LEWISTON — An exhibition of poetry by incarcerated women and photographic portraits of them will open on Thursday, Jan. 20, in Bates College’s Chase Hall Lounge.

A reception will begin at 7 p.m. in the lounge at 56 Campus Ave.

The exhibit, titled “More Than a Rap Sheet (real stories of incarcerated women),” will continue through Feb. 3.

At the reception, Jenny Stasio will talk about her work with incarcerated women through her position with Family Crisis Services. Recognizing the connection between female incarceration and domestic abuse, Family Crisis Services began offering support groups for women at the Cumberland County Jail in Portland and the Maine Correctional Center in Windham.

In 2007, Family Crisis Services added creative writing activities to the educational groups in its incarcerated women’s program.

The majority of the work in the exhibition was done within 15-minute, free-writing sessions.

Photographic portraits are by Christine Heinz.

Donations of nonspiral-bound notebooks or composition books are always appreciated and needed for the project’s ongoing work.