Australia: Housing, mentoring to keep women out of jail

Article here. Excerpt:

'The number of women in prison is growing rapidly. In NSW, it has almost doubled in the past 10 years, and Aboriginal women are over-represented. Life in jail is difficult for anyone but for women there are particular challenges.

Most of the women in custody are mothers. But studies show their community support networks while in prison are weaker than those of men, as male partners are less likely to hang around and keep the household running.

Without partners, their children live with family or in foster care. Regaining custody can be hard, as women need stable housing to get their children back but struggle to get public housing if their children aren't living with them.
...
Ms Armstrong agrees. She credits her success at turning her life around since 2003 to a mentor provided by the prisoner advocacy group Justice Action. She is now one of the driving forces behind the Women In Prison Advocacy Network.'