Based on the specific needs of female offenders, discuss several recommendations for treatment programs.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Based on the research presented and the specific needs of female offenders, it is obvious that treatment considerations for female offenders can be quite complicated. Indeed, it is plausible that a female offender could have sundry challenges. Thus, many female offenders can be viewed as “special needs plus” when considering myriad issues that may be present. With this in mind, specific recommendations regarding treatment programs for female offenders are outlined as follows: Treatment plans must be individualized in structure, including clear and measurable goals, intensive programming with effective duration, and appropriate screening and assessment. Female offenders must be able to acquire needed life skills. Parenting and life skills are taught--these are both critical. Anger management should be addressed. Marketable job skills are important because female offenders typically have few job skills and, unlike male offenders, have more difficulty obtaining jobs in the manual labor sectors that pay higher (construction, plant work, etc.). Treatment plans must address victimization issues: Programs should address self-esteem, which is typically tied into previous abuse issues, which in turn increase likelihood of substance abuse and prostitution, two main segments of female crime. Programs must address domestic violence issues. These are highly common among female offenders. The violence may have come from the family of origin and/or from previous boyfriends and/or spouses; often this is intergenerationally transmitted.