NCJ Number
223209
Date Published
2007
Length
19 pages
Annotation
This chapter considers contemporary responses to women in the criminal justice system with drug and/or alcohol problems and examines innovative attempts to address the needs of women with addiction issues.
Abstract
Research clearly indicates that substance misuse is often central to women’s offending, but it is also clearly shown that this cannot be addressed in isolation from the contextual factors that both initiate and perpetuate this. Addressing women’s addictions is critical both to reduce their involvement in offending and to address the overarching chaos in their lives. Projects such as the 218 Center in Glasgow demonstrate the value of a woman-centered approach to the clients who use it. The centrality of relationships in engaging women with addictions, in conjunction with a flexible and comprehensive service, was crucial according to workers, women using the service, and other agencies. Internationally, criminal justice systems are increasingly expected to meet the needs of growing numbers of individuals with drug/alcohol related problems. The context and delivery of services to these individuals is important in order to provide a response to the wider context of prisoners’ lives. This chapter highlights the high incidence of drug misuse among female offenders and discusses contemporary responses to women in the criminal justice system with drug and/or alcohol problems, including the importance of resources that acknowledge the broader contexts of women’s lives. It focuses particularly on the development in Scotland of an innovative residential and daycare project (218 Center) aimed at offering the courts an alternative to female imprisonment while ensuring that women’s needs were met in a holistic way. Notes, references