2015 Creating Gender-Responsive and Trauma-Informed Reentry Services for Women Christine Brown-Taylor, MSW Reentry Services Manager San Diego Sheriff’s Department Several slides provided by Stephanie Covington and Barbara Bloom

Today’s Focus Reentry Services for Women Criminal Justice Practices Gender Responsive Strategies Where are we going as a system? 2015

Women in the Criminal Justice System What do we know?

Post-realignment, new prison admissions of women declined by 60%. 11, , , , California Realignment Source: CDCR 2014

San Diego Sheriff’s Department Women in Custody At 818, the number of women in custody changed with realignment and Prop 47 35% of the women are realigned The average length of stay for the realigned women is 391 days 2015

Ethnicity of women at Las Colinas 2015

Women in the CJ System When compared with men, women: Have a higher prevalence of mental/physical health problems, including trauma related to abuse Have patterns of drug abuse that are more socially embedded – revolving around their interpersonal relationships 2015

Mental Illness Substance Abuse Homelessness Trauma HIV/ AIDS Other Health Problems Source: Vivian Brown, Ph.D.

Substance Abuse among LCDRF women 71% of women test positive for drugs or alcohol at booking 31% of the women who test positive, test positive for multiple drugs. The rate of Meth use continues to increase with 41% admitting use within 30 day period prior to arrest. 2016

Violence Against Women 25% of women in county jails report being raped at some time in their lives Women’s substance abuse is highly correlated with physical & sexual abuse Women have much higher rates of childhood and adult trauma exposure Women involved in Human Trafficking 2015

Mental Health Women in the criminal justice system have a higher incidence of mental disorders than women in general Approximately 75% with serious mental illness also have co-occurring substance abuse disorders The pathway to drug use & abuse is more complex for women 2015

Children Approximately 70% of female inmates have at least 1 child under 18 An estimated 1.3 million minor children have a mother under correctional supervision 7% of women booked in San Diego report being pregnant. 2015

Education & Employment An estimated 55% of women in jails have a high school degree CJ involved women in San Diego are significantly more likely to be unemployed at arrest: 66% versus 50% for men. 2015

Gender Matters Gender matters significantly in shaping patterns of offending as well as the criminal justice system’s response to criminal offending. Current sentencing laws are based on male characteristics and male crime and fail to take into account the reality of women’s lives, characteristics, responsibilities, and roles in crime. 2015

Criminal Justice Practices There is a need to develop gender- responsive programming for women that are based on their life circumstances and pathways to crime. Criminal justice practices that impact women such as bail, sentencing, classification, management strategies, and transition to the community have gendered implications. 2015

Making the Case for Appropriate Policy & Practice for Criminal Justice Involved Women Gender responsiveness is key to meeting the goals of the criminal justice system by: Acknowledging differences between men & women Targeting pathways to offending Developing policy & practice 2015

Five Key Findings... 1.An effective system for females is structured differently than for males 2.Gender-responsive policy & practice targets women’s pathways to criminality by providing effective interventions that address four central issues: substance abuse, trauma, mental health, & economic marginality 2015

3.Correctional sanctions & interventions consider the lesser degree of harm created by the typical offense patterns of women 4.Gender-responsive policy & practice consider women’s relationships (especially family) & their roles in the community when delivering both sanctions & interventions 5.Community services are essential to a gender-responsive CJ system 2015

Women’s Reentry Challenges Reunification with Children Employment Housing Substance Abuse Treatment Medical and Mental Health Services Childcare Support Systems 2015

Gender-Responsive Strategies: Research, Practice, and Guiding Principles for Women Offenders National Institute of Corrections Barbara Bloom, Ph.D. Barbara Owen, Ph.D. Stephanie Covington, Ph.D.

2015 Gender-Responsive Treatment Creating an environment through: site selection staff selection program development content and material that reflects an understanding of the realities of the lives of women and girls, and addresses and responds to their strengths and challenges. Source: Covington, S.S., & Bloom, B.E. (2006). Gender-responsive treatment and services in correctional settings. In E. Leeder (Ed.), Inside and out: Women, prison, and therapy. Binghamton, NY: Haworth.

Women’s Risk/Needs Assessment Gender Neutral COMPAS: Criminal history Criminal thinking (sample variations) Antisocial associates Vocational/educational Financial problems Low family support Housing problems Substance abuse 2015 (National Resource Center on Justice Involved Women)

Women’s Risk/Needs Assessment COMPAS – women’s version Gender Responsive: Mental health history Depression/anxiety (symptoms) Psychosis/suicidal (symptoms) Victimization/trauma Relationship dysfunction Parental stress Housing safety And strengths (self-efficacy, family support, parental involvement, and educational assets) 2015 (National Resource Center on Justice Involved Women)

Treatment Components Associated with Better Outcomes for Women Review of 38 studies with randomized and non- randomized comparison group designs: Child care Prenatal care Women-only admissions Supplemental services and workshops on women’s focused topics Mental health services Intensive case management Comprehensive programming 2015

Where are we going -Challenges to Implementing New Practices in Community/Correctional Settings Staff training Fidelity to treatment protocols Correctional vs. therapeutic orientations Working within the culture of “mistrust” within CJ environments Program assessment & evaluation Source: Grella,

As children, boys and girls suffer similar rates of abuse Girls - sexually abused Boys - emotional neglect or physical abuse. In adolescence, boys are at greater risk if they are gay, young men of color, or gang members. Young men - people who dislike or hate them. Young women – relationships; from the person to whom she is saying, “I love you.” Adulthood Man - combat or being a victim of crime Woman – relationship; the person “I love you.” Gender and Abuse 2015

Trauma-Informed Services Take the trauma into account. Avoid triggering trauma reactions. Adjust organization so that trauma survivors can access and benefit from services Source: Harris & Fallot

2015 Core Values of Trauma-Informed Care Safety (physical and emotional) Trustworthiness Choice Collaboration Empowerment Source: Fallot & Harris, 2006

A Culture Shift: Scope of Change in a Distressed System Involves all aspects of program activities, setting, relationships, and atmosphere (more than implementing new services) Involves all groups: administrators, supervisors, direct service staff, support staff, and clients (more than service providers) Involves making trauma-informed change into a new routine, a new way of thinking and acting (more than new information) 2015 Source: Roger Fallot, Ph.D.

Where are we going ? Changes in Practice: Safety: How can we ensure physical and emotional safety for women throughout our system of care? Trustworthiness: How can we maximize trustworthiness? Make tasks clear? Maintain appropriate boundaries? Choice: How can we enhance women’s choice and control? Collaboration: How can we maximize collaboration and sharing of power with women? Empowerment: How can we prioritize women’s empowerment and skill-building at every opportunity? 2015

Evidence-Based 2015 Researched in Residential treatment Women’s prison Drug court Listed on NREPP

What is San Diego doing? Gender-Response Policy & Practice Assessment Domains: Environment Staffing Assessment, Classification, and Case Management Services & Programs Quality Assurance and Evaluation 2015

Core Training for Facility Staff Training will be provided for everyone working at LCDRF (GR & TI) Trauma Informed Effective Reinforcement Systems (TIER) Developing Reentry Services Establishing Environment & Culture Program Development Quality Assurance 2015

Questions ? 2015