Tiff Harrington, a former Vermont DOC inmate, is now advocating for incarcerated women after spending 15 years in prison. She experienced the systemic problems at Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility, prompting her to speak out against the proposal for a new women’s prison in Vermont. Harrington questions the need for more beds and worries that the same issues will persist in a new facility.
Across the U.S., states are proposing new women’s prisons without addressing the root issues of mass incarceration. While legislators see new prisons as solutions, activists like Harrington argue for alternatives to incarceration. In Massachusetts, grassroots organizations like Families for Justice as Healing have successfully delayed the construction of a new prison through legal challenges and community organizing, showcasing a model for other states to follow.
The focus on building new prisons overlooks the real needs of incarcerated women, perpetuating the cycle of generational harm. Harrington and other activists emphasize the importance of reimagining communities and providing support services as alternatives to incarceration.
By highlighting the failures of the prison-industrial complex and advocating for decarceration initiatives, grassroots organizers are challenging the narrative that new prisons offer solutions to societal problems. Through their efforts, they aim to create a future where prisons are no longer necessary.