The Impact of a Graduated Sanctions Model on Female Probationers: Does this Program Affect Women and Men the Same?

• In Event: Gender and the Criminal Justice System

Abstract

Although originally perceived as an evidence based program, there has been a continual debate on the true effectiveness of the graduated sanctions model for probationers. Nonetheless, what is missing in the literature is an examination of how this program may affect women offenders differently than men. Utilizing data from the Kansas Sentencing Commission (KSSC) and the Kansas Department of Corrections (KDOC), this study examines the impact of Kansas’ 2013 House Bill 2170 (HB 2170) on female probationers compared to male probationers. Major findings and policy implications will be discussed.

Authors

• Lisa Melander, Kansas State University

• George Ebo Browne, Kansas State University

• Mari-Esther Edwards, Kansas State University