Women's Offending Behavior: Evidence-Based Review of Gender Differences and Gender Responsive Programs

Abstract

In the past two decades, gender-responsive treatment and supervision programs have proliferated. Such programs provide comprehensive treatment and services that are tailored to address women's unique needs. Although gender-responsive programs vary greatly, their core components include trauma counseling, substance abuse treatment, and referrals for ancillary services—including health care, housing, child care, domestic violence treatment, employment, and other social services. This article reviews major findings on gender differences in offending, recidivism, substance abuse, and program outcomes. It also discusses directions for future research.

Keywords:

• women offenders
• gender differences
• trauma counseling
• specialized probation