NCJ Number
158776
Date Published
1993
Length
14 pages
Annotation
A woman's group was established in the Easton probation office in England to empower female offenders under probation orders using a feminist model that would contrast with the prevailing social work practice of colluding with the view that women are subordinates and need to be guided into their gender-specified roles.
Abstract
A 6-week pilot group with seven participants began in March 1983. It focused on increasing awareness of strengths and weaknesses, understanding potential and increasing confidence, becoming aware of and discussing emotions, examining specific problems such as sexual harassment and domestic assault, exploring interests and increasing knowledge, and exploring offending patterns within the context of socioeconomic factors. The success of the pilot led to the establishment of a full program. For the next 2 years the group met weekly on an open basis. Recurring discussion themes were motherhood, child care, relationships, sexuality, health, poverty, status, class, welfare rights, racism, sexism, family, the criminal justice system, offending, coping alone, domestic assault, the portrayal of women, stereotyping, and power. An average of 18 women ranging in age from 18 to 65 took part each year; most were ages 18-25. Sixty percent had two or more previous convictions. The participants' had low recidivism rates, and the program demonstrated the benefits of such an approach.