Women, Crime and Reentry

• In Event: Gender & the Shaping of the Reentry Process

Abstract

The USA is currently experiencing a major resurgence of interest in dealing with men and women who have been incarcerated for drug related offenses, especially their rehabilitation and integration into society through successful reentry. This resurgence has been brought on by the human costs associated with the staggering incidence of incarceration and recidivism.

Research indicates that female offenders resemble male offenders in terms of race, ethnic background, drug addiction, and age. Also, this is an emerging group and relatively a young area of investigation or inquiry, because the plight of minority women is overlooked, underreported, and under-analyzed. The existing research indicates that this field of inquiry need to focus on complexities in a creative or explorative manner particularly family, abuse, violence, mental health and child care concerns.

Effectiveness of reentry practices is also a significant concern for those released from jails, where sentences, usually for misdemeanors, are shorter and the numbers of those returning to their communities even greater, with less attention given to the quality of long-term services planning This paper presents, perceptions of what is needed for successful reentry among incarcerated women coming from diverse backgrounds were investigated in focus groups in western New York region.

Authors

• Swaroop Korni Kumar, College at Brockport, SUNY

• Robert Dobmeier, College at Brockport, SUNY

• Claudette Brown-Smythe, College at Brockport, SUNY

• Rafael Outland, College at Brockport, SUNY

• Anna LaDelpha, College at Brockport, SUNY

• Joanna White, College at Brockport, SUNY