Developing Gender-Specific Classification Systems for Women Offenders

摘要

Since 1990, the number of incarcerated women has increased by 108 percent, while the number of incarcerated men has increased 77 percent. Although these statistics do not surprise correctional administrators, many note that correctional systems remain ill equipped to address the security, programming, and unique needs presented by women offenders. There is widespread agreement that incarcerated women differ from their male counterparts in terms of their behavior, as well as issues related to medical, substance abuse, mental health, and family concerns. Moreover, the characteristics and needs associated with institutional adjustment manifest themselves differently for women than for men. Although generally women pose little threat of violence or escape, their histories of significant substance abuse and mental health problems can result in behaviors that are difficult to predict. In response to this critical need for gender-specific objective classification systems, the National Institute of Corrections (NIC) entered into two cooperative agreements, one with the Center for Criminal Justice Research (CCJR) at the University of Cincinnati and another with The Institute on Crime, Justice and Corrections at The George Washington University. The two projects produced a national assessment of current practices for classifying women offenders and technical assistance to improve classification systems in seven states.