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4.7 - Women Offenders

from Part IV - Interventions

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 December 2021

By
Joanne Belknap  and
Jacqueline Mora Manzo
Edited by
Jennifer M. Brown  and
Miranda A. H. Horvath
Jennifer M. Brown
Affiliation:
London School of Economics and Political Science
Miranda A. H. Horvath
Affiliation:
University of Suffolk
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Summary

Offending is highly gendered, with men/boys constituting most offenders whether measured by criminal legal system data (e.g., arrests and incarcerations) or self-report data. The number of incarcerated women has steadily risen for at least the past two decades in many countries across the world, and the scholarship and programming/treatment devoted to women/girl offenders has also been on the rise, particularly in the last few of decades. This chapter addresses the characteristics and needs of women offenders, particularly in terms of gender-based abuse and other trauma histories, mental health (e.g., mental illness and drug and alcohol addiction), and physical health (e.g., HIV/AIDS, traumatic-brain injuries, and reproductive health). An intersectional lens is used to describe how structural sexism, racism, and classism are key contributors to offending women’s experiences. The chapter concludes with best practices in treating women offenders (e.g., trauma-informed, community collaboration, and empowering services) and descriptions of some innovative programs.

Keywords

Gender-based Abuse (violence against women)TraumaSubstance AddictionMental IllnessWomen/Females.
Type
Chapter
Information
The Cambridge Handbook of Forensic Psychology , pp. 605 - 626
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2021

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