By Eugenie Jackson, PhD, Research Manager, equivant Supervision and Pretrial and Tim Brennan, PhD, Chief Scientist (retired) Northpointe Inc.
The main purpose of risk assessment is to keep the public safe and help people who have broken the law avoid committing more crimes. Risk assessment looks at how likely someone is to commit another crime, what help they need, and their chances of succeeding in the community. Identifying the unique needs of women involved in the justice system is very important for supervising and managing them effectively. A “gender-responsive” (GR) assessment process helps figure out the needs and characteristics of women currently in the justice system, allowing for the creation of tailored supervision and program strategies.
Examples of the unique needs of justice-involved women that a GR assessment can identify include:
- Histories of trauma and abuse: Many justice-involved women have experienced high rates of physical, sexual, and emotional abuse before and during their justice system involvement. A GR assessment can screen for these histories so that trauma-informed care and support can be provided.
- Mental health issues: Women in the justice system often have higher rates of conditions like depression, PTSD, and anxiety compared to men. A GR assessment can evaluate these needs and ensure appropriate mental health services are available.
- Substance abuse: Substance abuse, especially related to opioids and methamphetamines, is common among justice-involved women. A GR assessment can identify addiction issues and connect women to specialized treatment and recovery programs.
- Parenting responsibilities: A significant number of justice-involved women are parents, many of whom are the primary caregivers for their children. A GR assessment can evaluate the need for parenting classes, child visitation plans, and reentry support to maintain family connections.
- Medical needs: The medical and reproductive healthcare needs of justice-involved women differ from, and are additional to, the standard care for men. A GR assessment can help identify requirements such as access to hygiene supplies, prenatal/postpartum care, and mammograms.
- Risk of self-harm: Studies show that justice-involved women have higher rates of self-harm and suicidal thoughts. A GR assessment can help detect these risks and develop specialized supervision and treatment strategies.
- Safety concerns: Justice-involved women may be more vulnerable to being victimized by others. A GR assessment can help identify women who need more protection and specialized housing, especially those who are incarcerated.
Recent research on this topic has found the following:
- Kissin et al. (2014) reported that women in gender-sensitive (GS) treatment programs were less likely to be arrested for drug-related offenses compared to those in non-GS programs. Women who completed the GS programs also saw a significant reduction in overall arrests beyond just the decrease expected from standard treatment.
- Gobeil et al. (2016) found that, when looking at the strongest studies, GR programs were much more likely to help women avoid committing new crimes. This supports other research showing women do better in programs that consider their unique backgrounds and motivations.
- Messina et al. (2016) found that adding GR treatment programs for women in drug court had positive effects. The women in these programs performed better during treatment and felt more positive about their experience. There were also signs the women had fewer PTSD symptoms after going through the programs.
Effectively classifying female inmates to identify their unique needs and risks is crucial for providing the right level of supervision, services, and support. By recognizing factors like trauma, mental health, substance abuse, and parenting responsibilities, classification can inform the development of tailored, gender-responsive supervision strategies. The research highlights the importance of trauma-informed care, family-centered programming, and comprehensive mental health services in improving the supervision and rehabilitation of incarcerated women, which can promote their safety, well-being, and successful reintegration into the community.
References:
Brennan, T., Wells, D., & Demory, R. (2004). Classification Implementation Manual For Smaller Jails. Northpointe Institute for Public Management. https://www.academia.edu/123052572/Classification_Implementation_Manual_For_Smaller_Jails
Gobeil, R., Blanchette, K., & Stewart, L. (2016). A meta-analytic review of correctional interventions for women offenders: Gender-neutral versus gender-informed approaches. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 43(3), 301-322.
Kissin, W. B., Tang, Z., Campbell, K. M., Claus, R. E., & Orwin, R. G. (2014). Gender-sensitive substance abuse treatment and arrest outcomes for women. Journal of substance abuse treatment, 46(3), 332-339.
Messina, N. P., Braithwaite, J., Calhoun, S., & Kubiak, S. (2016). Examination of a violence prevention program for female offenders. Violence and gender, 3(3), 143-149.
