Good Girls Gone BadBars slammed into the cold metal; the sound of screaming and chaos filled the cell. I could hear a little girl crying in the cell next to mine and it made me sigh in sadness. As a former inmate of the Texas State Women's Correctional Facility, the echoes of the sounds I heard daily still remain fresh in my mind. Coming to terms with my sentence and trying to understand what had brought me there sparked a curious interest. The increasing rate of women in prison and the factors that land them behind bars were clearly becoming more apparent as I spoke and lived with women in white jumpsuits. To prevent and help these women and also help those who have not yet committed the same mistakes, it is necessary to better understand and evaluate some of the causes of their incarceration. There are three main factors that I believe are a major contributor to our daughters, mothers, and children living behind bars: family status or situation, drug abuse, and criminal activities. Family status and situations are important to our daily balance in life. We often depend on and care for those we are closest to. A woman who has experienced an unstable or hostile living environment, whether rape, incest or molestation, will be more likely to end up living in prison for part or all of her life. Our family or caregiver(s) play a vital role in determining our future success. If we are raised with morals and respect for others, we are less likely to want to get involved in criminal activity or drug use. As human beings we also like to be hugged and kissed by those who call us theirs. If that affection and love are violated or destroyed altogether, there is little chance of a normal recovery without expensive counseling. Drug abuse was evident in almost every face I saw while in Plane State Prison. Even though I was only 25, I was aware of what drug use was doing to our beautiful women. It was written on their faces, scarred on their bodies, and forever etched into their minds and souls. Despite the deadly and unfortunate consequences that emerge from drug use, women continue to use and abuse hundreds of illegal substances. In many cases, women used drugs due to pressure from their boyfriend.