The majority of offenders in the criminal justice system are male. However, the 12% of the jail population that is female has been steadily rising over the years. Criminal justice professionals and policy makers are now attempting to combat this unfortunate trend. College graduates with a criminal justice associate degree are finding a variety of reasons to consider a career working to improve the lives of women in the criminal justice system.
Rising Rates of Female Offenders Call Criminal Justice Associate Degree Graduates to Action
The U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics has identified several alarming statistics on women in the criminal justice system. The following facts demand the attention of criminal justice associate degree graduates: 1 of every 8 adults on criminal justice parole were women in 2017. 1 of every 4 adults on criminal justice probation were women in 2017. 23. % of all criminal justice arrests were female in 2017. 86,999 criminal justice jail inmates were female in 2017. 39. % of released female criminal justice prisoners were re-convicted within 3 years, according to a 2017 study.
Criminal Justice Associate Degree Graduates can Make a Difference through Federal and Local Programs
The top risk factors that put women in the criminal justice system include substance abuse, spousal abuse, prior victimization, and mental illness. Armed with this knowledge, criminal justice associate degree graduates and other professionals have designed the following programs:
- Girl Power: criminal justice associate degree graduates and other professionals deliver a national education campaign for 9 – 14-year old girls that reinforces positive values.
- Girls to Women Mentoring Project: criminal justice associate degree graduates and other professionals encourage social development for girls of all ages.
- STEP WON: criminal justice associate degree graduates and other professionals provide educational, vocational, and personal development for adult women offenders.
As the female offender population rises, so does the need for criminal justice associate degree professionals with a passion for working with women in the criminal justice system. With appropriate training, alumni can go on to make a significant difference in the lives of women across the nation.