Global Risk Indicators and the Role of Gender in a Juvenile Detention Sample

Although young males are still the primary perpetrators of juvenile crime, girls are increasingly coming into contact with the criminal justice system. While girls may have different pathways to crime and risks for recidivism than boys, their risk to reoffend is typically assessed using a gender-neutral tool that is based on social learning theory: a theory originally developed and tested on males. With the appropriateness of using gender-neutral tools to assess female criminality coming into question, a number of researchers have searched for a resolution. To date, mixed findings on the predictive validity of risk assessment tools have not provided any definitive answers. To help assess the predictive validity of the Youth Level of Service Inventory, separate meta-analyses were conducted for male and female juvenile offenders using previous studies. The mean effect sizes were compared in order to determine whether the predictive validity is similar for both males and females. With the exception of violent recidivism, results indicate that the YLS/CMI works equally well for male and female offenders. The implications of these findings for theory, research, and correctional policy are discussed.ii

Section: Research Implicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gender and Risk Assessment in Juvenile Offenders: A Meta-Analysis

Pusch

Holtfreter

2017

“…These "gender-responsive" factors are not typically seen among men, are typically seen among men but occur at a greater frequency among women, or occur in equal frequency among men and women but affect women in uniquely personal and social ways (Chesney-Lind & Shelden, 2004;Farr, 2000;Funk, 1999;Gavazzi, Yarcheck, & Chesney-Lind, 2006;Holtfreter & Morash, 2003;Reisig et al, 2006;). …”

Section: Women's Needsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gender-Responsive Lessons Learned and Policy Implications for Women in Prison

Wright

Voorhis

Salisbury

et al. 2012

163

141

The authors review evidence of gender-responsive factors for women in prisons. Some gender-responsive needs function as risk factors in prison settings and contribute to women's maladjustment to prison; guided by these findings, the authors outline ways in which prison management, staff members, and programming can better serve female prisoners by being more gender informed. The authors suggest that prisons provide treatment and programming services aimed at reducing women's criminogenic need factors, use gendered assessments to place women into appropriate interventions and to appropriately plan for women's successful reentry into the community, and train staff members to be gender responsive.

“…These putative gender-specific/sensitive factors have been identified based largely on the psychological, emotional, and health needs of young women that many feel are overlooked in current treatment designation processes (Covington, 2007). Theory and research in this area point to mental health, histories of abuse, and family dysfunction as particularly important when dealing with justicesystem-involved female youth (Bloom, Owen, Rosenbaum, & Deschenes, 2003;Chitsabesan & Bailey, 2006;Gavazzi, Yarcheck, & Chesney-Lind, 2006;McCabe, Lansing, Garland, & Hough, 2002;Odgers, Moretti, & Reppucci, 2005). However, while these factors are no doubt relevant to the lives and experiences of females, they have generally not been established as criminogenic needs.…”

Section: A Gender-responsive Approach To Female Offendingmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Relationship Between Matching Service to Criminogenic Need and Recidivism in Male and Female Youth

Vitopoulos

Peterson‐Badali

Skilling

2012

Research supports rehabilitative programming that recognizes youth's level of risk to reoffend and addresses their criminogenic needs and responsivity factors. The risk-need-responsivity (RNR) framework takes a gender-neutral approach that critics assert overlooks the unique needs of female offenders. While matching treatments to RNR principles has been shown to reduce recidivism for male youth, it is unclear whether the same is true for female youth. Comparative analyses of 39 male and 37 female justice system-involved youth indicated that across RNR categories, females and males were similar in the quality and quantity of criminogenic needs and had these needs met through probation services at a similar rate. However, while the RNR assessment tool predicted recidivism equally well for male and female youth, the matching of services to RNR factors was significantly associated with reduced reoffending for boys but not for girls. Implications of the findings for theory and practice are discussed.