Final answer:
Incarcerated women often serve time primarily for drug offenses and property crimes, with significant emphasis placed on these categories during the war on drugs era. There are notable racial disparities involved, and the effectiveness of incarceration as a deterrent varies depending on the type of crime.
Step-by-step explanation:
The vast majority of incarcerated women serve time primarily for non-violent offenses, with a significant portion serving time for drug offenses. Given the reference information, the context of mass incarceration, particularly following the war on drugs era, suggests that property crimes and drug offenses are frequent reasons for women's incarceration. In fact, policies historically focused on those categories over others, such as violent or white-collar crimes. It is also important to note the racial disparities and the debate over the effectiveness of incarceration for certain types of crimes. While incarceration can sometimes be an effective deterrent, for many non-violent crimes, including drug offenses, alternatives may provide better outcomes in terms of reducing recidivism.