Gender and Crime

Problem of Equality in the Criminal Justice System

Why Women Need Special Gender Specific Programs in Prison

Some of the biggest hurdles the criminal justice system faces in implementing programs and policies that effectively address the needs and experiences of female offenders are that this population is so small compared to the rest of the incarcerated population that it would require a significant amount of resources to tailor programs and policies to meet the needs of this population exclusively (Bloom & Covington, 1998). Some of these programs that are needed include child care services, separate dwelling places for pregnant offenders, mentor programs tailored for women so that they can get out of the system and not become recidivists, and substance abuse treatment resources. There is also the need to promote support systems for women so that they can build and develop healthy and supportive relationships.

These are challenges because women have different social needs than males and their interaction style is different and thus places unique requirements upon program providers within the criminal justice system. They are vulnerable to sexual harassment, and to poor self-esteem, which must be built up if they are to go on to lead productive lives. They are likely to be suffering from some trauma that they need counseling for, which adds to the amount of services they require. In short, many of the women incarcerated or who pass through the criminal justice system are in much more need of support, counseling, and guidance than they are of incarceration. They are mainly non-violent offenders, many of whom have addictions or mental health issues. Yet they are viewed through a gender-neutral lens by the criminal justice system. Rather than focusing on equality, the criminal justice system needs to focus on gender-specific programs that are not programs designed for men that are made women only but that are rather designed for women—but this is a cost that has to be accounted for in a system that has largely become for profit.

References

Bloom, B., & Covington, S. (1998, November). Gender-specific programming for female offenders: What is it and why is it important. In 50th annual meeting of the American Society of Criminology, Washington, DC.