Effects of Supervisory Relationships and Childhood Adversity on Recidivism Risks for Women Under Community Supervision

Associations with substance-involved peers, difficulties with daily tasks, and financial struggles are recidivism risks for women under community supervision. Relationship strength between such women and their supervising officers is an emerging area of interest in community corrections, as is exposure to adverse childhood experiences. This research uses longitudinal data on 402 women convicted of substance-related felonies and on probation or parole to examine how their perceptions of relationship strength with supervising officers and exposure to adverse childhood experiences correlate with cohabitation with substance-involved people, experiencing substance-related difficulties with work or school, and financial distress. Better relationships with supervising officers and less exposure to adverse childhood experiences mitigated recidivism risks. Implications for practice are discussed.