Female Offenders with Mental Illness

Abstract

Female offenders have a higher exposure to risk factors of mental illness than male offenders. Because of this high exposure, female offenders with mental illness are overrepresented in correctional settings. The most prevalent diagnoses among female offenders with mental illness are serious mental illnesses, posttraumatic stress disorder, and substance use disorder. The overrepresentation of female offenders with mental illness in correctional facilities places the burden of mental health treatment on correctional institutions. It is recommended that treatment be empirically supported, gender‐based, and trauma‐focused. Effective treatment will avoid retraumatization and revictimization, as well as consider the multifaceted context of female offenders' lives. Successful mental health treatment for female offenders with mental illness may decrease their risk of recidivism.