International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology

Einat, Tomer; Shoshan, Oshrat Ben

doi: 10.1177/0306624x231188227pmid: 37551861

The growing numbers of women with substance use disorder (SUD) and the resulting establishment of dedicated treatment and rehabilitation services have spawned a rich literature on the etiology of addiction among women, their therapy needs and the effectiveness of the treatments they receive. Nevertheless, very few studies have examined the punitive methods applied to women with SUD as part of their treatment. This study examines the positions of thirteen Israeli women with SUD regarding punishments meted out in closed therapeutic communities (TCs), and their experienced short- and long-term implications. The findings suggest ambivalence toward the harsh treatment and punishment in the communities, and to their negative repercussions for the clients’ mental condition after their release. We conclude that the methods of treatment and punishment in these settings must be changed and based on the clients’ strengths and empowerment. Punishments should be meted out in a proportional way, and as a last resource.

Agoff, Carolina; Bruno, Matias; Sandberg, Sveinung

doi: 10.1177/0306624x231198802pmid: 37740451

Life-stories emerge from a wide variety of facts and events in individual lives and weave a selected few of these together to make meaning in the present. They are crucial for constructing identity and influence action by establishing worldviews and a persona that narrators will seek to confirm. In this study we describe three main themes in the life-stories of six incarcerated men in Argentina: a) Protecting family, especially parents; b) reconstructing an ideal past, and contrasting it with a more cynical present; and c) blaming criminal neighborhoods, friends, and girlfriends for their crimes. We discuss how these themes are intertwined, what function they fulfill, and the identities and masculinities they produce. Combining research on life-stories with narrative and psychosocial criminology the analysis reveals how life-stories of incarcerated men can be seen as attempts at countering stigma and defending a self that is under attack. The life-stories portray a believable, ‘good’, and multifaceted image of the self, but most importantly, create coherence and unity in otherwise chaotic lives.

Usigbe, Joy; Macey, Erin; Klemme, Paige; Williams, Maranda; Turman, Jack E.

doi: 10.1177/0306624x231206518pmid: 37902383

Women are the fastest growing prison population, but little is known about the quality of maternal care for pregnant women in prison. In partnership with the Indiana Department of Correction (IDOC) Transitional Healthcare Team (THT), we developed a maternal standard of care (MSOC) audit tool to identify existing strengths and weaknesses and recommend evidence-based strategies for improvement. After creating the MSOC audit tool, we used it to audit 52 charts and conducted interviews of IDOC staff regarding maternal health care processes. Identified strengths include prenatal care, screening/treatment for sexually transmitted diseases and substance use disorders, contraception use, and health education. Mental and nutritional health care are areas of weakness. Staff motivation and community partnerships facilitate positive change, but a “punitive” culture, lack of resources, and communication challenges are barriers to change. Developing accountability tools and processes to promote maternal standards of care holds the potential to increase the health and wellbeing of mothers and their babies and improve re-integration into society.

Fanarraga, Irina; Celinska, Katarzyna

doi: 10.1177/0306624x241246652pmid: 38622830

Despite the increase in the incarceration rates of women, most correctional practices are still normed on male samples, including prison classification. Moreover, those classifications do not take into account women’s particular experiences, needs, and unique pathways to criminality. The current research proposes a typology based on female prisoners’ mental health symptoms and coping strategies. The data was derived from a survey conducted with 194 women housed in a Northeastern prison. A two-step clustering analysis was used to obtain three classification types—each with different symptomatology, coping mechanisms, demographic, and background characteristics. The results suggest that identifying and relying on needs-based typologies has important correctional policy implications in terms of the management and the treatment of incarcerated women.

Turner, Anne; Thomas, Natalie; Menih, Helena; Collins, Anthony

doi: 10.1177/0306624x241246099pmid: 38659298

The Peace Education Program, created in 2012, is a complementary program with potential to supplement official rehabilitation interventions offered in correctional centers. The program promotes “inner peace” as an innate and universal human resource, but whilst inner peace is a key concept in positive psychology and the Good Lives Model, there is a paucity of research regarding how to operationalize and evaluate this concept. The program had not previously been the subject of independent theoretically-informed research. Drawing on a mixed methods study conducted in Adelaide Women’s Prison, this article explores the impact of the program on participants’ learning regarding inner peace. Participants reported a greater understanding about inner peace, which they described as contributing to a stronger sense of their identity, enhanced self-esteem and increased self-regulation skills, resulting in reductions in impulsivity and reactive aggression. The quantitative data indicated there was a significant increase in participants' subjective ratings of inner peace before the program (M = 12.08) and post-program completion (M = 14.00) (p < .001). Growth in affect-regulation and anger-management skills may contribute to reductions in offending.

Cramer, Helen; Eisenstadt, Nathan; Päivinen, Helena; Iwi, Kate; Newman, Chris; Morgan, Karen

doi: 10.1177/0306624x241254699pmid: 38817084

The facilitation of domestic abuse perpetrator programs (DAPPs) by mixed gender co-facilitation pairs brings different facilitator perspectives and enables the modeling of egalitarian and respectful male-female relationships. This study analyzed 22 video and audio recordings of community-based DAPP groups featuring male participants, and male and female facilitators. Using thematic analysis, we aimed to understand how facilitators engaged participants and whether the facilitator’s gender affected this. We found an asymmetry in the positioning of the facilitators. Group participants challenged both facilitators, but especially the female facilitators. Facilitator strategies toward behavior change included softening direct challenges (female facilitators) and mobilizing the shared category of men (male facilitators). Implications from this study are for reflective practice in facilitator management and supervision specifically focused on gendered power dynamics. Skilled facilitation is key to behavior change and the gendered interplay within groups may be a crucial element in the reduction of interpersonal violence and abuse.

Fischer, Louise; Wilson, Mandy; Schofield, Peter W.; Jones, Jocelyn; Kariminia, Azar; Barrett, Emma; Dean, Kimberlie; Sullivan, Elizabeth; Covington, Stephanie; Butler, Tony

doi: 10.1177/0306624x241270577pmid: 39152669

Women who use violence represent one of the fastest growing groups within the Australian prisoner population, including Aboriginal women who are more likely to be incarcerated than non-Aboriginal women for violent crimes. Many incarcerated women report histories of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and intimate partner violence. This exploratory study examines baseline data from a sample of 167 women in 3 Western Australia women’s prisons enrolled in a gender-specific violent behavior program. It describes their exposure to intimate partner violence, head injury, and childhood adversities. Overall, 94% of women had experienced at least one childhood adversity (median 6), and 94% reported being a victim of physical violence by a current or former intimate partner. Aboriginal women were more likely than non-Aboriginal women to report that a family member was incarcerated as a child (p = .001). There was an association between an increased number of ACEs and head injury with a loss of consciousness (p = .008). Overall, these results present a harrowing picture of childhood exposure to adversity and violence in adulthood. Successful rehabilitation of women incarcerated for violent crimes should be cognizant of the histories of extreme violence endured by most of these women.

Cowell Mercier, Mariah; Salisbury, Emily J.; Belisle, Linsey A.

doi: 10.1177/0306624x251327242pmid: 40084467

Integrating public health and public safety strategies is becoming increasingly crucial to maximize positive outcomes for justice-involved people. To date, there is little research exploring the integration of Community Health Workers (CHWs) into community supervision settings. This study utilizes a qualitative approach to explore staff and client (N = 12) perspectives on embedding a CHW into a gender-responsive probation supervision approach. Results from the thematic analysis of staff and clients’ responses supported the integration of CHWs into community supervision. Emerging themes were grouped around staff perceptions of CHW’s function and role as “navigators,” creating a natural division of labor within the agency and operating as a safe resource for clients. Clients reported gaining additional personal and professional support through the embedded CHW within their supervision team. Results suggest that integrating public health professionals, particularly those with lived experience, can alleviate workload and decrease burnout while promoting client treatment needs.

de Vogel, Vivienne; Keulen de Vos, Marije; Leong, Julia; Robbe, Ester

doi: 10.1177/0306624x251325899pmid: 40084432

Important gender differences, relating to trauma history, offending and mental health needs are not sufficiently considered in most (risk) assessment and treatment procedures in forensic practice. We developed guidelines for gender-responsive work in Dutch forensic mental health care. The experiences of practitioners and forensic psychiatric patients were collected and analyzed by means of an online survey (n = 295), interviews with professionals (n = 22), female (n = 8) and male (n = 3) patients. Guidelines regarding gender-sensitive (risk) assessment and trauma-informed care were rated as most relevant in the survey. In the interviews we focused on experiences and wishes for trauma treatment and gender-mixed treatment. Practical guidelines were written based on the results of the survey, interviews and literature, and presented in expert meetings with patients and practitioners, and further refined based on their comments. Applying these guidelines may contribute to improved treatment for female patients thereby preventing relapse.

Durnescu, Ioan

doi: 10.1177/0306624x251323879pmid: 40105048

This paper examines the post-release trajectories of Roma women through the lens of intersectionality, focusing on the compounded impacts of gender, ethnicity, socio-economic status, trauma, and health issues. The study highlights the unique challenges faced by Roma women upon their release from prison, emphasizing how these intersecting factors exacerbate their reintegration difficulties. Utilizing an ethnographic approach, the research captures the lived experiences of 15 Roma women in Romania, revealing critical insights into their struggles with motherhood, poverty, health care, stigma, and employment. The findings align with existing literature on the systemic barriers faced by minority women and underscore the need for culturally sensitive and gender-specific support programs. By applying Crenshaw’s intersectionality framework, this study provides a nuanced understanding of the multidimensional oppression experienced by Roma women, advocating for more inclusive policies and interventions to improve their reintegration outcomes.