Gender-Responsive Treatment for Women Offenders - 1

The purpose of this study is to determine whether substance abuse treatment designed specifically for drug-dependent women offenders provides better outcomes than standard drug court treatment (mixed-gender programs).

In this five-year study, a total of 300 women entering court-referred treatment throughout Los Angeles County and who agree to participate in the study will be randomly assigned to a women-focused or to a mixed-gender outpatient treatment program. The study will assess the impact of women-focused substance abuse treatment using outcome measures including recidivism, substance abuse and relapse, and social adjustment (e.g., employment, parenting behaviors, psychological improvement, and HIV risk reduction behaviors), compared to the impact of traditional mixed-gender programs. Assessments will occur at baseline and at 1 month, 12 months, and 24 months after admission.

Results (Unadjusted) for Criminal Activities in Past 30 Days at Baseline and Follow-up for Women in Women-Only Treatment and Mixed-Gender Treatment

Predictors of Change in Employment at 12 Months Post Intake: Generalized Estimating Equation (GEE) Model

Predictors of change in employment at 12 months post intake: GEE - comparison of Women-Only vs. Mixed-Gender treatment models

Inclusion Criteria: Drug court participant At least eighteen (18) years old Have had no more than three prior non-violent, non-drug felony convictions Do not have a current charge of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs or a charge of sale or transportation of drugs Exclusion Criteria: Not capable of giving informed consent

Prendergast ML, Messina NP, Hall EA, Warda US. The relative effectiveness of women-only and mixed-gender treatment for substance-abusing women. J Subst Abuse Treat. 2011 Jun;40(4):336-48. doi: 10.1016/j.jsat.2010.12.001. Epub 2011 Feb 11.