NCJ Number
70376
Date Published
1980
Length
19 pages
Annotation
The issue of whether existing predictive parole decisionmaking guidelines validated for male offenders are valid for female offenders or whether a separate set of guidelines should be developed for women is examined.
Abstract
The predictive items used with the Federal parole guidelines have not yet been validated for their female subpopulation. While a host of studies have developed prediction items for male populations, very few have attempted to develop items for females. Currently, only two of the items now used in the Federal guidelines--number of prior incarcerations and history of drug dependency--have been clearly established to predict outcome for women parolees. Earlier work by Glaser and O'Leary (1966) highlights differences in postrelease violation rates of males and females within such categories as age at release, prior contact with agencies of the law, type of offense, and racial or national descent. For type of prior contacts, although the pattern of prediction is roughly the same, differences in the magnitude of violation rates for men and women are evident. In the case of the offense category, however, even the pattern of prediction is not consistent. Such variation in outcome for men and women within risk categories should warrant skepticism about using the same predictive or item weightings for male and female offenders. If it is the case that existing predictive items used in parole guidlines are not appropriate or valid for female inmates, ethical and legal issues would dictate the creation of separate guidelines for females; however, the body of research currently available cannot unequivocally refute the possibility of applying current guidelines to women as a subpopulation nor state with certainty that separate guidelines for women are required. Further cooperative research is needed. Tabular data, notes, and 13 references are provided. For related documents, see NCJ 70361-75 and 70377.