Adopting a Gender-Responsive Approach for Women in the Justice System: A Resource Guide

Hosted by The Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center and the Bureau of Justice Assistance.

Women’s involvement in the criminal justice system continues to rise despite recent efforts to increase access to diversion and reduce recidivism rates. This ongoing disparity is fueled by the need for gender-responsive and trauma-informed policies, practices, and programs that specifically address women’s unique pathways to offending and their experiences in the criminal justice system. Although there is increasing awareness of the importance of using gender-responsive approaches for women with justice system involvement, local criminal justice leaders may experience challenges putting these approaches into practice. In this webinar, a leading national expert and author on gender-responsive services for women in the criminal justice system will provide an overview of the six foundational elements for building gender-responsive programs that are included within the recently released resource, Adopting a Gender-Responsive Approach for Women in the Justice System: A Resource Guide. Participants will receive action steps for implementing effective programming and responses for women involved in the criminal justice system. There will also be a question-and-answer period.

Speakers:

• Felicia Lopez Wright, Senior Policy Analyst, Behavioral Health, CSG Justice Center
• Marilyn Van Dieten, Senior Advisor, Center for Effective Public Policy and Project Director, National Resource Center on Justice-Involved Women