Papers by Kimberly Collica-Cox
Corrections - Policy, Practice and Research, 2021
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Criminal Justice Review, 2020
The increasing number of women corrections executives indicates improvement in their opportunitie... more The increasing number of women corrections executives indicates improvement in their opportunities for career advancement. This article examines the perceptions of women in corrections supervisory and management ranks regarding their opportunities for continuing upward mobility, whether they or their peers view them as tokens and whether those views may impact their decisions to pursue promotion up to and including wardens or corrections administrators. Based on surveys and interviews with members of the Association of Women Executives in Corrections, this study found that most women felt promotional opportunities were equally available for men and women. The women did not report feeling the isolation associated with tokenism, but they did report feeling high levels of visibility. Despite facing aspects of tokenism, they were not deterred from seeking advancement, and they noted that each subsequent promotion after the first one presented fewer problems for them and for their organizations.
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Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 2019
The incarceration of mothers affects 1.7 million minor children who are at high risk of behaviora... more The incarceration of mothers affects 1.7 million minor children who are at high risk of behavioral problems, emotional trauma, and future incarceration. The jail setting removes women from society for brief periods of time providing an opportunity to offer essential interventions for those who will be returning to the community, and possibly their children, rather quickly. Utilizing a pre- and post-test quasi-experimental design, we measured the self-reported treatment effects for
female inmates, housed in a county jail in the New York metropolitan area, who completed an evidence-based parenting program. Program participants reported reduced depression, increased parental
knowledge, and increased communication with their families and fellow inmates. The results indicated that alternative ways of measuring program success are needed – particularly for populations who present with long histories of criminal justice involvement and drug use.
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Women & Criminal Justice, 2019
With the growth of female corrections executives, further study regarding their experiences in
th... more With the growth of female corrections executives, further study regarding their experiences in
the upper ranks is needed. This study, based on quantitative and qualitative data through firsthand accounts and survey analysis, examined women’s own and others’ perceptions of the women’s experiences as corrections executives. Participants completed a study-designed questionnaire
and individual structured interviews. Despite the field’s male dominance, women found acceptance of their leadership positions among corrections staff. Results indicated that despite instances
of gender bias, most departments and their staff members were supportive of women leaders and
perceived them to be as capable and as effective as their male counterparts. The study raised an
important issue for institutional corrections as to whether the presence of higher-ranking women
influences lower-ranking women to consider upward mobility in ways they might not if only
men held these positions.
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International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology. , 2019
The media tends to influence public perceptions of the criminal justice system. The media’s impac... more The media tends to influence public perceptions of the criminal justice system. The media’s impact, known as the CSI Effect, is not well documented in criminal justice majors. The present study adds to a small body of literature regarding the impact of media on criminal justice students’ decisions, and seeks to identify the factors that influence students’ choices, regarding their major/career goals. Based on the results from surveys administered at an urban university in the United States, most criminal justice students reported that they were not influenced by the media, yet the vast majority believed this to be true of their fellow majors. These students chose criminal justice because they found the subject matter interesting and relevant to the real world, and they wanted to work in a field in which they could be a problem solver. Upon graduation, these students overwhelmingly reported an interest in pursuing a career in federal law enforcement. Unfortunately, corrections, a field dedicated to working with offenders, was the lowest preferred profession among criminal justice students.
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Journal of Prison Education and Reentry, 5 (2), 101-119. , 2019
With 68% of prisoners recidivating within a three year period, designing and implementing innovat... more With 68% of prisoners recidivating within a three year period, designing and implementing innovative programming within the corrections setting is a necessity. The transient nature of the jail population begets difficulties for its successful implementation and maintenance. Since incarcerated females represent a smaller portion of the population, women, who face different challenges than their male counterparts, often receive less opportunity for programming, especially within the jail setting. Parenting, Prison & Pups (PPP), a program which weaves together an evidence-based parenting curriculum, integrated with the use of Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT), serves as a model for how to implement innovative programming within the jail setting at both the federal and county level for female prisoners. This paper outlines strategies to employ and discusses challenges that arise during program creation, implementation, and evaluation, which all require consideration prior to starting a new jail-based program. Despite a multitude of challenges, well-developed strategies can advance program goals and outcomes.
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While the number of female corrections executives is small, there is evidence that those moving u... more While the number of female corrections executives is small, there is evidence that those moving up the ranks in this highly male-dominated field continue to grow. The present study, conducted with support from the Association of Women Executives in Corrections (AWEC), found that 18% of state corrections agencies were led by women. While women corrections executives' motivations for entering the field were diverse, they centered primarily on pay and benefits. Notably, most women executives entered the corrections field unexpectedly and found they had an instant attraction to the work and did not regret their decision to stay.
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Former prisoners change their criminal trajectory by coming to terms with their criminal past and... more Former prisoners change their criminal trajectory by coming to terms with their criminal past and making plans for a law abiding future. Maruna’s study, which distinguishes between criminal desisters and persisters, finds that in order for the formerly incarcerated to maintain the process of desistance or what he terms making good, they
need to be able to find a higher purpose in life, whilst subsequently making sense out of their life histories. Many desisters express a strong desire to provide assistance and support to other prisoners as
a way of giving back. By helping others, they are able to reform their past, recreate their self identities, and finally accomplish a certain level of success. This concept of the wounded healer describes the offender’s two identities: the old criminal identity and the new law abiding identity.
The offender does not have to be ashamed of his/her past; he/she utilizes it as a tool to help others. It becomes a way to establish a positive future, to ‘leave a positive legacy’. This new way of
looking at one’s self provides fresh insight into one’s past and allows one to turn something bad into something good, thereby, aiding the process of criminal desistance. ‘Essentially, the desisting exoffender otherwise shame filled past’. Working in the field of HIV/AIDS within the prison system and/or on release can allow prisoner peers to also give back
to others and help them establish a higher purpose in life. In essence, they become a wounded healer and adopt a new identity that
does not ignore their past but rather embraces it.
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Corrections Today, 2018
Approximately 70 percent of incarcerated women in America are responsible for a minor child. This... more Approximately 70 percent of incarcerated women in America are responsible for a minor child. This means 1.3 million children nationwide have a mother in jail or prison. An at-risk population, female inmates often suffer from high rates of depression, self-destructive behavior, physical illness and other types of mental illness; they often have more complex needs than those of their male counterparts. When mothers and children are separated as a result of incarceration, it impacts both detrimentally, often exacerbating mental and behavioral health problems for the mother and child. This disruption to the mother-child bond places her children at high risk for depression, social exclusion, anxiety, substance use, early criminality, antisocial behavior, physical ailments and future incarceration. In fact, a child of a parent who is incarcerated is six times more likely to get involved in the criminal-justice system. The innovative use of therapy dogs has succeeded in reducing trauma-induced feelings when one has difficulty trusting others because of dysfunctional, damaged or nonexistent early childhood attachments. This is particularly important for female inmates who often have long histories of abuse/trauma.
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American Jails, 2018
AMERICANJails The Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) was enacted by Congress to protect people in... more AMERICANJails The Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) was enacted by Congress to protect people in custody from sexual abuse and harassment. In order to comply with this act, correctional institutions are charged with adhering to 43 PREA standards developed by the Department of Justice. Failure to meet even one standard is an overall failure of PREA compliance. Therefore, it is no surprise that jail administrators may feel overwhelmed by the arduous process of preparing for a PREA audit. However, with the proper organization, dedicated staff, and an effective implementation of policy, PREA accreditation can be attained. The Westchester County Department of Correction (WCDOC) is the first jail in the State of New York to become PREA-accredited, and it serves as a model to other jail institutions in the process of preparing for a successful PREA audit.
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Due to their small numbers, women in executive level positions in corrections have rarely had an ... more Due to their small numbers, women in executive level positions in corrections have rarely had an opportunity to discuss their motivations for seeking upward mobility in a male-dominated profession. This article describes whether their career paths were through custodial or non-custodial ranks, and how that influenced later choices and their ability to reach the executive-level. Based on surveys/interviews with members of the Association of Women Executives in Corrections, this study uncovered several factors contributing to their successes. Most notably, correction departments allow both custodial and non-custodial paths to promotion. By coming from the non-custodial ranks and sometimes delaying promotion, particularly for work/life balance, they were able to overcome career/personal challenges to achieve leadership positions in a variety of correction settings/institutions.
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Bog for CrimCast, 2017
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As women commit to a conventional lifestyle, the bond of attachment becomes a fundamental compone... more As women commit to a conventional lifestyle, the bond of attachment becomes a fundamental component in sustaining the desistance process. If weak attachments in the community cannot be replaced or enhanced with the cultivation of strong conventional attachments while incarcerated, female offenders will leave prison without a supportive network. Strong social networks and a high level of social capital are essential for female offenders to reintegrate successfully; if social bonds are constructed before release, there is a greater chance of maintaining a crime-free lifestyle. One way to cultivate strong bonds of attachment during incarceration is through prison-based programming. This qualitative study, based on the narratives of 49 female offenders, examines the potential for inmates to form prosocial attachments with staff in two HIV prison-based peer programs in New York State. Strong attachments were formed between the inmates and civilian staff during incarceration, maintained upon release, and served to reinforce the establishment of bourgeoning conventional identities. The dedication and commitment of the civilian staff, and the support they provided to the inmates, was essential to achieving both rehabilitative and reintegrative goals.
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Journal of Prison Education and Reentry, 3 (2), 67-91.
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Theory in Action, 10 (2)
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Women wardens? Women commissioners of corrections? Many readers may be surprised to read these wo... more Women wardens? Women commissioners of corrections? Many readers may be surprised to read these words, which could be partly due to estimates as recently as 2012 explaining that fewer than 10 percent of state correctional systems were led by a female executive, as evidenced in a publication from the National Institute of Corrections.1 Yet women have reached executive-level positions in what has historically been and continues to be a male-dominated field. While the number of women who are the chief executive officers of jails or prisons, or who lead local or state department of corrections remains small, their numbers have grown sufficiently enough to learn about them, their agencies and the paths they followed to reach the top of their professions. To learn more about these topics, the authors reached out to women correctional executives.
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Self-esteem is vital to a law abiding lifestyle and serves to promote successful rehabilitative a... more Self-esteem is vital to a law abiding lifestyle and serves to promote successful rehabilitative and reintegrative outcomes, particularly for female offenders often plagued by low levels of self-worth. Prison-based program administrators have the opportunity to achieve their intended programmatic goals while offenders are incarcerated, in addition to achieving unintended complementary effects, such as the enhancement of inmate self-esteem, which is essential for rehabilitative success. This study analyzed levels of self-esteem among 49 female prisoners that worked in two HIV prison-based peer programs (ACE & CARE) as peer educators during their incarceration. Overall, self-esteem among this group was quite high.
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This study investigates levels of knowledge of HIV/AIDS, self-reported precarious behaviors leadi... more This study investigates levels of knowledge of HIV/AIDS, self-reported precarious behaviors leading to an increased risk for HIV infection, and perceptions of future behavior modification among adult female inmates in the AIDS Counseling and Education (ACE) Program at Bedford Hills Correctional Facility, the only maximum security prison for women in New York State. The analyses show a statistically significant increase in knowledge following the workshops. Comparisons made between groups determined which participants benefited the most from ACE's program. Methodology, study limitations, implications for program change, future research, and the difficulties of conducting research in a correctional facility are discussed.
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The rates of HIV infection among incarcerated populations are astonishing. In light of these sta... more The rates of HIV infection among incarcerated populations are astonishing. In light of these statistics, many researchers believe that jail and/or prison settings, which hold captive and high risk populations, should be targeted for comprehensive HIV/AIDS educational programming. Previous research illustrates the benefits of using peer education as a cost-effective means to satisfy this goal. Without cardinal health information, inmates return to their communities with inadequate knowledge about behaviors that foster HIV transmission. This study, which includes 1,280 facilities and 1,427,279 inmates, provides data on the prevalence of HIV prison-based peer programs in U.S. correctional facilities. The findings indicate that only 18 states, just 20% of U.S. prisons, have an HIV prison-based peer program. Despite the success of these programs, most facilities are not utilizing them for educational or rehabilitative purposes.
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Papers by Kimberly Collica-Cox
female inmates, housed in a county jail in the New York metropolitan area, who completed an evidence-based parenting program. Program participants reported reduced depression, increased parental
knowledge, and increased communication with their families and fellow inmates. The results indicated that alternative ways of measuring program success are needed – particularly for populations who present with long histories of criminal justice involvement and drug use.
the upper ranks is needed. This study, based on quantitative and qualitative data through firsthand accounts and survey analysis, examined women’s own and others’ perceptions of the women’s experiences as corrections executives. Participants completed a study-designed questionnaire
and individual structured interviews. Despite the field’s male dominance, women found acceptance of their leadership positions among corrections staff. Results indicated that despite instances
of gender bias, most departments and their staff members were supportive of women leaders and
perceived them to be as capable and as effective as their male counterparts. The study raised an
important issue for institutional corrections as to whether the presence of higher-ranking women
influences lower-ranking women to consider upward mobility in ways they might not if only
men held these positions.
need to be able to find a higher purpose in life, whilst subsequently making sense out of their life histories. Many desisters express a strong desire to provide assistance and support to other prisoners as
a way of giving back. By helping others, they are able to reform their past, recreate their self identities, and finally accomplish a certain level of success. This concept of the wounded healer describes the offender’s two identities: the old criminal identity and the new law abiding identity.
The offender does not have to be ashamed of his/her past; he/she utilizes it as a tool to help others. It becomes a way to establish a positive future, to ‘leave a positive legacy’. This new way of
looking at one’s self provides fresh insight into one’s past and allows one to turn something bad into something good, thereby, aiding the process of criminal desistance. ‘Essentially, the desisting exoffender otherwise shame filled past’. Working in the field of HIV/AIDS within the prison system and/or on release can allow prisoner peers to also give back
to others and help them establish a higher purpose in life. In essence, they become a wounded healer and adopt a new identity that
does not ignore their past but rather embraces it.
female inmates, housed in a county jail in the New York metropolitan area, who completed an evidence-based parenting program. Program participants reported reduced depression, increased parental
knowledge, and increased communication with their families and fellow inmates. The results indicated that alternative ways of measuring program success are needed – particularly for populations who present with long histories of criminal justice involvement and drug use.
the upper ranks is needed. This study, based on quantitative and qualitative data through firsthand accounts and survey analysis, examined women’s own and others’ perceptions of the women’s experiences as corrections executives. Participants completed a study-designed questionnaire
and individual structured interviews. Despite the field’s male dominance, women found acceptance of their leadership positions among corrections staff. Results indicated that despite instances
of gender bias, most departments and their staff members were supportive of women leaders and
perceived them to be as capable and as effective as their male counterparts. The study raised an
important issue for institutional corrections as to whether the presence of higher-ranking women
influences lower-ranking women to consider upward mobility in ways they might not if only
men held these positions.
need to be able to find a higher purpose in life, whilst subsequently making sense out of their life histories. Many desisters express a strong desire to provide assistance and support to other prisoners as
a way of giving back. By helping others, they are able to reform their past, recreate their self identities, and finally accomplish a certain level of success. This concept of the wounded healer describes the offender’s two identities: the old criminal identity and the new law abiding identity.
The offender does not have to be ashamed of his/her past; he/she utilizes it as a tool to help others. It becomes a way to establish a positive future, to ‘leave a positive legacy’. This new way of
looking at one’s self provides fresh insight into one’s past and allows one to turn something bad into something good, thereby, aiding the process of criminal desistance. ‘Essentially, the desisting exoffender otherwise shame filled past’. Working in the field of HIV/AIDS within the prison system and/or on release can allow prisoner peers to also give back
to others and help them establish a higher purpose in life. In essence, they become a wounded healer and adopt a new identity that
does not ignore their past but rather embraces it.
female offenders with AIDS. It provides data to show how women, working as HIV peer educators in prison, utilize their peer experiences as a transition point for rehabilitation both inside and outside of the penitentiary. HIV and prison are inextricably linked and education has proved to be the one constant that mitigates the spread of both HIV and crime. Research on female inmates in general is not frequent and this book presents unique qualitative data that includes rich accounts from the women themselves. It illustrates the benefits derived by female inmates who work in an HIV prison-based peer program, while adding to the criminology literature on female patterns of criminality and rehabilitation. It provides a greater understanding of how prison programs affect the processes of criminal desistance and behavioral changes for female
inmates. Women involved in such programming are able to change the criminal trajectory of their life direction. contributing to reduced levels of recidivism and institutional disciplinary infractions. The implications for these programs is relevant within the broader perspective of women, HIV and incarceration.