girls are incarcerated in prisons, jails, & juvenile facilities across the U.S.
86%
Of incarcerated women are the victims of prior sexual assault & gender violence.
2/3
Of women in prison are mothers to children under the age of 18.
WHAT WE DO
Direct Assistance
Expert assistance for women and girls fighting wrongful convictions and unjust sentences. We offer research, strategy, and expert testimony.
Research & Public Policy Advocacy
Policy-relevant research on gender and mass incarceration that centers and amplifies the voices of incarcerated and formerly incarcerated women and girls.
Education & Training
Educational programming, training, and technical assistance for stakeholders including families, advocates, students, attorneys, and members of the judiciary.
DONATE
Your tax-deductible gift will support our work to end the mass incarceration of women and girls.
MERCH
Rep Philly Justice Project with custom merchandise like t-shirts, sweatshirts, and more.
SUBSCRIBE
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It’s #wrongfulconvictionday & the leaders of our undergrad chapter @villanovau are selling cookies by the Oreo to support our work. Please swing by & show them some love (and buy some cookies!!!) 💙🍪
Today is International Wrongful Conviction day. Did you know we have an undergraduate chapter @villanovau that is dedicated to helping overturn wrongful convictions as well as preventing them from happening in the first place? If you’re on campus swing by our table at the Oreo & learn more about wrongful convictions & how you can support our work. Plus, cookies!! #wrongfulconvictionday #wrongfulconviction
Our team of dedicated @villanovau student advocates was in court this week to ensure that our client, who defended herself from her abuser, has the resources & support she needs to win her case. Thank you AK, Andrea, & Asha!!!
We’ve been getting a lot of questions about preliminary hearings, municipal court, & what the hell happened in the case against Philly cop Mark Dial. On August 14, Dial fatally shot Eddie Irizarry during a traffic stop in the Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia. This week, to the shock of just about everyone, Municipal Court Judge Wendy Pew dismissed all charges against Dial. We can’t explain her reasoning but we can offer a guide to preliminary hearings in Philly. The most important thing to know right now is that the charges against Dial have been refiled by the DA.
Here’s one from Dauphin County, PA: married cop, Ronald Davis, used his badge to have his ex-girlfriend wrongfully committed to medical facility & took it upon himself to violently serve the order. He is accused of strangling her, assaulting her, falsely imprisoning her, & engaging in official oppression. She spent 5 days in the facility before being able to prove the info he submitted was falsified. We’re not posting the horrifying vid but it is available online. #violenceagainstwomen #genderviolence
Riddle me this: why are more & more women & girls being sent to prison when they’re not actually participating in more crime? In other words, women’s crime participation remains low but their incarceration rate is increasing at unprecedented rates. 🤔 #thingsthatmakeyougohmm
Thank you all soooo much for donating to our undergraduate student chapter for the 1842 Day fundraiser @villanovau Extra special thanks to folks who also donated to Philly Justice Project & esp our recurring donors. We could not do this without you & are so very grateful for your support. 🤍 #1842day
Former Philly cop, Patrick Heron, is accused of luring & coercing vulnerable girls & women into his patrol car in order to sexually assault them. He is charged with over 200 counts of sexual assault, stalking, & abuse of multiple women and girls. He is scheduled to appear in court on October 20. We’ll be there to support the victims of his crimes. If you suspect this officer acted inappropriately and/or engaged in criminal conduct with you or anyone you know, please contact @philadao
Happy, happy birthday to our hero & friend, Morkea Spellman 🎉🎂🥳 We ❤️ you & celebrate you on this day & every day! 👑 Ms. Spellman is a real life hero who never stopped fighting to overturn India’s wrongful conviction. First photo was taken moments after India was exonerated by a Philadelphia court. Second photo is from earlier in the appellate case when we joined forces to strategize how to raise awareness, build support, & bring India home. #wrongfulconviction
Want access to case & event updates, volunteer & internship opportunities, new merch drops, & more? Sign up for our email newsletter (we promise not to spam you!). Link in bio.
There’s no such thing as a “feminist” prison. Our goal is to end the mass incarceration of women & girls—not to build pink Barbie prisons. Prisons do not stop violence against women & girls— they perpetuate it. We are working to create a world free from gender violence. That means abandoning the failed project of mass incarceration.
Just gonna leave this lil reminder here for Labor Day… #paymewhatyouoweme #laborday
We tracked down the top 5 (really 6) Pennsylvania counties that are responsible for sending the most women to prison in our state. First place is not a surprise. However, check out #2. Blair county, which has a total population of 123k people is tied with Allegheny, population 1.23 million!! Wth is happening in Blair??? 👀👀👀 #womenprison #womenprisoners #freeher #survivedandpunished #endmassincarceration
Calling all @villanovau students: applications are open to join our undergraduate chapter, Nova PJP. Join us in fighting injustice in the criminal legal system! We collaborate with attorneys, advocates, community organizers, & families to overturn wrongful convictions, unjust sentences, and pursue commutations for our clients. We work to identify & expose illegal, unjust, discriminatory practices in the criminal legal system, particularly those that harm women & girls. Link to apply in bio.
Calling all @villanovau students: our undergraduate chapter is accepting applications for membership. Deadline to apply is midnight Sept 4. Link in bio.
We are devastated to learn of the recent passing of Betty Tyson. She was wrongfully convicted of murder & spent more than 25 years in prison before her conviction was overturned. Her case was one of the first to reveal how police brutality & coerced testimony give rise to wrongful convictions. So much of our work & mission is informed by her experience & legacy. Rest in power, Ms. Betty. #wrongfulconviction #freeher #survivedandpunished
Philly PD Mark Dial opens fire within 5 seconds of exiting the police vehicle. He fired multiple rounds at point blank range, killing the 27 year old motorist, Eddie Irizarry. The initial police description of the encounter has been proven demonstrably false. Nonetheless, in a statement to the press, the FOP indicated that this officer enjoys their “full support.” 😒 #4thamendment
Hi Fam!!! We’re back, we’re rested, & we’re ready to get to work! Stay tuned for info on our fall internship application, events, & good trouble.
We’re taking a very necessary vacation break. See ya in a few.
What is a PCRA petition? We got ya covered!