Outcomes following Prison and Jail-Based Treatment among Women Residing in Metro and Non-Metro Communities following Release

This study uses data from the Criminal Justice Kentucky Treatment Outcome Study (CJKTOS) to describe treatment outcomes following prison and jail-based treatment among women residing in metro and non-metro areas following release. The study takes an exploratory look at potential differences in sustained abstinence, community treatment utilization, and recidivism by geographic location (metro/non-metro) and treatment program (jail or prison). Baseline data was collected from women as they entered two prison and two jail-based treatment programs, and follow-up data was collected 12 months post-release in the community. Bivariate group differences were noted with a higher percentage of metro women who participated in prison-based treatment relapsing to cocaine use during the follow-up period compared to non-metro women. In multivariate models, females who participated in jail-based treatment and prison-based treatment fared similarly on study outcomes. There was, however a main effect of residence status in that women living in non-metro areas during the follow-up period were less likely to utilize community-based aftercare treatment and less likely to be re-incarcerated during the follow-up period than women living in metro areas. Findings are discussed with regard to future research and practice implications for women offenders transitioning to geographically different communities following release.