The campaign in Georgia and in many states for adult and juvenile criminal justice reform has highlighted an alarming trend: Women represent a small portion of the prison population but their numbers are rising rapidly, with serious consequences for the children and communities they leave behind.The number of women incarcerated in the United States since 1990 has jumped an astounding 92 percent and shows no sign of receding. In fact, according to a recent study at the Northeastern College of Criminal Justice, prison rates for women are increasing faster than for men.The reasons for this increase are numerous, ranging from their historical offenses of larceny, forgery, embezzlement and prostitution, as well as crimes involving illegal drugs causing the most recent bump in the imprisonment numbers.What is even more disturbing, however, are the root causes, among them, a drop in high school graduation rates among women (particularly among young black women), unemployment and teenage pregnancies, all of which lead to poverty and, often, criminal activities.Girls are dropping out of school at dangerously high levels, according to the National Women’s Law Center. Nationwide, one in four fails to graduate; for black girls, four in 10 drop out.