Reintegration: Overcoming Challenges and Addressing the Woman’s Needs

This chapter examines the distinction between risk assessment and addressing needs in supporting desistance from crime. In the absence of a comprehensive review of prison alternatives, it considers evaluation methods used across different jurisdictions. The Risk-Need-Responsivity model is critiqued for failing to account for the broader social, economic, and personal factors linked to offending. Instead, the author advocates for a holistic “pathways” approach that incorporates individuals’ life histories, including experiences of trauma, abuse, and social disadvantage. The chapter also highlights a shift in Irish probation policy towards a more managerial, risk-focused approach, underscoring the marked lack of gender-specific policies and programmes. Desistance is explored further, with a call for a comprehensive, personalised approach that meets individuals’ unique personal, social, and situational needs.