Women's Pathways to Jail: The Roles & Intersections of Serious Mental Illness & Trauma

Abstract

for assistance interviewing and research contributions. We also give special thanks to the women who shared their stories and experiences with the hope of making a difference for those who will follow them. PATHWAYS TO JAILiii ABSTRACT This multi-site study addressed critical gaps in the literature by assessing the prevalence of serious mental illness (SMI), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and substance use disorders (SUD) in women in jail and pathways to offending for women with and without SMI. Using a randomly selected sample (N = 491) from rural and urban jails, this study employed a structured diagnostic interview to assess current and lifetime prevalence of SMI (e.g., major depression, bipolar, and psychotic spectrum disorders), PTSD, and SUD in women in jail. Women's prior access to treatment and level of functional impairment in the past 12 months was also assessed. Next, qualitative Life History Calendar (LHC) interviews were conducted with a subset of the sample (N = 115) to examine how onset of different types of criminal activity and delinquency vary as a function of mental health status and trauma exposure. Finally, we also interviewed corrections staff members (N = 37) at participating jail sites to assess staff members' perceptions about the prevalence of mental health difficulties in women in jail as well as staff beliefs about women's pathways to jail. Notably, 43% of participants met criteria for a lifetime SMI, and 32% met SMI criteria in the past 12 months. Substance use disorders were the most commonly occurring disorders, with 82% of the sample meeting lifetime criteria for drug or alcohol abuse or dependence. Similarly, PTSD rates were high with just over half the sample (53%) meeting criteria for lifetime PTSD. Women also met criteria for multiple lifetime disorders at high rates. Finally, 30 to 45% of individuals who met criteria for a current disorder reported severely impaired functioning in the past year. Women with SMI reported greater rates of victimization and more extensive offending histories than women who did not meet criteria for lifetime SMI. In a test of our proposed model, experiences of childhood victimization and adult trauma did not directly predict offending histories; instead both forms of victimization increased the risk of poor mental health, and poor mental health predicted a greater offending history. Next, quantitative LHC data were analyzed to elucidate patterns of offending over the lifespan. SMI significantly increased women's risk for onset of substance use, drug dealing/charges, property crime, fighting/assault, and running away. In addition, experiences of victimization predicted risk of offending. The third component of this study included interviews with corrections staff including supervisors, health practitioners, and corrections officers/deputies. These staff members indicated a general awareness that women's experiences of victimization were linked with their entry into the criminal justice system. Further, many staff were aware of women's mental ...

Life History Models of Female Offending

“…Nearly half the women (n ¼ 55) were employed prior to their incarceration, with a median income of approximately $15,000 (incomes in the past 12 months ranged from $0 to $200,000). These figures are analogous to demographics of the overall study sample (Lynch, DeHart, Belknap, & Green, 2012). The resulting sample of 115 is generous for qualitative research (Lee & Fielding, 1996;Swanson, 1986) and achieves sufficient statistical power for event-history analyses using collected life calendar data (Eliason, 1993).…”

It’s a hard knock life the survival strategies of Dutch Mulas in Peruvian prisons

“…You could just close your curtain and when someone comes in to see you, you say 'I'm not there!' (Michelle, 21).…”

“…The importation theory holds that the manner in which people cope mentally with detention is determined by their way of life prior to their imprisonment [10,17]. Supposedly, detainees are more often victims of painful life experiences, such as physical and/or sexual abuse, than people without a criminal record [18][19][20][21]. Green et al [20] for example state that Bthere is an increasing understanding of the fact that many women in prison or jail for committing crimes are crime victims themselves.…”

Psychological distress among victimized women on probation and parole: A latent class analysis.

“…High levels of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are also found among females detained in jail. Estimates indicate that approximately a quarter of women in jail meet the criteria for a current PTSD diagnosis (Green, Miranda, Daroowalla, & Siddique, 2005; Teplin et al, 1996); 53% have a lifetime diagnosis of PTSD (Lynch et al, 2012b; Lynch et al, 2013). …”

“…Rates of cooccurring substance use and psychological distress range from 39% to 46% among women in jail (Lynch et al, 2012b; Lynch et al, 2013). In fact, substance abuse/dependence are the most common psychiatric disorders among women in the justice system.…”