April is Alcohol Awareness Month—a time to acknowledge the widespread impact of substance misuse and advocate for effective treatment solutions. For women impacted in the criminal legal system, substance use disorders, including alcohol misuse, are often both a cause and a consequence of incarceration. The Women’s Prison Association (WPA) understands firsthand that addressing substance misuse is critical to breaking the cycle of incarceration and supporting long-term recovery.

The Intersection of Alcohol Misuse and the Criminal Legal System

Alcohol misuse is a significant factor in justice system involvement. Many women who enter the system have a history of other challenges, from trauma and domestic violence to poverty and mental health challenges. These factors often contribute to substance use as a means of coping, furthering reliance and future challenges. Rather than receiving necessary treatment, however, too many women are met with punitive responses that fail to address the root causes of their substance use disorder.

The lack of viable treatment options both in the community and within correctional facilities leads to a cycle of incarceration, relapse, and re-arrest. Without access to comprehensive support, many women return to the same environments and challenges that contributed to their struggles in the first place. This highlights the urgent need for an approach centered on treatment rather than punishment.

WPA’s Role in Supporting Women with Substance Use Disorders

WPA works to ensure that women receive the support they need at every stage—before, during, and after incarceration. Our programs focus on harm reduction, advocacy, and individualized care that empower women to make meaningful changes in their lives.

Before Incarceration

WPA advocates for diversion programs that prioritize treatment over incarceration, helping women access rehabilitation services, counseling, and supportive housing instead of jail or prison sentences. 

“As a Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor (CASAC), and working in residential outpatient programs, I learned that a comprehensive, continuous treatment approach is critical to support individuals entering prison with substance use disorder,” said Shenetta Giles, LMSW and CASAC, who works with WPA as a Client Care Coordinator Social Worker Clinical Supervisor at a 28-family homeless shelter. There, she supports mothers in counseling to help manage the trauma of displacement due to homelessness. Helping to identify unmet needs before they escalate—from substance use to mental health struggles—she connects individuals with resources, empowers them with empathy and trust, and assists them in avoiding retraumatization. “In the pre-incarceration intake phase assessment and screening, it is important to pinpoint what those entering prison need to better recognize co-occurring mental health disorders. Addressing detox, providing stabilization and crisis intervention, addressing psychiatric and physical health issues, and using motivational interviewing before, during, and after engages clients, increasing their intrinsic motivation and collaboratively engaging support toward change.”

During Incarceration 

While treatment access is limited behind bars, WPA pushes for jail- and prison-based recovery programs, peer support groups, and trauma-informed care that acknowledge the complex needs of women struggling with alcohol misuse. “During incarceration, I believe what is needed is continued and enriching support with counseling and behavioral therapies,” added Giles. “This includes group and individual therapy sessions focused on relapse prevention, coping skills, and emotional regulation. In addition, integrated treatment for co-occurring disorders and re-entry planning that begins with discharge planning. This happens before release to identify post-release treatment providers, housing options, and employment support to reduce recidivism.”

After Incarceration

Reentry is a critical period, and WPA provides wraparound services, including sober housing, job training, and continued addiction counseling. By addressing the challenges women face upon release, we reduce recidivism and help them rebuild their lives. “After incarceration, to prevent additional stress, I believe there should be a seamless handoff to outpatient or residential programs,” said Giles. “Quality case management, supportive connections with recovery coaches or peer mentors to promote engagement and accountability with ongoing therapy coping skills reinforcement, and trigger management.”

Why Treatment Access is Imperative

Without access to proper treatment, women are more likely to cycle in and out of the criminal legal system, exacerbating already existing inequities. The lack of substance use disorder treatment has ripple effects—not only does it impact individuals and their families, but it also places strain on communities, social services, and public health resources. Investing in treatment rather than incarceration is not only a matter of justice, it is a matter of public health and just economics.

As we recognize Alcohol Awareness Month, WPA urges policymakers, service providers, and the community at large to prioritize substance use treatment at every stage of the criminal legal process. No woman should be punished for struggling with addiction when what she truly needs is support and care. Together, we can break the cycle and create pathways to healing, empowerment, and justice.