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Date: April 29, 2024 Mon
Time: 11:53 pm
Time: 11:53 pm
Results for female inmates (canada)
3 results foundAuthor: Power, Jenelle Title: A Qualitative Study of Self-Injurious Behaviour in Women Offenders Summary: Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) may be defined as the deliberate destruction of body tissue without suicidal intent and for purposes not socially sanctioned and may include behaviours such as cutting, ligature use, burning, hitting, swallowing sharp or indigestible objects, inserting and removing objects, and head banging. NSSI poses a serious threat to the safety and well-being of offenders and staff within the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC). To more effectively treat and prevent NSSI in offenders, a greater understanding of the origins and motivations of NSSI is required. The purpose of this study, therefore, is to analyse the motivations and emotions associated with engaging in NSSI as described by women offenders. Fifty-six federally sentenced women from seven institutions participated in semi-structured interviews that were designed to assess their history of non-suicidal self-injury. Of the 56 women who participated in the study and had a history NSSI, 54 provided at least one reason for engaging in this behaviour. The most common reason provided by the women was to cope with their negative emotions. The second most common reason was to communicate with others about their problems and their need for care. Fifty-two women provided information on the emotions they experience before and after self-injuring. The most common emotions reported prior to engaging in NSSI were anger, depression, and anxiety. After self-injuring, women most commonly reported feelings of relief, followed by feelings of regret. Seventeen participants discussed the relationship between NSSI and substance abuse, despite the fact that substance abuse was not part of the original interview protocol. Ten of these 17 indicated that they were consuming drugs or alcohol while involved in an act of NSSI or that substance abuse increased the frequency of NSSI, while seven of these women reported that substance abuse actually decreased the frequency of NSSI or that they used drugs or alcohol as a substitute for NSSI. The issue of coping strategies or alternatives to NSSI was spontaneously discussed by the participating women in many interviews and, over time, the interviewers began to specifically probe participants about this topic. Twenty-four participants reported that they had begun using coping strategies other than NSSI to help them deal with stress or negative emotions. The most commonly reported coping strategies were appropriate release of emotions, relaxation techniques and distraction techniques such as reading, exercising, and creating artwork. The current study improves the current understanding of NSSI, particularly among federally sentenced women. Since the women most commonly reported engaging in NSSI as a method of coping, interventions could explore methods of teaching alternative copying strategies to a wider population of federally sentenced women. Details: Ottawa: Correctional Services of Canada, Research Branch, 2010. 55p. Source: Internet Resource: No. R-225: Accessed September 3, 2011 at: http://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/text/rsrch/reports/r225/r225-eng.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Canada URL: http://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/text/rsrch/reports/r225/r225-eng.pdf Shelf Number: 122629 Keywords: Female Inmates (Canada)Female PrisonersInmates, Mental HealthInmates, Self-InjurySelf-Mutilation |
Author: Barrett, Meredith Robeson Title: Twenty years later: Revisiting the Task Force on Federally Sentenced Women Summary: In 1989 a Task Force was established to review the Correctional Service of Canada’s approach to the management of women offenders in federal correctional facilities. As part of this, research was initiated to survey federal women offenders in order to examine their lives, needs and experiences before, during and after incarceration (Shaw, 1991). The results of this survey contributed significantly to Creating Choices, the groundbreaking report put forth by the Task Force, which suggested a number of recommendations that ultimately resulted in changes to the existing management practices concerning women offenders. It has been 20 years since this report launched CSC into reforming its approach to women’s corrections; given the passage of time and the noted improvements that have been made since, an update to the original 1989 survey was identified as a research priority. Accordingly, an updated version of the original survey was developed and distributed to all women’s correctional facilities. All women serving time in a federal women’s institution between October 2007 and January 2008 were invited to participate. Of the 520 women who were available to participate, 178 responded to the survey, representing 34% of the population of women incarcerated in Canada’s federal correctional system. Similar to the survey conducted in 1989, results provide a profile of the lives, experiences, and needs of federally incarcerated women. More specifically, results from the survey include information on physical and mental health, substance use, victimization, self harm, children and family, education and employment, recreation and exercise, relationships with staff and other women inmates, programming, and release. Additionally, results highlighted areas of women’s corrections that have improved, as well as areas that may still benefit from further development. Results were largely positive and revealed an overall improvement with regard to the management of federal women offenders since the original survey. Among other improvements, women reported positive offender-staff interactions, and an increase in the services and programs available to women was noted. Some results revealed areas were development could still be made, with women reporting a desire for increased access to health care services, more frequently run programs and additional contact with community supports and contacts to assist with the reintegration process. Overall, this study was successful in achieving its goal of providing an updated profile of the needs of federal women offenders in Canada. Additionally, it highlighted consistencies and differences between the original and current samples, as well as areas of women’s corrections that have been improved since the original survey and those areas that may benefit from future development. Future research may consider replicating the survey on specific offender sub-populations (e.g., Aboriginal, older women, women in the community). Details: Ottawa: Correctional Service of Canada, 2010. 144p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Report 2010 N° R-222; Accesssed April 16, 2012 at: http://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/text/rsrch/reports/r222/r222-eng.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Canada URL: http://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/text/rsrch/reports/r222/r222-eng.pdf Shelf Number: 124986 Keywords: Female Inmates (Canada)Female OffendersFemale Prisoners |
Author: MacSwain, Mary-Ann Title: Characteristics of women participants in the Methadone Maintenance Treatment Program (MMTP), . Summary: Why we did this study Ensuring that offenders have access to interventions that address their substance abuse issues allows the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) to support the safe reintegration of offenders into society. The treatment needs of federal offenders with opioid dependence are facilitated through the provision of CSC's Methadone Maintenance Treatment Program (MMTP). Some of the objectives of CSC's MMTP include reducing relapse to opioid drug use and the incidence of drug-related criminal activity; improving the offender's general health and quality of life; and assisting and motivating offenders to gradually desist from all illicit drug use. Understanding the characteristics of women MMTP participants will assist CSC in developing its MMTP delivery to more effectively address the challenges of opioid addicted offenders, a group with high levels of criminogenic needs and long criminal histories. What we did The study included women federal offenders who were initiated into CSC's MMTP between January, 2003 and December, 2008 (N = 209). The comparison group consisted of the remaining women institutional population (N = 1879). The demographic characteristics, criminogenic risk and need factors and criminal histories of MMTP participants and the institutional population were compared. The drug use and mental health histories of MMTP participants were also examined. What we found Results indicate that, compared to the institutional population, female MMTP participants had higher static (risk) and dynamic (need) factor ratings. In addition, they had lower reintegration potential and motivation level, and a longer criminal history. MMTP participants were also more likely to currently be serving sentences for offences related to the acquisition of money or personal belongings such as robbery, theft or break and enter, and forgery/fraud, along with other non violent offences. They were also less likely to have current homicide or drug related offences. Most women MMTP participants report the use of pharmaceutical opioids, rather than heroin or a combination of heroin and pharmaceutical opioids. However, in the Pacific and Quebec regions, heroin use was more prevalent. Almost two thirds of women MMTP participants report problematic poly drug use in addition to their opioid use, with cocaine being the most commonly used non-opioid drug. Almost all (97%) of MMTP participants reported a history of injection drug use, and many also reported a history of overdose, and other risk behaviours related to their drug use such as needle sharing. Many women also present for MMT with other mental health issues such as depression (63%), anxiety (62%), and panic disorder (32%), as well as trauma such as physical (81%), mental (74%), and sexual abuse (67%). What it means The current study indicates that women MMTP participants have long criminal histories and represent major challenges for reintegration. However, successful treatment of their addiction and other criminogenic factors may lead to reductions in criminal activity after release. In addition, this research highlights a need to focus attention on the abuse of other drugs, trauma and mental health issues for this group of women. Details: Ottawa: Correctional Service of Canada, 2014. 56p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Report No R-307 Accessed October 9, 2014 at: http://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/005/008/092/005008-0307-eng.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Canada URL: http://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/005/008/092/005008-0307-eng.pdf Shelf Number: 133630 Keywords: Drug Abuse TreatmentDrug OffendersFemale Inmates (Canada)Female OffendersMethadone MaintenanceSubstance Abuse Treatment |