Abstract
A fundamental constitutional right provided to people in the United States' is that everyone receives equal treatment under the law; however, the criminal justice system does not always live up to this promise. Many women perceive their justice system experiences as unfair, compounding their already extensive list of traumas in ways that affect how many women in prison view and interact with the justice system. This study's purpose is to better understand how women perceive culpability and fairness in the justice system. Through the analysis of transcribed interviews conducted with 77 women incarcerated in three different women's state correctional facilities in the Deep South using the Women's Risk Needs Assessment (WRNA), researchers identified a continuum of four themes linking perceptions of fairness and culpability. Potential implications for practitioners, researchers, and policy makers are discussed.