This research project examines the personal characteristics, housing and housing-related needs of women offenders in Canada and the impact of post-prison transitional housing on their community re-integration. 

There are three components to this research project. A longitudinal study component compared criminal justice, health, housing, family relationship and other characteristics of a small group of women who had received post-prison transitional housing at Pathways with those who had not, at three points of time. Pathways is a nine unit specialized transitional housing program located in the Vancouver region. The comparison group was drawn from Columbia House, a community residential facility for women on parole. 

The research also included a review of the international literature addressing the subject of women offenders, their characteristics and housing-related needs. The third component was a survey of key respondents in BC who work directly with women offenders. (Authors)