ELSEVIER Journal of SubstanceAbuse Treatment,VoL 14, No. 4, pp. 339-349. 1997 Copyright© 1997 Elsevier Science Inc. Printedin the USA. All rightsreserved 0740-5472/97 $17.00 + .00 PII S0740-5472(97)00003-2 ARTICLE Treatment of Substance-Abusing Jail Inmates Examination of Gender Differences ROGER H. PETERS, PhD,* ANNE L. STROZIER, PhD,'~ MARY R. MURRIN, MA,* AND WILLIAM D. KEARNS, PhD* *Department of Mental Health Law and Policy, Florida Mental Health Institute, University of South Florida; tSchool of Social Work, University of South Florida, Tampa. FL Abstract-Females incarcerated for drug-related offenses represent one of the fastest growing popula- tions within jails and prisons. The few studies of female offenders with substance abuse disorders depict a population with multiple psychosocial problems and treatment needs, and one that is characterized by frequent exposure to sexual abuse and other violence. The current study examined intake assessment results from a sample of 1,655 substance-involved jail inmates referred to a jail treatment program in Tampa, Florida, including 26%female and 74% male inmates. The study was designed to identify gender differences in psychosocial characteristics and substance abuse treatment needs" among jail inmates. Results indicate that female inmates more frequently experienced employment problems, had lower incomes, more frequently reported cocaine as the primary drug of choice, and were more likely to report depression, anxiety, suicidal behavior, and a history of physical and sexual abuse. Implications for devel- oping specialized treatment approaches for female offenders are discussed, including use of integrated treatment strategies. © 1997 Elsevier Science Inc. Keywords-drug abuse; alcohol abuse; women; drug abuse treatment; inmates. INTRODUCTION THE NUMBER OF INCARCERATED females addicted to al- cohol and other drugs has increased dramatically in re- cent years. The population of female prisoners increased by 75% from 1986 to 1991 (U.S. Department of Justice, 1994a), and has risen at a rate of 12% per year since 1980, exceeding the growth rate for male prisoners (U.S. Department of Justice, 1995a). The proportion of female This research was funded in part by grant No. 87-DD-CX-0035 awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, and was conducted in Hillsborough County, Florida. Requests for reprints should be addressed to Roger H. Peters, ehD, Associate Professor, The University of South Florida, Florida Mental Health Institute, Department of Mental Health Law and Policy, Tampa, Florida 33612-3899. E-mail: Peters@hal.fmhi.usf.edu inmates in jails also increased from 7% to 10% between 1983 to 1994 (U.S. Department of Justice, 1995b). A large percentage of female inmates have a history of drug abuse. Over half of the incarcerated females surveyed by the Bureau of Justice Statistics (U.S. Department of Jus- tice, 1994a) reported that they committed their offenses under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Only a few studies have examined substance use pat- terns among incarcerated females. These have depicted a population with special problems and needs. Miller (1984) found that substance-abusing female offenders were more likely to be unemployed than male offenders. In a large survey of incarcerated female prisoners con- ducted by the American Correctional Association (1990), only 18% of respondents indicated that they were quali- fied to obtain satisfactory employment following release from incarceration. Incarcerated substance abusing re- Received May 23, 1996; Revised November 27, 1996; Accepted January 17, 1997, 339