Gender and Prison Recidivism: The Influence of Protective and Risk Factors

• In Event: Gender Differences in Corrections

Abstract

Recidivism into criminal behavior following a period of incarceration in prison is a fundamental concern for the criminal justice system. Although men still remain the largest percentage of the prison population, women are entering prison at an increasing frequency thus adding to the issue of recidivism. Insufficient research has considered the influence of prison protective and risk factors on recidivism by gender. Using data from a large western state, all male and female recidivist inmates incarcerated from 2009 through 2015 are evaluated for protective (education, programming, community ties) and risk factors (age, race/ethnicity, homelessness, prison conduct, prison sentence length and type) associated with their return to criminal behavior. Similarities and differences in recidivism by gender and the influence of the protective and risk factors are found. Implications for the findings are discussed.

Author

• Kerryn Bell, Eastern Washington University