Religious Program Participation Among Females in Prison: A Strength-Based Perspective and Reentry Implications

Background and Purpose

Many commonly known criminogenic characteristics are informed by the Risk-Need-Responsivity (RNR) model which has served as a theoretical foundation for some of the most widely used risk and needs assessment instruments for offenders. However, despite its widespread adoption, some have criticized this model for its lack of attention to gendered influences and its lack of strength-based focus by labeling offenders as “disembodied bearers of risk.” The misclassification of female offenders also may stem from the absence of gender-sensitive assessments which pay attention to relationships, depression, parental issues, self-esteem, self-efficacy, trauma, and victimization. The misclassification may also undermine female pathways into crime. For example, for racial minority women, race and gender represent two systems that most heavily affect their lived experiences.

The purpose of this study was to examine the characteristics associated with prison program participation among state female prisoners. More specifically, there is a lack of attention in the literature of which female prisoner characteristics are associated with participation in religious prison programs. Understanding these characteristics is important as some prison programs have been associated with recidivism reduction. 

Methods

Data and sample: Survey data of state inmates in the 2004 Survey of Inmates in State and Federal Correctional Facilities. The sample of female prisoners used in this study was 1,523.

Analysis: Descriptive statistics and sequential logistic regressions were used to evaluate the odds that a female prisoner had participated in religious prison programs given her pattern of response to questions about 15 different predictor variables including her demographics, static (unchanging) and dynamic (malleable) criminogenic characteristics, and gender-responsive characteristics.

Results

Among the sample of female prisoners, those who participated in religious programs were married at some time in their life, had no self-reported criminal history, attained more than a high school education, had a history of employment prior to their arrest, and were survivors of sexual assault. Race was also a significant factor. Black females were nearly twice as likely as White females to participate in religious programs, in terms of odds, OR = 1.74, p < .001. Overall, 7% of the change in variance for religious program participation was accounted for in the pattern of significant variables.

Conclusion and Implications

This study recognizes the unique pattern of characteristics of female prisoners associated with participation in prison-based religious programs. Often offenders are presented in a deficit-based light, but findings from this study encourage social workers to use a strengths orientation. Additionally, this study confirms the presence of significant gender-specific characteristics in terms of survival from histories of sexual assault. Finally, Black females in this study were nearly twice as much as White females to participate in religious programs, in terms of odds. This pattern of response and the existing support in the literature of the role of the Black Church, suggest future research to examine the role of the Black church, the social capital among congregants, and in the reentry experiences of females.