Whither the Twenty-First Century for Women at the Margins: Resistance and Action

When we decided to write Women at the Margins and sought the assistance of the authors who have contributed to the several issues addressed in this book, we had several goals in mind. First, we wished to show that the public control of poor and imprisoned women cannot be understood without taking into consideration the effects that policies of the welfare and justice systems have on them. These policies force women to make decisions that are often contrary to their best interests. When faced with caregiving responsibilities, their options for employment are constrained because of the lack of essential supportive services. These policies also do not assure sustainable wages and require that workers organize to secure “living wages.”