Gender-responsive correctional interventions with Dr. Emily Salisbury

Dr. Emily Salisbury is an Associate Professor and the Director of the Utah Criminal Justice Center at the University of Utah College of Social Work. As the Research Director of the Women’s Risk Needs Assessment (WRNA) instruments, Dr. Salisbury’s work is pivotal in addressing the unique needs of justice-involved women. Her expertise as an applied criminologist focuses on correctional treatment interventions, especially for justice-involved women.

In a recent webinar — available soon on our Fidelity platform — Dr. Salisbury spoke to the importance of providing gender-responsive interventions in a corrections setting. One of the most significant predictors of crime is gender. Unfortunately, without gender-responsive interventions, the criminal justice system can treat women as though they pose the same risks as men, despite evidence to the contrary. Women’s recidivism risk is far lower than men’s, yet women are being incarcerated at higher rates, primarily for nonviolent crimes. 

For example, the rates at which women commit homicide with a firearm is substantially lower than men, as shown in the graph below. 

Justice-involved women have different challenges and needs than justice-involved men. These include:

• Studies have shown justice-involved women are typically less violent and have lower rates of recidivism compared to men. Without gender-responsive interventions, women are often assigned higher levels of supervision than necessary. 
• Women have higher rates of co-occurring disorders and mental health challenges, such as interpersonal trauma, PTSD and Complex-PTSD.
• Women are often the primary caregivers of children. Repairing these relationships is a common primary motivator for behavior change. However, this is often at the expense of women’s own well-being.
• Self-efficacy is the belief in one’s own ability to successfully accomplish tasks or goals. Dr. Salisbury notes that self-efficacy is crucial in interventions, though it is often punished within women’s institutions. This is likely reflective of a lack of gender-responsive training. After reentry, this self-efficacy is vital for survival and caring for themselves and any dependents.

Reframing Correctional Treatment with Women in Mind

Gender should not be a barrier to effective treatment. Dr. Salisbury challenges providers to consider what correctional treatment would look like if it started with women, particularly women of color, in mind. The Risk-Need-Responsivity (RNR) model looks different when applied to women, who are often over-classified and subjected to higher levels of supervision than necessary.

The Women’s Risk Needs Assessment (WRNA)

An alternative to traditional RNR assessments based on men’s needs, the WRNA is a comprehensive risk/need/strength assessment specifically designed for adult, justice-involved women. It features a trauma-informed interview process and is intentionally crafted to address women’s criminogenic needs and mobilize their strengths. This makes it an invaluable tool in case planning. The WRNA is endorsed by the United Nations for adhering to the Bangkok Rules, which set the minimum standards of treatment for incarcerated women.

The WRNA takes gender-responsive needs into account, including housing safety, employment/financial security, history of mental illness, relationship difficulties and parental stress. It also explores gender-responsive strengths, such as educational strengths, relationship support, parental involvement and self-efficacy. 

The Change Companies, in collaboration with Dr. Emily Salisbury and the Federal Bureau of Prisons, developed The WRNA Collection. This collection aligns with the WRNA domains and utilizes the evidence-based practice of Interactive Journaling. This approach incorporates the Stages of Change, expressive writing, Motivational Interviewing and Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), all tailored to women’s specific needs.

By focusing on gender-responsive correctional interventions and leveraging tools like the WRNA, providers can better support justice-involved women, helping them to rebuild their lives and reduce recidivism. This approach not only acknowledges the unique challenges these women face but also empowers them with the tools and support necessary for long-term success.