Risk Factors for Women Being Under the Influence of Alcohol Compared With Other Illicit Substances at the Time of Committing Violent Crimes

Brewer-Smyth, Kathleen; Pohlig, Ryan T.

doi:10.1097/jfn.0000000000000177

Cited by 11 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 53 publications

(78 reference statements)

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“…Thirty-five articles were read in full. Of these, 22 were excluded (see figure 1); 14 did not separately report female data, two reported HI in females as a covariant only (16,17), two did not ascertain lifetime exposure to HI (18,19), one had a female sample of less than ten (20), two did not sample from a prison population (21,22) and one did not assess HI (23). Thirteen articles were included in the final review (see figure 1).…”

Section: Andmentioning

confidence: 99%

The prevalence, characteristics, and impact of head injury in female prisoners: a systematic PRISMA review

McGinley

McMillan

2019

Brain Injury

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Background: Although head injury (HI) is associated with offending behaviour, there has been relatively little attention to female prisoners. This systematic review considers the prevalence and characteristics of females with HI in prison, with a view towards improving understanding of service needs. Methods: Electronic databases were searched and two meta-analyses and two systematic reviews were checked for further relevant papers. Studies describing prevalence of HI in female prisoners were included. Papers were assessed for risk of bias. Results: Twelve studies were included. Prevalence of HI ranged from 19%-95% and was lower in studies using hospital records than self-report and generally did not differ by gender. Risk of bias was high overall, with little consistency in assessment methods and definition of HI. Samples sizes of female prisoners with HI were often modest and not clearly representative of the population. 3 The experiences/needs of prisoners can differ by gender, with females having a higher risk of physical and mental health problems, including psychological trauma. Conclusion: HI is prevalent in female prisoners, and their needs and experiences may differ from male prisoners with HI and female prisoners without. There are limitations in the literature, and future research should address these, and in so doing develop a firm, evidence base upon which effective services and interventions for female prisoners with HI can be developed.

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Section: Andmentioning

confidence: 99%

The prevalence, characteristics, and impact of head injury in female prisoners: a systematic PRISMA review

McGinley

McMillan

2019

Brain Injury

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“…Alcohol use can contribute to women becoming involved in the criminal justice system. Women under the influence of alcohol are at greater risk for committing a violent crime [1], and about a quarter of women on probation, in jail, or in state prisons, and 15% of women in federal prisons, were using alcohol when they committed their crimes [2]. Additionally, alcohol use disorder (AUD) is more prevalent among women involved in the criminal justice system compared to women in the general population.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Receipt of pharmacotherapy for alcohol use disorder by justice-involved women in the Veterans Health Administration

Taylor

Timko

Harris

et al. 2019

Addict Sci Clin Pract

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BackgroundAlcohol use disorder (AUD) and unhealthy drinking are prevalent among women involved in the criminal justice system and women military veterans. Pharmacotherapy—including naltrexone, topiramate, acamprosate, and disulfiram—for AUD is one form of effective treatment that is associated with better health and criminal justice outcomes. The current study examined the association of justice involvement with receipt of pharmacotherapy for AUD, as well as other patient factors that may explain variation in receipt of pharmacotherapy for AUD among women veterans who receive care at Veterans Health Administration (VHA) facilities. MethodsUsing national VHA clinical records, we examined all women VHA patients who received an AUD diagnosis during an outpatient or inpatient visit in fiscal years (FY) 2014–2017. We compared patient characteristics by justice status, defined as contact with one of the VHA’s justice outreach programs, and used a mixed-effects logistic regression model to test whether justice involvement was independently associated with odds of receiving pharmacotherapy for AUD.ResultsOf 10,511 women veterans diagnosed with AUD in FY2017, 852 (8%) met our definition of justice-involved. Since FY2014, the percentage of women veterans who received pharmacotherapy for AUD increased (14–21%). Women justice-involved veterans and those who were homeless had higher odds of receiving pharmacotherapy for AUD (OR 1.29, CI 1.15–1.45; OR 1.35, CI 1.25–1.47). Women veterans age 55 or older or who were African-American had lower odds of receiving pharmacotherapy (OR 0.74, CI 0.67–0.82; OR 0.73, CI 0.68–0.79).ConclusionsWhile women involved in the criminal justice system face many barriers to accessing health and social services, women justice-involved veterans had higher odds of receiving pharmacotherapy for AUD at VHA facilities compared to women veterans with no justice involvement. Legal mandates and supportive programming directed towards veterans in the criminal justice system may explain the higher rate of receipt of pharmacotherapy observed among justice-involved women veterans. Women veterans who are homeless may also have more opportunities to access and use pharmacotherapy for AUD compared to their housed counterparts.

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“…Although most of those at risk, such as female TBI and CSA victims, do not commit violence under the influence of alcohol, these victims may want to limit alcohol intake to prevent violent behavior, as CSA and TBI were risk factors for females committing a violent crime when under the influence of alcohol (Brewer-Smyth & Pohlig, 2017). These victims often regretted their violent acts and said they would not have done it if they were not under the influence of alcohol.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…TBI could be the result of violent behavior rather than the etiology (Kaba, Diamond, Haque, MacDonald, & Venters, 2014). TBI is related to problematic substance use (Moore et al, 2014) that may precipitate violent crimes (Brewer-Smyth & Pohlig, 2017; Fishbein, Dariotis, Ferguson, & Pickelsimer, 2016).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Neurobiology of Female Homicide Perpetrators

Brewer-Smyth

Burgess

2019

J Interpers Violence

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Neurobiology of female homicide perpetrators is not well understood. Data from private interviews and examinations of females were re-analyzed comparing those who committed homicide ( n = 9); other violent crimes, no known homicide ( n = 51); nonviolent crimes, no known violent convictions ( n = 49); and noncriminals ( n = 12). Homicide perpetrators suffered the most childhood sexual abuse (CSA); most recent abuse; had the most neurological histories, mainly traumatic brain injuries (TBIs); most health care access for abuse-related injuries; lowest AM and PM salivary cortisol; and greatest proportion who committed crime under the influence of alcohol. Only CSA, years since last abuse, TBI, neurological histories, and health care access for abuse-related injuries were significant. Those who committed homicide under the influence of alcohol suffered the most recent abuse and had the lowest AM cortisol and flattest diurnal cortisol slope (DCS) compared with others; though the n precludes determining significance. Amount of time since last abuse, AM cortisol and DCS progressively decreased as crime severity increased; other variables progressively increased as crime severity increased. These preliminary findings suggest that low AM cortisol, flat DCS, greater CSA frequency and severity, recent abuse, TBIs, and health care access for abuse-related injuries could be risk factors for females committing homicide. Further study is needed due to the small n of homicide perpetrators. Abuse victims may be at greater risk for alcohol use and cortisol dysregulation associated with perpetrating violence, especially homicide. Frontal lobe damage from TBIs may decrease ability to control behaviors associated with emotions from the limbic system. Health care providers released these women when their abuse-related injuries were not life-threatening; yet, they were life-threatening for victims of their subsequent homicides. Females accessing health care for abuse-related injuries present a critical opportunity for violent crime prevention interventions.

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Risk Factors for Women Being Under the Influence of Alcohol Compared With Other Illicit Substances at the Time of Committing Violent Crimes

Cited by 11 publications

References 53 publications

The prevalence, characteristics, and impact of head injury in female prisoners: a systematic PRISMA review

The prevalence, characteristics, and impact of head injury in female prisoners: a systematic PRISMA review

Receipt of pharmacotherapy for alcohol use disorder by justice-involved women in the Veterans Health Administration

Neurobiology of Female Homicide Perpetrators

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