Project Summary/Abstract Women are the fastest growing segment of the criminal justice population; Alaska Native and American Indian (AN/AI or Native) women are disproportionately represented within this growing population and most arrests are alcohol or drug-related. Although rates vary by region and tribe, Native women face significant substance use disorder (SUD) treatment needs and nearly half of all treatment referrals originate in the criminal justice system. Trauma is an established antecedent to SUDs and justice-involvement and 84% of AN/AI women have experienced intimate partner violence or sexual assault in their lifetime with 40% in the past year. Cultural beliefs and practices are protective in reducing substance misuse and healing from trauma among AN/AI women, yet little is known about the protective role of cultural beliefs and practices among justice-involved AN/AI women and how those might be leveraged in an intervention to reduce recidivism. Recidivism is broadly defined as the return to criminal behavior after a person has been convicted of a prior offense. The goal of this study is to develop a culturally-informed model by identifying modifiable risk and protective factors associated with lower recidivism among AN/AI women on probation or parole in Alaska. Women on probation or parole have greater access to alcohol and drugs than incarcerated women and are at elevated risk of interpersonal violence – both of which contribute to recidivism. Native women in Alaska are 19% of the population, but 28% of women under community supervision. Alcohol, opioids and other drug use account for approximately one third of their criminal involvement. This study uses a convergent mixed methods design (QUAL + QUAN). Aim 1: Explore the role of substance misuse and interpersonal violence as risk factors for AN/AI women’s involvement in the justice system and identify the most salient cultural beliefs and practices that may influence factors related to recidivism through focus groups with AN/AI women on probation or parole (6 groups; N = 36). Aim 2: Identify modifiable factors associated with lower recidivism using administrative data and surveys with AN/AI women on probation or parole (N = 150) to investigate: 2a. associations between coping behaviors, cognitions, positive relationships, prosocial activities and recidivism; 2b. the impact of substance misuse and interpersonal violence on recidivism; and 2c. the moderating effect of cultural beliefs and practices on these relationships. This study will be among the first to provide data on the influence of SUDs and interpersonal violence as primary risk factors for justice-involvement among AN/AI women and is the first to examine the role that AN/AI cultural beliefs and practices may play in the reduction of risk for recidivism among this population. Findings will inform development of a culturally-responsive intervention to reduce recidivism among AN/AI women to be tested in a subsequent study.

Project Narrative Alaska Native and American Indian women are disproportionately represented in the criminal justice system; suffer from substance use-related health disparities; and report some of the highest rates of violence in the United States. This project examines complex intersections of these issues while focusing on the identification of cultural protective factors to be leveraged in a future intervention to reduce justice-involvement among this population. This study will develop a culturally-informed model by identifying modifiable risk and protective factors associated with lower recidivism among AN/AI women on probation or parole in Alaska.