Overview

The Gemma Project provides, and promotes the national creation of gender-responsive jail reentry programming that serves incarcerated and formerly incarcerated women with integrity and compassion. We advocate for policy change focused on what works to reduce recidivism, break the intergenerational cycle of incarceration, and create healthier communities. Gender-responsive strategies and policies center the experiences and needs of women and girls and address the underlying causes of vulnerability including gender inequality, gender relationships, power structures, social norms, and leadership. Programs, services, and approaches that are designed for men but applied to women have been shown to be ineffective in addressing the root causes, and meeting the needs of women, thereby continuing to break apart families and communities and fail to reduce recidivism. The Gemma Project believes that inspiring hope, providing opportunity, and fostering individual and system accountability, are the keys to rebuilding lives.