Literature review - Research Paper Example

119). In light with this, Cauffman suggested that effective prevention efforts should be put in place in a bid to meet the mental health needs for at-risk female offenders. Cauffman advocated for community-based treatment programs that would improve individual outcomes. However, although such a program would be effective towards this effect, a more comprehensive approach needs to be deliberated upon. In fact, it is true to argue that a community based program can be a good accompaniment of prerelease programs.

Prerelease programs help incarcerated persons realize that it is their mistakes that have lead to their incarceration. Therefore, through these programs, they get advice on how to abstain from crime. When they get out of prison, community based programs enhances good behavior and highlights on various ways through which they can coexist with other members of the community without committing crimes. In their article, Barbara, et al (2010) noted that studies have documented that incarcerated persons have high rates of psychological disorders.

In fact, they contended that nearly 70% of female offenders are affected by depression. In this regard, it is apparent that there therefore an obvious necessity to have a variety of treatment programs. However, according to Barbara, et al (2010), available treatment options do not seem to favor female offenders with physical and psychological problems. This can be argued to be correct because, for example, while cognitive behavioral therapy is used with male offenders, it is incomplete on the side of female offenders who have multidimensional issues ranging from emotional to relational factors.

Rationale for effective behavioral modification programs for female offenders Studies have documented that women tend to generally show positive responses to most intervention methods that have been specifically designed to decrease some negative feelings such as guilt with the intention of increasing their levels of self esteem. One of such methods is group counseling. This can be used to address issues such as gender-specific addiction, family relations, and self esteem among many others. Group counseling seems to be effective for female offenders because females are intrinsically motivated to connect with others.

Many female offenders have a sense of disconnection, marginalization, isolation, something that lead to hopelessness (Gaines & Miller, 2011). In this regard, group counseling in the prison setting would help female offenders to share different experiences that can help in motivating them. Valerie, et al (2009) in their article noted that many cases of delinquency have histories of exposure to violence, abuse, and neglect. Valerie, et al (2009) also acknowledged that over 60% of girls in the juvenile justice system have at one time been victims of several forms of abuse.

In addition, they also noted that a study carried out in the California juvenile justice system found that 92% of female offenders had unfortunately been victim to some form of not only emotional abuse, but also in some cases, they were also victims of physical and/ or sexual abuse. Therefore, with such deliberations, group counseling would offer emotional support in the effort to manage stress. Delinquency behavior acquired as a result of exposure to such issues would be challenged in group sessions whereby each member of the group expresses their