Women are the fastest growing prison population in America.
Located in the swamplands of southern Louisiana, LCIW was built in 1977 to house the growing population of female convicts at Angola. Today, under the eye of the same warden, the prison frequently exceeds its 900-person capacity. A minimum, medium, maximum and death row facility, the women here have committed crimes ranging from forgery to multiple counts of murder. The prison has a somewhat surreal and peaceful quality, but the deceptively peaceful atmosphere is home to innumerable stories of imprisonment, frustration, hatred and hope. A variety of women inmates share their stories and experiences of life on the streets, abuse, incarceration, freedom, childbirth and motherhood.