NCJ Number
46644
Journal
International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology Volume: 21 Issue: 3 Dated: (1977) Pages: 208-220
Date Published
1977
Length
13 pages
Annotation
A HEURISTIC OUTLINE FOR WORKING WITH FEMALE OFFENDERS IS PRESENTED, AND SOME THERAPY SUGGESTIONS ARE OFFERED.
Abstract
BASED UPON HIS 10 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN WORKING WITH FEMALE CRIMINALS ON WORK RELEASE AND FEMALE EX-CONVICTS WITH POSTRELEASE PROBLEMS, THE AUTHOR OUTLINES THOSE SIGNIFICANT AREAS OF EXPERIENCE AND BEHAVIOR PATTERNS CHARACTERISTIC OF FEMALE OFFENDERS. USING SOME CASE HISTORIES, THE GENERAL CATEGORIES OF FEMALE OFFENDER BEHAVIOR PATTERNS DISCUSSED ARE: (1) INTERPERSONAL -HAVING TO DO WITH THE MOST COMMON PATTERNS OF RELATIONSHIPS WITH SIGNIFICANT MEN AND WITH THEIR CHILDREN; (2) INTRAPERSONAL -- HAVING TO DO WITH THE PSYCHOLOGICAL PATTERNS OF THE INDIVIDUAL; (3) PARASOCIAL -- HAVING TO DO WITH PATTERNS OF BEHAVIOR SUCH AS PROSTITUTION AND DRUG ABUSE; (4) IMPERSONAL -DEALING WITH CRIME PATTERNS SUCH AS FORGERY, ROBBERY, AND THEFT; (5) AND THE FUTURE DIAGNOSTIC TREND -CONSIDERED TO BE PARANOID BEHAVIOR AS WOMEN ENTER INTO THE BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL WORLD IN GREATER NUMBERS. IN CONSIDERING THERAPY SUGGESTIONS, THE QUALITY OF THE RELATIONSHIP EXISTING BETWEEN THE THERAPIST AND CLIENT IS CONSIDERED PRIMARY. GENUINE CONCERN THAT ACCEPTS AND FOSTERS THE RELEASE OF NEGATIVE TRANSFERENCE IS BELIEVED CRUCIAL TO POSITIVE BEHAVIORAL CHANGE THROUGH THERAPY. IT IS ADVISED THAT FOR MOST FEMALE OFFENDERS, A MALE THERAPIST IS PREFERABLE TO A FEMALE THERAPIST, SINCE NEGATIVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH MEN ARE MOST CENTRAL TO DEVIANT FEMALE BEHAVIOR. THE THERAPIST'S EXTENSION OF EMPATHY COUPLED WITH EFFORTS TO GUIDE THE CLIENT TOWARD BEHAVIORAL CHANGE TO DEAL WITH HER PRESENT LIFE SITUATION ARE CONSIDERED DIFFICULT ASPECTS OF THE THERAPEUTIC RELATIONSHIP WHICH MUST BE GIVEN PRIMARY ATTENTION FOR PROGRESS TO OCCUR. IN THE AREA OF WORK, IT IS BELIEVED THAT THE FEMALE OFFENDER, COMPARED WITH THE MALE OFFENDER, CAN TRAIN AND FIND EMPLOYMENT FASTER, ALTHOUGH THE HARDCORE DRUG ABUSERS AND PROSTITUTES FIND WORK ADJUSTMENT EXTREMELY DIFFICULT. THE ABILITY OF THE THERAPIST TO COMMUNICATE A GENUINE APPRECIATION FOR THE UNIQUENESS OF EACH INDIVIDUAL AND HER POTENTIAL FOR A SATISFYING LIFE ADJUSTMENT IS CONSIDERED VERY IMPORTANT IN EFFECTIVE THERAPY. (RCB)