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Gender Informed Practices Assessment

CCCF GIPA photo.JPGGender Informed Practices Assessment

The Oregon Department of Corrections was among the first in the nation to adopt gender-responsive approaches for women. They've invested in meaningful programs at Coffee Creek Correctional Facility, sought training on gender-responsive practices, and championed an evidence-based risk/needs assessment tool. 

The Oregon Department of Corrections led the way nationally in adopting gender-responsive approaches for women. Despite successful initiatives, sustaining these practices at Coffee Creek Correctional Facility (CCCF) has been challenging due to inconsistent funding and staffing shortages, exacerbated by the pandemic. In 2022, the Gender Responsive Work Group, bolstered by advocacy from formerly incarcerated women, secured legislative support for the Gender Informed Practices Assessment (GIPA). GIPA evaluates prisons' adherence to gender-responsive, trauma-informed, and evidence-based policies across the following 12 domains, aiming to ensure consistent implementation from admission to release.

 

  1. Leadership: Leadership at CCCF and within the Oregon Department of Corrections has shown commitment to gender-responsive practices, but there's a need for more systemic integration rather than relying on individual efforts.
  2. External Support: While CCCF has support from partners and stakeholders, better coordination and equitable resource allocation are needed to sustain and expand women-centered programming.
  3. Facility: CCCF's location poses accessibility challenges, and its design isn't conducive to the needs of women, lacking therapeutic spaces and triggering environments.
  4. Management and Operations: Despite leadership vision, translating gender-responsive practices throughout the facility's operations is lacking, especially in areas like housing units and restrictive housing.
  5. Staffing & Training: Chronic understaffing and lack of training contribute to inconsistent implementation of gender-responsive and trauma-informed practices, affecting interactions and safety.
  6. Culture: Low morale among staff and women's feelings of unsafety indicate challenges in building a gender-responsive and trauma-informed culture, exacerbated by staffing shortages and the pandemic.
  7. Resident Discipline: There's a need for improved training and protocols in disciplinary practices, as current methods can reenact trauma and have harmful impacts on women.
  8. Classification & Assessment: Efforts are underway to implement more responsive risk assessment tools for women, recognizing the limitations of existing tools.
  9. Case & Transitional Planning: While case management services are a strength, comprehensive planning for women's reentry needs improvement, particularly regarding housing and gender-specific needs.
  10. Research-based Programs: Access to evidence-based programs is limited, especially for lower-risk women, with concerns about the availability of substance use treatment.
  11. Services: Medical and mental health services need improvement to be more accessible and responsive to women's needs, including reproductive health and legal support.
  12. Quality Assurance and Evaluation: There's a disconnect between quality assurance measures and women's experiences, indicating a need for better evaluation protocols, especially regarding operations and security.​



GIPA Recommendations under Review​

Governor's advisory panel on gender responsive practices in corrections provide information and advice to the governor on the utilization of evidence-based trauma, informed in gender, responsive practices at CCCF and throughout Oregon’s criminal justice system.

Specifically, the advisory panel is charged with providing guidance, regarding implementing, the recommendation set forth in the GIPA, including the identifying necessary resource and development developing policy proposals.

The work of the advisory panel will be guided by input from women impacted by the criminal justice system their families, and representatives from stakeholder agencies and organizations.

The group will generate periodic status updates, including information, regarding existing barriers to successful implementation and recommendations to effectively address those challenges.
To access the full advisory panel click the link below.

Department of Corrections response to Governor Kotek.
https://www.oregon.gov/doc/Documents/GIPA-doc-response-letter.pdf​

GIPA presentation from Assistant Director, Heidi Steward to Chair Kropf, Vice-Chairs Andersen and Wallan, and members of the Interim Committee.
https://www.oregon.gov/doc/Documents/GIPA-report-presentation.pptx​

Find out what is happening at the governor's office.
State of Oregon Newsroom​

“Culturally-responsive” 
Culturally-responsive means considering the beliefs, practices, culture and linguistic needs of diverse victim and offender populations and communities whose members identify as having particular cultural of linguistic affiliations by virtue of their place of birth, ancestry or ethnic origin, religion, preferred language, or language, or language spoken at home.

"Gender-responsive"
Gender-responsive means taking into account gender-specific needs that have been identified in research including – but not limited to – socialization, psychological development, strengths, risk factors, pathways through systems, responses to treatment intervention, and other unique gender-specific needs facing justice-involved persons.

​“Trauma-informed" 
Trauma-informed means incorporating gender-violence research and the impact pf all forms of trauma in designing and implementing policies, practices, processes, programs, and services that involve understanding, recognizing, and responding to the effects if all types of traumas with emphasis on physical, psychological, and emotional safety.
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