Predicting female offending

Very little research has been performed which attempts to examine female offenders. Females are typically treated the same as male offenders but this is not necessarily effective. In order to determine the most effective method of treating female offenders, it is first necessary to establish the predictors of female offending. The present study attempted to explore predictors of sentence length, lapse time before re-offending and the severity of the offence committed by using the Level of Service Inventory-Ontario Revised on a sample of female offenders. Substance abuse was found to be positively associated with the severity of the most serious offence committed. The severity of the offence and lapse time before re-offending were also found to be related to sentence length. More research in this area needs to be performed in order to unlock the keys to female offending.