Gender and Cultural Differences in Risk Assessment

The number of female offenders has continued to rise in the UK, US, NZ and Australia. Despite this continued growth, females are predominantly assessed for their risk and treatment needs using risk assessment tools designed for males. Although subsequent validations for females have been conducted, the results have either been limited to a single study as in the case of the VRS or have been inconsistent in Australian samples in the case of the LS/RNR. Numerous researchers have argued the importance of gender responsivity in the assessment and treatment of female offenders with various international and Australian jurisdictions implementing gender-responsive initiatives in prison. This presentation will discuss the gender and cultural differences in the risk assessment outcomes of both general and violent offenders incarcerated in WA and provide a brief overview of gender responsive initiatives in various jurisdictions.

Menna Gower has a Bachelor of Psychology, a Masters in Forensic Psychology, and is due to complete a PhD in 2023 with a focus on risk assessment and treatment of female offenders. Menna has been with the Department of Justice for over 15 years and has worked in risk assessment and program facilitation, program development and evaluation during this time. She is currently a Principal Evaluation and Research Officer within the Western Australian Office of Crime Statistics and Research at the Department of Justice and is responsible for evaluating drug and alcohol initiatives in Western Australian prisons, plus collaborating with other agencies/ universities on various research topics within criminal justice.

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