"I'm Not Trying to Cause Anyone Harm": Exploring the Relationship between Trauma, Mental Health, and Crime

• In Event: Drugs, Drug Markets, and Crime: Attempting to Unpack the Drug-Crime Relationship

Abstract

Over the past several decades, women’s incarceration has experienced exponential growth. Jailed women, in particular, represent an incredibly high-need population. Their trajectory into crime often varies considerably from their male counterparts. Our earlier work (Lutgen-Nieves & Petty, 2024) found the incarcerated women in this sample perceived their current substance use as the result of psychological or mental health struggles. Importantly, there has been argument that certain needs, including depression and anxiety, often under the umbrella of responsivity, may actually be criminogenic for women, requiring more intensive treatment (Van Voorhis & Salisbury, 2009). The goal of the current study is to extend this work by attempting to understand how these women’s substance use influences their system involvement by examining their criminal history and recidivism. Specifically, we seek to explore the connections between current substance use justifications (e.g., psychological concerns, trauma, family influence, etc.) and recidivism. Relying on the narratives of 42 jailed women, as well as their criminal history and recidivism, we discuss findings and implications for treatment.

Authors

• Laura Lutgen-Nieves, University of Southern Indiana

• Taylor Petty, University of Southern Indiana