Beyond Violence: An Intervention for Women with Violent Offenses

Session Submission Type: Complete Thematic Panel

Abstract

Women comprise only 5% of those convicted of a violent offense in the U.S. However, among women confined in prison, those with violent offenses are approximately 35% of the total prison population. Programming options for those with violent offenses have been scarce and many programs lack empirical evidence. Moreover, often programs used for females are the same as those used for males, with little attention to the differences in targets of, or motivations for, such violence. This session describes an intervention, Beyond Violence, and the results of the research testing the implementation and outcomes of the intervention. This session will begin with a description of the intervention development, underlying program theory, and curriculum content and will be followed by three different research projects. These research projects include both pilot and randomized control studies in one state and the implementation of the curriculum and associated research in another. Finally the session ends with a discussion of the use of Beyond Violence in a specialty population - women with life sentences.

Sub Unit

• Area IV. Criminal Justice Policy and Practice / 41. Prisons and Jails

Individual Presentations

• Beyond Violence: A Prevention Program for Criminal Justice-Involved Women - Stephanie Covington, Center for Gender and Justice

• Beyond Violence: Results from a Multi-Stage Research Process - Sheryl Pimlott Kubiak, Michigan State University

• Beyond Violence: Results of an Intervention with Women with Life Sentences - Gina Fedock, Michigan State University

• Beyond Violence: Violence Prevention for Women in Prison - Nena Messina, UCLA Integrated Substance Abuse Programs