By: Mary Ann Cozza

Congratulations are in order for Krista Gehring, instructor for the Department of Criminal Justice, who will be facilitating a workshop at the International Community Corrections Association annual conference in Cincinnati, Ohio on Sept.14.

The workshop is entitled "Facilitating 'Pre-entry': Pretrial Tools and Programs for Keeping the Wrong Female Offenders out of the Prison System," and focuses on the notion of "pre-entry" and how the criminal justice system can identify appropriate defendants for diversion or other more constructive community and criminal justice interventions.

The workshop focuses on assessments and innovative programs that comprise effective "pre-entry" models for diverting women, especially mentally ill and substance abusing individuals, either from the criminal justice system or to criminal justice supported community options most appropriate to their needs. The workshop focuses on new risk/needs assessments for pretrial defendants and the results of research on such models. It also discusses model programs and best practices. As part of the workshop, Gehring will present findings from her recent research with pretrial defendants.