Challenges
In general, all aspects of jail (including programming) were historically designed with men in mind. Differences between the lives of men and women shape their patterns of criminal behavior and create different pathways to crime. Therefore, the supports that are most beneficial for women in the reentry process vary from those of men. With women consisting of a much larger proportion of the jail population than they were decades ago, an understanding of approaches responsive to the specific risk factors and needs of justice-involved women is critical to ensure that they are considered in jail reentry practices and programs.
Justice-involved women are more likely to have a history of traumatic experiences—including childhood sexual abuse, sexual assault, and intimate partner violence—than women in the general population (Benedict 2014). In 2019, the rate of suicide for women in the general population was six per 100,000 individuals (Ehlman et al. 2022); but the suicide rate for women incarcerated in jails was 31 per 100,000 (Carson 2021). Relatedly, while some jails screen incoming women for postpartum depression, many do not.
One of the biggest challenges for women in jail is managing parental responsibilities. Eighty percent of women in jail are mothers (Swavola, Riley and Subramanian 2016). This can create barriers in obtaining services such as housing partners post-release that accept children or barriers to maintaining a job post-release that allows flexibility for childcare. Planning for childcare responsibilities after release requires additional forethought and options during transition plan development.
Smaller jails may struggle even more to provide responsive care for women because it is difficult to allocate resources for interventions for what may be a small number of women. One expert explained how that situation can look in a smaller community: “The number of women in our jail on any given day is around 14. When you think of large jails, the populations are really different. How do we develop programs in our jails when we only have 14 women? What does it look like for smaller counties that want to do that, are invested in trauma-informed approaches, but don’t have the resources?” Smaller jails comprise a large share of total jails in the United States. Jurisdictions operating jails with fewer than 50 people make up a third of all U.S. jail jurisdictions, and 76 percent of jail jurisdictions hold fewer than 250 individuals in jail (though this accounts for only a quarter of the American jail population; Zeng 2023). It is likely that many jails in the country struggle with these capacity constraints to provide responsive care for women. Regardless of the size of a jail, one expert noted that the housing in the jail for women is often an afterthought, and women are often housed in areas that are not conducive to their well-being.
One expert panel member elevated that the need for responsive services extend to women staff. Others noted jail administrators need to remain responsive to the needs of female staff through the provision of trauma-informed resources and onsite childcare, which female jail staff cite as a potential reason they consider leaving the job. Experts also agreed that jail staff should be able to carry their cell phones in case they need to respond to a family emergency, which could benefit all of them but would likely be particularly appreciated by women.
Opportunities
Expert panel members noted that the recognition of trauma and development of trauma-informed responses have become much more widespread in corrections and reentry work, and informed care measures responsive to the needs of women. While trauma-informed approaches are important for working with any reentry population, as noted above justice-involved women are more likely to have a history of traumatic experiences—including childhood sexual abuse, sexual assault, and intimate partner violence—than women in the general population (Benedict 2014). One of the biggest opportunities for trauma-informed care presents itself at the risk and needs assessment stage of the booking process. Jail staff should consider using assessment tools such as the Women's Risk Needs Assessment (WRNA), which was specifically designed by and for women affected by the criminal justice system (Van Voorhis et al. 2009). WRNA is one of the few tools that includes a trauma-informed interview and measures prior trauma for treatment recommendations. Other common assessment tools may include trauma-focused scales and instruments such as Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and Life Events Checklist for DSM-5 (LEC-5).
Perhaps the greatest asset and opportunity related to jail reentry work with women is the development and testing of programming geared toward women that has proven successful. Experts noted the use of curricula developed by Stephanie Covington, such as Beyond Violence: A Prevention Program for Criminal Justice-Involved Women and Helping Women Recover: A Program for Treating Addiction (Criminal Justice Version). These curricula have proven implementable even in smaller jail jurisdictions. Evidence shows that programming tailored to the needs of incarcerated women can lead to positive reentry outcomes for them. One expert panel member promoted the “Women in Custody” case conferencing model. Every week, the sheriff’s department identifies women who are set to be discharged in 30-60 days, and the staff begin to form a reentry plan with focus on behavioral health, housing, employment, and other supports. Another mentioned similar positive outcomes of responsive programming in New Hampshire counties: “We’ve got data on four counties in New Hampshire where the… programs for men and women are separate, but all the women do really well when given the opportunity, but [the] problem is they don’t get the opportunity in so many places.” Limitations in jail staff with the ability and bandwidth to deliver this programming can be a limitation, one that Montgomery County, Maryland, has addressed by incorporating staff from the county’s Department of Health and Human Services as facilitators of women’s groups. These facilitators have a clinical orientation and connections to community-based programs, which bolsters continuity of programming after release.
An expert panel member emphasized the importance of engaging the individual’s family during the programming and case management process to support emotional wellness. A potential avenue to maintain familial communication in custody is through programs such as Parenting Inside Out, an evidence-based parenting program specifically designed for criminal legal system-involved parents. In general, jail reentry partnerships should invest strategically in partnerships that help deliver appropriate services to women, through having the specific skills and competencies to do so, establishing partnerships with community organizations that accept and serve women clients, and building an extensive referral base over time.
Good jail facility design and operations can facilitate effective programming and family connection. Las Colinas Detention and Reentry Facility in San Diego County, California, showcases a model for facility design intended to support providing responsive care for women. Operating since 2014, the facility’s design, staff training, policies, and services are designed with responsivity at the core. The facility features natural light, murals, visiting rooms for mothers and children, and expansive classroom space. All staff and volunteers are required to undergo responsivity training, and the facility offers trauma-informed treatment curriculums. The vocational programs are tailored to meet women’s needs, including offerings in culinary arts, landscaping and horticulture, and industrial sewing. The facility offers unique supports, such as allowing mothers to read children’s books on camera to send to their children, and assistance in obtaining a California ID, birth certificate, and library card. One expert described housing as a foundational component in successful responsive care, stating, “The most important thing is making sure women are housed appropriately. It’s striking how people don’t think of that in the design of the building.”