SJC Exchange Library

This policy paper from the R Street Institute explores how women often experience the criminal justice system first as victims of violence and later as defendants, exposing how traditional responses fail to meet their needs. It traces the complex pathways that lead many women from under-reported abuse to offenses tied to poverty, coercion, and survival. The paper argues that the justice system’s design overlooks trauma, gendered victimization, caregiving pressures, and economic hardship. Drawing on data and case examples, it calls for gender-responsive reforms including trauma-informed training, stronger protections for victim-defendants, and specialized courts that create a more equitable and effective approach to justice.