Women in Transition

Women in the United States are being incarcerated in record numbers, despite a profile indicating they are largely nonviolent offenders who turn to substance abuse and crime as coping mechanisms after suffering victimization. Using relational theory as its theoretical lens, this book examines a gender- specific correctional program for female offenders. Relational theory posits that healthy female psychological development arises from connection to others. When that connection is damaged by trauma and abuse, a dominant characteristic among female offenders, some women enter a downward spiral marked by addiction to substances and criminal deviance. To examine this phenomenon, a program evaluation was conducted using staff and inmate focus groups, as well as statistical analysis. Findings suggest that the Women in Transition Program, located in Salisbury, Massachusetts, is senstive to the relational needs of its participants and might be a factor in reducing future offending.