Previous research has revealed that psychiatric disorders are over-represented in the offender population; this is true of female offenders as well. The most prevalent mental health disorder found among women offenders is substance abuse or dependence. This is followed by borderline personality disorder, antisocial personality disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, and possibly attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The authors base their analysis of mental health disorders in female offenders on their treatment work at the Atkins House for women who are transitioning from prison back into the community. Following a discussion of the importance of proper assessment and diagnosis for female offenders, an overview of each of the common mental health disorders seen in female offenders is presented. The emphasis is on treatment strategies and the fact that therapeutic treatment should be available to all women offenders. In fact, the authors contend that all women offenders, regardless of their mental health status, need a debriefing period after prison and before entering the community where the focus is on treatment and the development of decisionmaking skills and healthy self-esteem. If a mental health disorder has been diagnosed, therapeutic treatment should begin during this debriefing period. An important point about treatment is that many offenders view treatment as part of their punishment. As such, counselors must overcome this view of treatment as punishment in order to establish a therapeutic relationship with women who have been incarcerated. A further point is made that community-based corrections programs are more conducive to the treatment of mental health disorders in female offenders that is a traditional institutional setting. This is because a community-based program offers a cooperative relationship between counselors and caseworkers in determining the rehabilitation needs of female offenders. Moreover, it is imperative to the successful reentry to female offenders that agency personnel and community resource personnel share information and work together to help women offenders access the support they will need in the community. References