Pretrial Needs Assessment: Utilizing Gender-Responsive Approaches for Better Service Provision

SESSION INFO

Tuesday, January 7, 2020
2:15 PM - 3:45 PM
Session Type: Workshop

Since the 1980s, increasing numbers of individuals entering into the criminal justice system have caused criminal justice professionals and researchers concern about the phenomenon of individuals continually returning to the system. While current pretrial practices have begun to identify defendants’ risk of pretrial failure, it is possible that identifying and addressing needs in the pretrial stage of the criminal justice system could contribute to pretrial success. Furthermore, addressing gender-informed needs during the pretrial phase may prove beneficial for female pretrial defendants and interrupt their continual cycling through the system. This workshop will 1) discuss pretrial needs that are prevalent for pretrial women defendants, 2) examine research that suggests needs affect to pretrial outcomes, and 3) explore the ways that Salt Lake County Criminal Justice Services have begun to identify and address these needs.

SESSION PRESENTERS

Krista Gehring
Associate Professor, University of Houston - Downtown


Krista S. Gehring, Ph.D., is an associate professor in the Department of Criminal Justice and Social Work at the University of Houston Downtown. Her research interests include justice-involved women and defendants; gender-responsive policies, practices, and programs; criminological theory; correctional rehabilitation; risk/needs assessment and classification; and pretrial risk/needs. Her research has led to her consulting with the National Resource Center for Justice Involved Women; her advisement to the National Institute of Corrections; and her facilitation of multiple trainings of criminal justice personnel on how to implement, administer, and use the Women’s Risk/Needs Assessment (WRNA) and the Gender Informed Needs Assessment (GINA).