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Women in Jail: Classification Issues

NCJ Number
166148
Author(s)
T Brennan; J Austin
Date Published
1997
Length
26 pages
Annotation
The status and issues involved in current classification procedures for female jail inmates are examined to assist jail administrators and classification staff design and implement an improved objective female classification system.
Abstract
Classification systems tend to be designed and tested for male inmates. Current classification systems intended to be gender neutral are inadequate given the unique attributes of female inmates and the implications of those attributes with respect to classification. Female inmates tend to differ from male inmates in their current offenses and prior records, their institutional conduct, their children and family relationships, and other factors. Problems that any jail classification system must address for female inmates include the lack of housing options to match classification needs, the lack of standardized procedures for classification, the excessive use of overrides, inadequate assessment of the social and rehabilitation needs of female inmates, and several other issues. These factors indicate the needs for separate classification systems for male and female inmates and for a behavior-based classification system. Additional recommendations, guidelines for designing objective classification systems for female inmates, and 30 references