A Needs Analysis of Recidivating Female Offenders in Oklahoma

Abstract

Prisoner reentry and recidivism are important issues in society today, as approximately 700,000 prisoners are being released each year. However, most of the criminological research tends to focus on male offender reentry and recidivism issues. This research will thus examine the needs influencing female offender recidivism, specifically in the state of Oklahoma. Face-to-face interviews of twenty-one female offenders in a maximum security prison were used to gain the data for this study. These findings will be analyzed in the context of mainstream and feminist criminology theories. Overall, female inmates in this study report experiencing issues with family relationships, institutionalization, meeting basic needs, paying debts, employment, housing, transportation, education, and health and medical needs.