The premiere nonprofit for providing women-specific tools, resources, and care to both currently and formerly incarcerated women
Our nonprofit is expanding to reach out the requests and demand from all across the nation. Our home base for in-prison services is the Maryland Correctional Institution for Women, and for out-of-prison services is the DC-Baltimore area.
Maryland Correctional Institution for Women is located in Jessup Maryland. It is multi custody level facility that houses minimum, medium and maximum security female inmates. It is the only 100% female facility in Maryland and houses over 875 inmates. The average sentence for inmates at this prison is ten years. The facility operates on a $38 million annual budget and employs 361 staff members
In order to provide our workshops and services to inmates, it is paramount that a foundation of trust and communication is established with the correctional facility leadership and staff. Both their leadership and staff are responsible for enforcing rules, security and the well-being of inmates. They know the inmates best and understand the daily activities and responsibilities of the correctional facility as a whole.
FIST operates within correctional facilities after building relationships and agreements with the correctional facility. FIST leadership manages all interactions with correctional facility leadership. This includes initial-outreach, face-to-face meetings, coordinating agreements, release forms, and setting up formal visits for staff to conduct sessions.
FIST leadership is also responsible for ensuring our staff abide by every regulation and listen to all instructions while conducting workshops. This is pivotal to maintain trust with the correctional facility, and to ensure everyone's safety.