Improving the Women’s Risk Needs Assessment (WRNA) with Indigenous Women in North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation

• In Event: Partnering for Change: Community Engaged Research with Women and the Criminal Legal System

Abstract

Indigenous women have the highest rate of federal and state imprisonment compared to other racial and ethnic groups in the United States In North Dakota, between 1980 and 2017, the number of women in prison increased by 9,750 percent. Additionally, the North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (ND DOCR) noted that despite Indigenous people comprising only 5% of the population, 44% of incarcerated women are Indigenous. To address the disparity, ND DOCR adopted the Women’s Risk Needs Assessment (WRNA) in 2024. The WRNA is a recommended instrument in various toolkits and manuals surrounding the implementation of gender-responsive correctional strategies. However, the WRNA has not been validated specifically with Indigenous women to date. Further, there is no risk/needs/strengths assessment developed specifically for Indigenous women or peoples in general. This study explored potential improvements in the WRNA to better reflect the unique lives of Indigenous women. Community engaged focus groups and interviews were conducted with Indigenous women who are incarcerated and staff at the ND DOCR (n=25). Results will summarize the current implementation of the WRNA at ND DOCR as well as criminogenic needs and strengths that may be included in future validation studies of the WRNA with Indigenous women.

Authors

• Jessica Seawright, University of Utah

• Emily Salisbury, University of Utah