Women reentering society from prison face both similar and unique challenges relative to incarcerated men. Incarcerated women are more likely to be economically disadvantaged, be regular users of drugs, be victims of abuse and maltreatment, suffer from mental illness or co-occurring disorders, and be a parent to a minor child. Historically, however, most interventions have been aimed at incarcerated men, and even risk assessment instruments were designed for justice-involved men, with little attention to gender-specific factors. As a result, calls have been made for gender-responsive programming for justice-involved women. Gender-responsive programming is designed to account for the unique challenges faced by incarcerated women while capitalizing on some of the characteristics that make them more amenable to rehabilitation. This report first examines the extent and nature of women’s involvement in the justice system, with a focus on gender-specific pathways to crime and female reentry and rehabilitation. It then describes the challenges faced by incarcerated women and reviews the extant literature related to the effectiveness of reentry programming for women. Finally, the report concludes with suggestions for future research, along with specific recommendations for policy and practice. Originally, the National Institute of Justice provided this report on formerly incarcerated women and reentry, consonant with the House Report 116-101 (2020), and accompanying the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020 (P.L. 116–93; 2019). The original report was completed and delivered to Congress in 2021. Since this time, new data and research has been released, providing an opportunity to update the original report. The purpose of the current effort is to provide additional information and resources.
Formerly Incarcerated Women and Reentry: Updated Trends, Challenges, and Recommendations for Research and Policy
NCJ Number
310062
Date Published
January 2025
Length
50 pages
Abstract
Date Published: January 1, 2025