Female inmates list drug use as primary motivation for committing burglary

committing a burglary, with crack or powder cocaine, and heroin being the most commonly used drugs.

In addition to revealing gender-specific differences in the motivation for committing burglaries, the study also raised “important research questions that have clear implications for male and female drug prevention programs, incarceration programming and treatment, and offender reintegration efforts,” researchers wrote.

There was more indication from female burglars that access to substance abuse treatment programs and religious or faith-based programs in prison would help reduce their chances of committing crimes after their release.

“Ultimately, as the female burglars suggested in our study, provision of substance use treatment should be strongly encouraged and readily available for persistent male and female burglars,” researchers stated.