Evolution Research
Center of Justice
Our Mission:
Evolution Research Center of Justice is the first U.S. research center dedicated to understanding and addressing the unique experiences of federally incarcerated women. We generate and support research on justice-involved women’s backgrounds, circumstances, incarceration, and reentry challenges to advance evidence-based policy and practice.
Why Focus on Women?
Over the past several decades, the number of women in the U.S. criminal justice system has grown at a rate far outpacing that of men, with federal incarceration of women now seven times higher than years prior. Despite this dramatic rise, most policies, interventions, and research have historically centered on men, leaving a critical gap in understanding and addressing the gender-specific needs of women especially related to the federal criminal justice system.
Women in the federal system often face distinct challenges, including:
• Higher rates of trauma, abuse, and mental health issues
• Economic disadvantages and barriers to employment
• Parenting and family reunification obstacles
• Insufficient gender-responsive programming and reentry support
Our Research Priorities :
At Evolution Research, we are dedicated to advancing understanding and driving change in the federal criminal justice system, with a special emphasis on women and marginalized communities. Our current research explores:
• Impact of Incarceration: Examining the effects of federal imprisonment on women, their families, and children, including intergenerational consequences.
• LGBTQ+ Experiences: Exploring the unique challenges, experiences, and outcomes of LGBTQ+ individuals within the federal prison system.
• Alternatives to Incarceration: Assessing innovative, community-based alternatives to traditional incarceration for women in the federal system.
• Reentry and Well-Being: Identifying and evaluating effective, evidence-based strategies that support women’s successful reentry and promote long-term stability and wellness.
• Victims of Financial Crimes: Analyzing the impact of financial crimes on victims within the federal criminal justice context.
• Cost of Incarceration: Investigating the financial and societal costs associated with incarcerating women in federal prisons.
• Prison Culture: Understanding the unique culture, environment, and daily realities faced by women in federal Bureau of Prisons facilities.
• Federal Sentencing Guidelines: Reviewing the structure, application, and implications of federal sentencing guidelines for women.
• Sentencing Disparities: Highlighting disparities in sentencing outcomes amongst women sentenced in the federal justice system.
• The Federal Trial Penalty: Examining the “trial tax” – the additional penalties faced by women who exercise their right to trial instead of accepting plea agreements.
Recent and Ongoing Projects :
Under the visionary leadership of our founder, Jacqueline Purcell, Evolution Research Center of Justice is driving groundbreaking research that is reshaping the national conversation on women’s incarceration. Our founder, Jacqueline Purcell, has led pioneering research such as “The State of Women’s Minimum Security Federal Prisons in the United States,” which examines conditions, challenges, and opportunities for reform in women’s federal prisons. We also collaborate with partners nationwide to expand the body of knowledge around women’s incarceration and reentry.
The State of Women’s Minimum Security Federal Prisons in The United States
ResearchGate
2022-08-30 | Dissertation or Thesis | Investigation, Methodology, Raw Data curation, writing – review & editing
DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.12903.93603/2
CONTRIBUTORS: Jacqueline A. Purcell, MSCJ, MSL
Source: Jacqueline A. Purcell, MSCJ, MSL
ORCID No. 0000-0003-2784-8194
Advancing Change :
Through rigorous quantitative, qualitative, mixed methods, exploratory, and longitudinal research focused exclusively on women in the federal system, Evolution Research Center of Justice is bridging a critical gap in criminal justice scholarship. Our work is dedicated to informing and educating society, law enforcement, policymakers, and stakeholders, equipping them with the knowledge needed to drive meaningful change and supporting successful outcomes for justice-involved women and their families. By advancing evidence-based understanding, we empower those working toward a more equitable and effective federal criminal justice system.
Learn more about our research, publications, and opportunities for collaboration at Evolution Research Center of Justice. Together, we can build a more just and effective system for all women impacted by incarceration.
For more information email us at [email protected]
To improve evidence-based policy and practice, we have undertaken research and supported others on the background and circumstances of women in the criminal justice system, as well as the impact on them.
Evolution Reentry Services explicitly encourages research in particular into:
- The characteristics of women who come into contact with the criminal justice system
- Why women offend
- The impact of mothers’ imprisonment on children
- The impact of imprisonment on women
- The most effective means of supporting women to build positive, self-supporting lives
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