The study findings indicate that the LSI-R is a valid instrument for predicting recidivism with female as well as male offenders (it was originally validated for use with only male offenders). Both bivariate tests of total LSI-R score and recidivism show that the LSI-R is a valid predictor for males and females. This finding, however, does not call into question research that probes gender differences in the origins of persistent offending. It may well be that pathways into crime differ for males and females. Even so, the LSI-R focuses on criminogenic factors or "needs" that are proximate to the offender (i.e., antisocial attitudes, antisocial associates, personality, and behavioral history). Even though gender-related experiences (e.g., being sexually victimized) has distinct effects on males and females, they do so through proximate criminogenic needs, which are measured by the LSI-R, rather than experiences that may be more distant and/or less amenable to change. The challenge for gender-specific research is to determine empirically sound gender-related methods for treating offenders whose risk for recidivism has been scored by the LSI-R's assessment of criminogenic needs common to both males and female offenders. The current study administered the LSI-R to a sample of 2,849 probationers and parolees (85.9 percent male and 14.1 percent female) throughout Iowa. Each offender was administered the LSI-R at least twice during the 5-year study period (August 2000 through September 2005). Multiple assessment points enabled the assessment of the degree to which an offender's risk level changed over time. Recidivism was the outcome of interest. 5 tables, 2 figures, and 41 references