TY - JOUR

T1 - The efficacy of offence-specific interventions in reducing risk and recidivism in women: a systematic review.

AU - Galway, Róisín

AU - Swales, Michaela

AU - Wane, Julia

N1 - ATLTS - no version

PY - 2022/3

Y1 - 2022/3

N2 - Almost a quarter of women released from prisons in England and Wales reoffend; this figure is three times higher for women serving less than 12-month sentences. Offender programmes used within prison, probation, and forensic inpatient services aim to reduce an individual’s risk of reoffending. Whilst offence-specific interventions are widely offered to men who offend, comparatively few are offered to women. The current systematic review aimed to evaluate the efficacy of offence-specific interventions in reducing women’s recidivism. Overall, recidivism in programme completers was low (m = 14.05%). However, the quality of studies included (n = 7) was low, limiting the conclusions drawn. Several studies yielded met the inclusion criteria, with the exception of reporting recidivism outcomes. A second review was conducted incorporating these studies, broadening the outcomes of interest to include incidents of violence in hospital or prison and self-report outcomes related to offending (n = 10). Incidents reduced following programme completion; however, self-reported outcomes were mixed. The review highlighted a lack of evidence for the efficacy of offence-specific interventions facilitated with women and limited use of recidivism as an outcome measure within the literature, despite often being a key aim of the interventions.

AB - Almost a quarter of women released from prisons in England and Wales reoffend; this figure is three times higher for women serving less than 12-month sentences. Offender programmes used within prison, probation, and forensic inpatient services aim to reduce an individual’s risk of reoffending. Whilst offence-specific interventions are widely offered to men who offend, comparatively few are offered to women. The current systematic review aimed to evaluate the efficacy of offence-specific interventions in reducing women’s recidivism. Overall, recidivism in programme completers was low (m = 14.05%). However, the quality of studies included (n = 7) was low, limiting the conclusions drawn. Several studies yielded met the inclusion criteria, with the exception of reporting recidivism outcomes. A second review was conducted incorporating these studies, broadening the outcomes of interest to include incidents of violence in hospital or prison and self-report outcomes related to offending (n = 10). Incidents reduced following programme completion; however, self-reported outcomes were mixed. The review highlighted a lack of evidence for the efficacy of offence-specific interventions facilitated with women and limited use of recidivism as an outcome measure within the literature, despite often being a key aim of the interventions.

KW - Women

KW - forensic

KW - gender-responsive

KW - offender behaviour

KW - prison

KW - violence

U2 - 10.1080/14789949.2022.2053185

DO - 10.1080/14789949.2022.2053185

M3 - Article

VL - 33

SP - 291

EP - 322

JO - Journal of Forensic Psychiatry and Psychology

JF - Journal of Forensic Psychiatry and Psychology

SN - 1478-9949

IS - 3

ER -