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Date: April 29, 2024 Mon
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Results for rehabilitation programs
66 results foundAuthor: Janetta, Jesse Title: CPAP Assessment of CDCR Recidivism-Reduction Programs Summary: There has been an increasing emphasis in recent years on correctional programming being “evidence-based.” In its report issued in December of 2007,a the Governor’s Rehabilitation Strike Team stated that “prisoners must be assessed, routed to appropriate evidence-based programs, and once released, continuity of treatment must be assured.” Evidence-based practice in the field of corrections is the conscientious, explicit, and judicious use by correctional administrators of current best research evidence in selecting programs designed to manage offenders, reduce recidivism, and increase public safety. Evidence-based programs adhere to “principles of effective intervention” established by prior research. With California facing serious prison overcrowding challenges in addition to the long-standing public safety need to reduce recidivism to the lowest possible levels, the salience of having evidence-based recidivism-reduction programming in California is greater than ever. This report assesses the degree to which 26 recidivism-reduction programs offered to prison inmates and parolees by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) are evidence-based, as determined by a rating of the programs using the California Program Assessment Process (CPAP). The CPAP is an instrument designed to measure the conformity of offender change programs to research-derived principles of effective correctional programming and the extent of research evidence supporting the program’s model. Details: Irvine, CA: Center for Evidence-Based Corrections, University of California, Irvine, 2008. 86p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 1, 2011 at: http://ucicorrections.seweb.uci.edu/files/CPAP%20Assessment%20of%20CDCR.pdf Year: 2008 Country: United States URL: http://ucicorrections.seweb.uci.edu/files/CPAP%20Assessment%20of%20CDCR.pdf Shelf Number: 120646 Keywords: Correctional ProgramsInmatesParoleesRecidivismRehabilitation Programs |
Author: Duffy, Anne Title: Copping On: Evaluation Report Summary: The focus of Copping On is the implementation of a national crime awareness programme with young people at risk, and the development and support of local multi-agency responses to the issue of youth offending. The evaluation includes a survey of those in school retention, second chance education, justice projects, justice agencies, Health Service Executive and youth work who have participated in Copping On training and gives their experiences with and suggestions for change in the programme. The ethos of Copping On is about tackling the roots of youth crime instead of just the symptoms and this has helped to change the lives of many young people. This report adds to the small, but growing body of publications relating to young people at risk of offending and will help to raise the profile of Copping On. Details: Lexlip, Ireland: Copping On, 2005. 57p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 15, 2011 at: http://www.coppingon.ie/PDF%20&%20Word%20Files/Copping%20On%20Report-WEB.pdf Year: 2005 Country: Ireland URL: http://www.coppingon.ie/PDF%20&%20Word%20Files/Copping%20On%20Report-WEB.pdf Shelf Number: 121012 Keywords: Delinquency PreventionJuvenile JusticeJuvenile Offenders (Ireland)Rehabilitation Programs |
Author: Richards, Kelly Title: Promising Interventions for Reducing Indigenous Juvenile Offending Summary: Indigenous juveniles (those aged 10 to 16 years in Queensland and 10 to 17 years in all other jurisdictions) are over-represented at all stages of the criminal justice system, and their over-representation becomes more pronounced at the most severe end of the system (ie in detention). Recent figures show that Indigenous juveniles are 24 times as likely to be detained in a juvenile correctional facility as non-Indigenous juveniles. A variety of explanations for this over-representation have been proposed, including: • lack of access or disparate access to diversionary programs; • systemic discrimination against Indigenous juveniles (eg police bias against Indigenous juveniles); • inadequate resourcing of Aboriginal legal services; and • genuinely higher levels of offending by Indigenous juveniles. A range of measures (including diversion and juvenile conferencing programs) has recently been implemented to reduce the over-representation of Indigenous juveniles in detention, and minimise the contact of juveniles with the formal criminal justice system. Diversionary measures can only have a limited impact, however, and reducing offending and reoffending have been identified as critical factors to address if the over-representation of Indigenous juveniles is to be reduced. While acknowledging that other measures designed to reduce the over-representation of Indigenous juveniles are important, this paper reviews the evidence on policies and programs that reduce offending by Indigenous juveniles in Australia. Where relevant, research from comparable jurisdictions, such as New Zealand and Canada, is also discussed. Details: Sydney: Indigenous Justice Clearinghouse, 2011. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Brief No. 10: Accessed April 7, 2011 at: http://www.indigenousjustice.gov.au/briefs/brief010.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia URL: http://www.indigenousjustice.gov.au/briefs/brief010.pdf Shelf Number: 121267 Keywords: Delinquency PreventionDiscriminationIndigenous Peoples (Australia)Juvenile DetentionJuvenile OffendersRehabilitation Programs |
Author: HM Prison Service Title: The Impact of IMPACT - Overcoming Barriers to Employment for Ex-offenders: A collection of articles highlighting the experiences, successes and learning of working with the European Social Fund to address disadvantage Summary: This report contains a collection of articles highlighting the experiences, successes and learning of working with the European Social Fund to address disadvantage. The report outlines and explains the materials developed by IMPACT and tested for their usefulness in getting people into work. The report also offers the benefit of the learning gained within the project; it records what has worked well, what pitfalls and difficulties were overcome during the life of the IMPACT research project and what could have been done better. Details: London: HM Prison Service, 2008. 68p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 7, 2012 at http://www.equal-works.com/resources/contentfiles/5072.pdf Year: 2008 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.equal-works.com/resources/contentfiles/5072.pdf Shelf Number: 124018 Keywords: EmploymentEx-Offenders (U.K.)Rehabilitation Programs |
Author: Burnett, Ros Title: Found in Transition? Local Inter-Agency Systems for Guiding Young Adults into Better Lives: Final Report of the Formative Evaluation of the T2A Pilots Summary: Three Transition to Adulthood (T2A) pilots were introduced as part of a movement to give prominence and priority to services for ‘young adults’ in the criminal justice system, recognising that this is a stage in life when the adjustments and passages in the life-course are at their most challenging and when those already involved in offending are at risk of becoming the most prolific. The Barrow Cadbury Trust has been at the forefront of this movement, funding a commission of inquiry, an alliance of interested organisations and three pilots to pioneer appropriate services in their locale. The broad purpose of the T2A movement has been to put ‘young adulthood’ on the map used by criminal justice and community services so that it is more conspicuous as a distinct area of need, and to achieve a more joined-up approach across the age divide separating services, and across the different sectors. Categories of young adults with different needs or additional challenges – ethnic minority, female, disabled, mentally ill, substance addicted – are particularly within the ambit of the initiative, because of their combined vulnerabilities. The pilots are in London, Birmingham, and Worcestershire respectively. Two are led by voluntary sector services: the St Giles Trust runs the one in South London as part of its SOS project, and YSS (not an abbreviation) runs the one in Worcestershire. The third one, in Birmingham, is delivered by the Staffordshire and West Midlands Probation Trust. They commenced operation as T2A teams during the period December 2008 and July 2009, though the two voluntary sector teams were able to embed this work within existing projects. Still with one year to run, in effect they have a dual function: on an operational level, they are demonstrating effective work with young adults at risk; on an institutional level, they are blazing a trail for inter-agency policies that will bridge gaps between services and ensure joined up provision for young adults. The pilots have made great progress in putting into practice the purposes set for them by BCT’s Commission for Transition to Adulthood and the subsequent T2A Alliance. The inroads they have made are on two main fronts: their present work with service users (that is, at the beneficiary level) and their more future oriented strategic planning with other agencies (that is, at the institutional level). The work on these two fronts includes many strands. They add up to a complex package which – especially with reference to continuity in the future – might be summed up as the development of local inter-agency systems for guiding young adults into better lives. Details: Oxford, UK: University of Oxford, Centre for Criminology, 2010. 119p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 27, 2012 at: http://www.t2a.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Oxford-CfC-Final-Evaluation-Report-2011.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.t2a.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Oxford-CfC-Final-Evaluation-Report-2011.pdf Shelf Number: 126114 Keywords: Delinquency PreventionJuvenile Offenders (U.K.)Rehabilitation ProgramsYoung Adult Offenders |
Author: Crimmens, David Title: Reaching Socially Excluded Young People: A National Study of Street-Based Youth Work Summary: This study explores the contribution of detached and outreach youth work to the involvement of socially excluded young people in relevant and accessible education, training and employment in England and Wales. In particular it considers how detached and outreach youth work might articulate with the Connexions initiative. The research sought to: • explore the nature, range and geographical spread of street-based youth work with socially excluded young people in England and Wales; • identify the effectiveness of agency strategies and practice interventions in developing significant and sustainable educational, training and vocational opportunities; and • establish how street-based youth work can best contribute to and articulate with the Connexions Service and the ‘key agencies’ that constitute Connexions Partnerships. Details: Durham, UK: Durham University, 2004. 47p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 27, 2012 at: http://dro.dur.ac.uk/6409/1/6409.pdf Year: 2004 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://dro.dur.ac.uk/6409/1/6409.pdf Shelf Number: 126116 Keywords: Delinquency PreventionDisadvantaged YouthRehabilitation ProgramsYoung Adult Offenders (U.K.) |
Author: Stephenson, Martin Title: Access, Participation and Progression in the Arts for Young People on Detention and Training Orders Summary: Arts Council England commissioned a research study in 2002 from the Nottingham Trent University (NTU) to look at access, participation and progression in the arts by socially excluded young people and young people on Detention and Training Orders (DTOs). The research was conducted between September 2002 and April 2003. The fieldwork was carried out by ECOTEC Research and Consulting, working in partnership with NTU. The aim of the research was to examine the extent to which young people on DTOs had access to, and participated and progressed in, the arts. The main objectives of the research were to: • establish benchmarks for access, participation and progression in the arts for young people on DTOs • identify what young people perceive as the critical barriers to their participation and progression in the arts • explore what associated professionals perceive to be the critical barriers to the participation and progression of the young people with whom they work within the arts • establish how far arts interventions are used in the community part of the Detention and Training Order through Youth Offending Teams (Yots) The research consisted of: • a desk study of relevant literature • structured face-to-face interviews with 109 young people on DTOs in custody • a survey of 176 socially excluded young people • a comparison group survey of a nationally representative sample of 471 young people • structured telephone interviews with 33 Yot practitioners • structured face-to-face interviews with seven education managers and nine arts practitioners in secure establishments. This report presents findings from the interviews carried out with young people on DTOs, as well as interviews with education managers, and arts and Yot practitioners. The report also incorporates findings from the control group survey. Details: London: Arts Council England, 2005. 54p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Report 38: Accessed September 1, 2012 at: http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/media/uploads/documents/publications/detentionandtrainingorderspdf_phpIVpLCa.pdf Year: 2005 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/media/uploads/documents/publications/detentionandtrainingorderspdf_phpIVpLCa.pdf Shelf Number: 126216 Keywords: Arts in PrisonsArts Programs (U.K.)Juvenile InmatesJuvenile OffendersRehabilitation ProgramsYoung Adult Offenders |
Author: Bellotti, Jeanne Title: Giving Ex-Offenders a Choice in Life: First Findings from the Beneficiary Choice Demonstration Summary: The number of individuals being released from prisons and jails in the United States has continued to grow for the past decade. More than 672,000 individuals were released from Federal and state prisons in 2004, a significant increase from 405,000 individuals in 1990. Upon release from incarceration, ex-offenders often face a range of challenges. Many have low levels of education and literacy, limited prior attachment to the legal workforce, reduced ties to family and community, and histories of substance abuse and mental health problems (Bushway and Reuter 2002; Petersilia 2003; Steurer et al. 2002; Nelson et al. 1999; Byrne et al. 2002). Former prisoners may also confront barriers that directly limit their ability to gain employment, including lack of basic documentation, the use of criminal background checks by employers, and state laws and licensing requirements for certain jobs (Clear and Cole 2000). If not adequately addressed, these barriers can reduce reentry success. Estimates suggest that 45 percent of state prisoners are rearrested within one year of release and 67 percent within three years (Langan and Levin 2002). Prompted by this research, Federal policymakers began in the late 1990s to shift their focus and resources to initiatives aimed at helping ex-offenders successfully reintegrate into society. Programs funded by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), such as Weed and Seed and the Reentry Partnership Initiative, began to bridge the divides among correctional agencies, community supervision, and local public and private social service agencies. The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has also funded several prominent initiatives within the past decade, including the Youth Offenders Demonstration, the Serious and Violent Offender Reentry Initiative, Ready4Work, and the Prisoner Reentry Initiative (PRI). To further expand its initiatives to serve this needy population, the Employment and Training Administration within DOL created the Beneficiary Choice Contracting Program, a demonstration to help ex-offenders successfully enter and remain in the workforce and stay free of crime. To be eligible for the program, individuals must be between 18 and 29 years of age, have been convicted of a Federal or state crime, and have been released from a Federal or state institution within the past 60 days. In July 2007, DOL awarded five grantees a total of $5 million for the first year of operations to serve approximately 225 participants each.The Beneficiary Choice Demonstration involves an indirect funding model in which grantees engage in performance-based contracts with specialized service providers (SSPs) to provide employment-focused services to participants. DOL provided a blueprint for building a service delivery structure that includes the grantee, a services coordinator, and at least five specialized SSPs. Grantees maintain the administrative functions. Services coordinators serve as the gateway for participants to select an SSP. The SSPs then provide in-depth services. Community partners also provide referrals and leveraged resources to support service delivery. The model has three key components that distinguish it from prior programs: 1. Emphasis on Participant Choice. The cornerstone of the program is that it allows participants to choose the program that best meets their needs. Each SSP must offer three core services: (1) workforce readiness training, (2) career counseling, and (3) six months of follow-up services. SSPs are also expected to offer a unique combination of supplemental and supportive services. 2. Expansion of the Service Delivery Network. Grantees were encouraged by DOL to engage a wide range of SSPs, including faith-based and community organizations (FBCOs) that offer both a range of secular and faith-infused services. DOL also required that each grantee partner with at least one local provider with which it has not previously worked. In this way, the demonstration can draw on the unique qualifications of FBCOs that may not typically partner with the government. 3. Use of Performance-Based Contracts. Grantees are required to engage in performance-based contracts with at least five SSPs that offer services to participants. Providers receive benchmark payments as they document their success in helping participants achieve key outcomes, such as completing services, obtaining a job, and retaining employment. The Beneficiary Choice model is a new direction in the provision of services to exoffenders and, therefore, is likely to pique the interest of policymakers and program administrators alike. DOL contracted with Mathematica Policy Research, Inc. (MPR) to evaluate the implementation of the program, the short-term outcomes of participants, and the costs of providing services. The evaluation addresses six research questions: 1. How do grantees plan for, implement, and operate the program? 2. How do grantees ensure that participants have a true and independent choice of providers? 3. How does performance-based contracting influence implementation? 4. What are the characteristics of participants and what services do they receive? 5. What are the employment outcomes and recidivism rates of participants? 6. What are the costs of the program? Details: Princeton, NJ: Mathematica Policy Research, Inc., 2008. 156p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 4, 2012 at: http://wdr.doleta.gov/research/FullText_Documents/Giving%20Ex-Offenders%20a%20Choice%20in%20Life%20-%20First%20Findings%20from%20the%20Beneficiary%20Choice%20Demonstration.pdf Year: 2008 Country: United States URL: http://wdr.doleta.gov/research/FullText_Documents/Giving%20Ex-Offenders%20a%20Choice%20in%20Life%20-%20First%20Findings%20from%20the%20Beneficiary%20Choice%20Demonstration.pdf Shelf Number: 126237 Keywords: Ex-Offenders, Employment (U.S.)ReentryRehabilitation ProgramsVocational Education and Trainings |
Author: Robinson, Emma Title: Achieving Learner Retention in Basic Skills: findings from a study of offenders in West Yorkshire Summary: The general education level of those coming before the courts is low. It is estimated that ‘nearly 60 per cent of prisoners have poor literacy and communication skills and as many as 75 per cent have poor numeracy skills’ (Uden, 2004, p.9). These are levels of skills low enough to exclude them from 96 per cent of available jobs. Fifty-two per cent of men and 71 per cent of women prisoners have no qualifications at all, compared with 15 per cent of the general population. The National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE) published ‘Education and Training for Offenders’ in 2003 which charted a change in the ways that education and training are delivered in prisons. Whilst its initial focus was on prisons and prisoners, the focus of attention has broadened to concern offenders more generally. Indeed, there has been an increasing acceptance within the Criminal Justice System of the role of education and training in reducing re-offending. A number of recent Basic Skills Pathfinder Projects carried out between 1999 and 2002 tested out procedures for offenders on probation including screening of clients for basic skills needs, assessment, provision and arrangements to encourage take-up of basic skills opportunities by offenders. Findings from the pathfinder showed that 50% of the sample had no qualifications at all and only 26% had a level 2 qualification or above (McMahon et al, 2004). Approximately 35% of the sample were assessed as likely to have a basic skills need. Another important finding from the evaluation was the attrition that occurred at every stage of the process, resulting in only a small number of offenders receiving basic skills tuition. The highest rate of attrition occurred following the screening process with only 19% of the sample subsequently attending for assessment. This has led to an increased emphasis on the role of case managers in attempting to ensure attendance during the course of supervision. The Probation Service now plays a key role in identifying the learning needs of individuals, the provision of information and advice, and in referral to appropriate learning opportunities. Similar to the ‘core curriculum’ delivered in prisons with its associated targets, the Probation Service concentrates overwhelmingly on basic skills for which it has agreed the following targets in a Service Delivery Agreement: · 6,000 starts on basic skills programmes and 1,000 qualifications (at any level) for 2002/3 · 12,000 qualifications (2,000 at Entry level, 8,000 at Level 1 and 2,000 and Level 2). This report is the culmination of 12 months’ research into basic skills provision in West Yorkshire (April 2004 – March 2005). A range of internal and external projects have been drawn upon which include: · An internal research project looking at the implementation of DISC’s mentoring service for offenders. · An internal report examining the provision of basic skills for diverse offender groups, staff awareness of basic skills provision, and staff training needs. · Results from a series of internal throughput reports focusing on four particular offender groups: female offenders, minority ethnic offenders, offenders residing in hostels and drug misusing offenders subject to a Drug Treatment and Testing Order (DTTO). · An internal evaluation of the early roll-out of Guided Skills Learning in West Yorkshire. · Results from an external research project led by the National Research and Development Centre for adult literacy and numeracy (NRDC). West Yorkshire was one of two pathfinder areas involved in the Maths for Life: Talking up Numeracy offender pathfinder. · Key findings from two internally commissioned improvement projects set up in response to a low conversion rate for basic skills starts to awards. The projects comprised: a Learning Improvement Project (LIP) focusing on meeting the area awards target for 2004/5, and an improvement project in Leeds West focusing on the district awards target. Details: West Yorkshire, UK: West Yorkshire National Probation Service, 2005. 39p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 10, 2012 at: http://www.westyorksprobation.org.uk/pdfs/BasicSkills_2004-5_FullReport.pdf Year: 2005 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.westyorksprobation.org.uk/pdfs/BasicSkills_2004-5_FullReport.pdf Shelf Number: 126280 Keywords: Educational ProgramsProbationers (U.K.)Rehabilitation ProgramsRemedial Education Programs |
Author: Briggs, Sarah Title: SMARTstarts Programme Conditions Pilot – Evaluation Report Summary: Within West Yorkshire, several Performance Improvement Projects have been established to employ the skills and knowledge of various staff members in order to generate ideas and make recommendations for change. These projects harness knowledge of ‘what works’ in other probation areas and districts within West Yorkshire. The ‘SMARTstarts conditions pilot’ is one such project aimed at making the processes from order commencement to programme start ‘smarter’ and more efficient in order to increase the number of offenders starting programmes. At the point of commissioning this work, the main premise was that the sooner an offender can be offered a start date, the more likely they are to start the programme attached to their order, thus targeting starts whilst their motivation is likely to be high. Since then, other subsidiary aims have come to light such as identifying a clearly defined process, and identifying and removing barriers to programme starts. However, this piece of work did not set out to evaluate these. A ‘Process Summary Chart’ (see appendix 1) detailing these new processes has been piloted in Bradford and Calderdale from 30th June to 22nd September 2003. The chart is designed around a National Probation Service target of getting offenders from order commencement to programme start within 20 working days. The programmes included in the pilot are: Enhanced Thinking Skills (ETS), Drink Impaired Drivers (DID), Addressing Substance Related Offending (ASRO), and Duluth Domestic Violence (DV). The overall intention is for the processes to be rolled out to the remaining districts within the area over the next few months. Details: West Yorkshire, UK: (West Yorkshire) National Probation Services, 2003. 35p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 10, 2012 at: http://www.westyorksprobation.org.uk/documentlist.php?type=1&year=2003 Year: 2003 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.westyorksprobation.org.uk/documentlist.php?type=1&year=2003 Shelf Number: 126281 Keywords: Cognitive Behavioral SkillsEnhanced Thinking SkillsProbationers (U.K.)Rehabilitation Programs |
Author: Northern Ireland. Department for Employment and Learning Title: Pathways to Success: Establishing an initial broad strategic direction and supporting cross- Departmental actions to reduce the number of young people most at risk of remaining outside education, employment or training (NEET) Summary: The issue of young people not in education, employment or training is a high priority for me, for Executive colleagues, for the young people themselves and for our society as a whole. While my Department initially took the lead on the earlier Scoping Study I have developed this suggested strategic approach on behalf of the other main Government Departments which have a key role to play in reducing the numbers of young people most at risk who fall into this category. Although this problem has been around for many years I am determined to ensure that the draft strategy is forward looking, comprehensive and will provide the foundation for the development of an approach to deal successfully with this issue. I clearly see the need to intervene early to engage young people in learning and address the risk factors that might cause them to disengage. I recognise that this issue needs to be considered in the context of cross departmental work and particularly with the Department of Education. Confirming the work in the Scoping Study, the recent Assembly Employment and Learning Committee Report, which I welcomed, stressed that the NEETS group is not a homogenous group and the barriers faced by these young people can be myriad, complex and, in many cases, interwoven and multi-layered. The report recommends that a strategy tackling the issues they face must be about coordination, co-operation, multi-agency working, referral and collective accountability, requiring all stakeholders to work together within a framework. Executive Departments, the community and voluntary sector, the different sectors of education, employers and businesses all have a role to play. The suggested strategic focus is in two interlinked parts, designed as an integrated package of active measures to prevent young people from becoming NEET; and to focus on re-engaging those young people, particularly in the 16-19 age group, who are already outside education, employment and training, and who are most at risk of remaining there. In addition to a range of actions it is recognised that we will need to put in place structures or mechanisms to co-ordinate and make these more effective. These structures will begin to set and monitor the detailed outcomes sought and adjust these as required and as new information comes to light. With all our combined good practice, experience and goodwill we are confident we can make a difference to the lives of our young people who are most at risk. (from the Minister for Employment and Learning Forward) Details: Balfast: Northern Ireland Department for Employment and Learning, 2011. 56p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 10, 2012 at: http://www.delni.gov.uk/pathways-to-success-consultation-document.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.delni.gov.uk/pathways-to-success-consultation-document.pdf Shelf Number: 126285 Keywords: At-Risk Youth (U.K.)Educational and Training ProgramsEmploymentJobsRehabilitation ProgramsYoung Adult Offenders |
Author: Meenagh, Ann Title: Leisure, Organised Sport and Antisocial Behaviour an Examination of Youth’s Involvement in Leisure, Organised Sports and its Effect on Antisocial Behaviour Summary: Over the last ten years national strategies and policies placed youth at the forefront of their developments. Particular attention has been placed on antisocial behaviour and the appropriate punishments and rehabilitation methods. Programmes have been developed with the objective to deter antisocial behaviours with little empirical support to justify them. This study aims to determine whether youth’s involvement in leisure and sport has any effect on their involvement in antisocial or delinquent behaviour. This is mainly achieved through the quantitative research method of a survey. Sixty-five people aged between 14-20 years old from two contrasting educational institutions in Dublin were surveyed. The survey was designed based on other surveys conducted in this field of study. The research found that males were more likely to be involved in antisocial and delinquent behaviour than females. The research also found that participant’s who were involvement in organised sports were less likely to be involved in antisocial behaviour compared to participant’s who were not involved in organised sports. Further research in this area of study is recommended in order to improve current programmes and to develop new programmes. Details: Dublin: Dublin Institute of Technology, 2011. 81p. Source: Internet Resource: Masters Dissertation: Accessed September 14, 2012 at: http://arrow.dit.ie/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1031&context=aaschssldis&sei-redir=1&referer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Furl%3Fsa%3Dt%26rct%3Dj%26q%3Dmeenagh%2520%2522leisure%252C%2520organised%2520sport%2522%26source%3Dweb%26cd%3D2%26ved%3D0CCYQFjAB%26url%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Farrow.dit.ie%252Fcgi%252Fviewcontent.cgi%253Farticle%253D1031%2526context%253Daaschssldis%26ei%3DfC1TUNjZNZKc8gSMq4Fw%26usg%3DAFQjCNE5NqaLEpJT5APzlda7Fc6wxs7SHg#search=%22meenagh%20leisure%2C%20organised%20sport%22 Year: 2011 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://arrow.dit.ie/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1031&context=aaschssldis&sei-redir=1&referer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Furl%3Fsa%3Dt%26rct%3Dj%26q%3Dmeenagh%2520%2522leisure%252C%2520organised%2520sport%2522%26source%3Dweb Shelf Number: 126348 Keywords: Antisocial BehaviorAt-risk YouthDelinquency PreventionLeisure ActivitiesRehabilitation ProgramsSports |
Author: Watson, Greg Title: From Wild Living to Living Wild: The Use of wilderness as part of an overall intervention strategy in programmes for young offenders in Scotland Summary: This study set out to investigate the use of wilderness as part of an alternative intervention programme for young offenders aged 16-24. The Venture Trust had recently adjusted their course from a residential base to a wilderness-based expedition journey called Living Wild. My rationale for this study was to answer the primary research question of whether the wilderness “works” and, or if has an effect on participants. A secondary purpose was to ask those who referred participants and those who worked with those participants how important they felt wilderness was in relation to the overall intervention programme. The author‟s full time work with the Venture Trust offered an opportunity to observe at first hand the effect of the wilderness environment upon participants. Over ten courses were used during a research study period between October 2008 and October 2009. Diary observations were made in the wilderness and narrative vignettes were written for each course. In addition over ten interviews were undertaken with representatives across the organisation as well as with key funders and referrers; including the Scottish Minister for Justice, sheriffs, probation officers and social workers. The main recurrent themes that appeared from the data collection supported the idea of wilderness as “working” were “offering a different perspective”, “involving real choices and consequences” and finally wilderness as “a catalyst” or “stressor”. This third and final theme was the hardest to quantify and yet it was the most pertinent and central to my rationale for the research the notion that the wilderness itself could have an effect on participants. Whilst other factors, such as facilitated personal and social development were acknowledged as been part of the overall intervention programme, the importance placed on wilderness was varied; there was consensus that the wilderness “offered a different perspective”, but it was less than conclusive on whether or not wilderness “involved real choices and consequences”. In relation to idea that wilderness could be “a catalyst”, the difference was a very subtle one of emphasis between those who saw the wilderness as a mere stage or “setting” and others who saw wilderness as more central to the process. There have been some concerns that wilderness based programmes can fail to address the social problems that they set out to solve. The results of this research suggests that the wilderness does at least offer a different perspective to people that are willing to begin the process of change and in some cases it may even be the catalyst for that change. Details: Edinburgh: Moray House School of Education, University of Edinburgh, 2011. 61p. Source: Internet Resource: Thesis: Accessed September 26, 2012 at: http://www.education.ed.ac.uk/outdoored/research/dissertation_watson.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.education.ed.ac.uk/outdoored/research/dissertation_watson.pdf Shelf Number: 126457 Keywords: Alternatives to IncarcerationJuvenile OffendersRehabilitation ProgramsWilderness Programs (Scotland)Youth Adult Offenders |
Author: Buckland, Gemma Title: Review of Effective Practice with Young Offenders in Mainland Europe Summary: Professionals are working across the European Union to tackle the urgent problems that cause offending by young people. The aim of this report is to share information on success in working on these issues. It provides a review of practices from countries in the European Union that show some promise of effectiveness. Evaluations for youth justice initiatives in Europe are very poorly disseminated. This report has been compiled using a combination of searches in bibliographic databases, searches of the World Wide Web in all the European national languages and through personal contacts with academics and Ministries of Justice. Details: London: Youth Justice Board, 2001. 51p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 26, 2012 at: http://yjbpublications.justice.gov.uk/en-gb/scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=120&eP= Year: 2001 Country: Europe URL: http://yjbpublications.justice.gov.uk/en-gb/scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=120&eP= Shelf Number: 126463 Keywords: Delinquency PreventionJuvenile Offenders (Europe)Rehabilitation ProgramsReoffending |
Author: Liberman, Akiva M. Title: Delinquent Youth Committed to the Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services 2004-2011 Summary: This report explores recent trends in the commitment of delinquent youth to the custody of the Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services (DYRS). Commitments to DYRS increased considerably from 2006-07 to 2009-10, due to more youth being committed following adjudication on misdemeanors. In 2011, commitments to DYRS declined, due to fewer youth being committed on felonies. By 2011, most youth committed to DYRS were misdemeanants. Neither a history of prior adjudication nor revocations of probation particularly drove the increased commitments of misdemeanants; these commitments involved youth with and without prior adjudications, and also involved both DYRS commitments as initial dispositions and following revocation of probation. Understanding these shifts in the youth committed to DYRS will require a broad exploration of juvenile justice case processing involving all delinquent youth, using integrated data across juvenile justice agencies. Details: Washington, DC: Urban Institute, District of Columbia Crime Policy Institute, 2012. 23p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 5, 2012 at: http://www.urban.org/UploadedPDF/412657-Delinquent-Youth-Committed-to-the-Department-of-Youth-Rehabilitation-Services-2004-2011.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: http://www.urban.org/UploadedPDF/412657-Delinquent-Youth-Committed-to-the-Department-of-Youth-Rehabilitation-Services-2004-2011.pdf Shelf Number: 126562 Keywords: Juvenile Delinquency (District of Columbia)Juvenile DetentionJuvenile InmatesJuvenile OffendersRehabilitation Programs |
Author: Sturrock, Rachel Title: Supporting Transitions: A Summative Evaluation of the Transition to Adulthood Pilots Summary: This summative evaluation examines the outcomes for young adults benefitting from a ‘T2A approach’ through three pilot projects funded by the Barrow Cadbury Trust (BCT). This approach is a new way of working with 18 to 24-year-olds in the criminal justice system which takes into account their distinct developmental needs. It is part of a wider initiative funded by the Trust – the Transition to Adulthood Alliance (T2A) – which is campaigning on this issue. This is the third evaluation of the T2A pilots’ work commissioned by the Barrow Cadbury Trust. The Oxford Centre for Criminology conducted a formative evaluation which explored the work as it developed (Burnett et al; 2010) and Matrix Evidence carried out a break-even analysis (Matrix; 2011). Details: Catch22, 2012. 84p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 9, 2012 at: http://www.t2a.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/T2A-Summative-Evaluation-Catch22-2012.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.t2a.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/T2A-Summative-Evaluation-Catch22-2012.pdf Shelf Number: 126662 Keywords: RecidivismRehabilitation ProgramsReoffendingYoung Adult Offenders (U.K.) |
Author: Wolf, Lea Title: May the Songs I Have Written Speak for Me: An Exploration of the Potential of Music in Juvenile Justice Summary: Acting at the intersection between juvenile justice reform, youth development, and a sense of the civic mission of cultural organizations, Carnegie Hall, through its Musical Connections program of the Weill Music Institute, is collaborating with New York City’s Administration for Children’s Services, the Department of Probation, the Department of Education District 79, and other New York City agencies to think about how participatory music-centered programming can support young people who enter and exit the juvenile justice system. Since beginning the work in 2009, Carnegie Hall has sponsored ten creative projects: eight in secure detention facilities and two in non-secure detention settings, serving more than a hundred young people, plus audiences of staff, peers, and families. These residencies last two weeks on average and engage young people in songwriting, instrumental playing, producing, and performing. Each residency culminates in a concert for other residents and staff and the production of a CD. The purpose is not only to teach music or the possibility of ensemble work—it is to jump-start the sense of being a person with potential. The following paper shares what Musical Connections has learned so far in this work by: 1) examining the history and current reforms in juvenile justice; 2) reviewing the underlying research and evaluations conducted by other musical projects both in adult and juvenile corrections; and 3) harvesting and reflecting on its own musical work in juvenile justice over the last three years. The paper contains these sections: • A history of juvenile justice in the United States with an emphasis on the long-standing tension between incarceration and rehabilitation • An overview of the current movement for reform • A summary of basic research on adolescent development, with an emphasis on the new brain science that explains why adolescents are prone to risk-taking, thrill-seeking, and emotionally-driven choices, coupled with a discussion of the potential of music to reach and affect adolescents • A review of research and evaluations from an international set of music programs in both adult and juvenile corrections facilities, with an emphasis on what such programs accomplish and the specific effects they have • A reflection on the design principles emerging from effective programs • An examination of the current work in juvenile justice supported by Carnegie Hall and the Administration for Children’s Services in New York, with an emphasis on the issues and choices that are arising as this work enters a second, deeper, and more challenging phase. The purpose of this review is to invite readers and stakeholders–including organizations, musicians, staff, and advocates–to think about these questions: • What exactly can music (or, more broadly, the arts) contribute to the reform of juvenile justice systems? • What constitutes making that contribution responsibly and well? • How do we build evidence that music (or the arts more broadly) make a difference in the lives of youth, staff, families, or facilities? Put even more concretely, how do artists, along with arts and cultural organizations, partner with their communities to provide the alternatives to “the street” that young people seek? Details: New York: Weill Music Institute, Carnegie Hall, 2012. 95p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 24, 2012 at: http://www.carnegiehall.org/uploadedFiles/Resources_and_Components/PDF/WMI/MaytheSongsIHaveWrittenSpeakforMe.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: http://www.carnegiehall.org/uploadedFiles/Resources_and_Components/PDF/WMI/MaytheSongsIHaveWrittenSpeakforMe.pdf Shelf Number: 126998 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention (New York)Juvenile OffendersMusic TherapyMusical ProgramsRehabilitation Programs |
Author: Day, Andrew Title: Assessing the Social Climate of Prisons Summary: Although the rehabilitation of prisoners is one of the primary goals of correctional agencies in Australia, it is commonly believed that prisons do not offer environments that are particularly conducive to successful behaviour change. Indeed, qualitative and ethnographic research has consistently identified aspects of the institutional social climate that potentially act in ways that are counter-therapeutic. There have, however, been few quantitative studies that have demonstrated the effects of prison climate on rehabilitation outcomes. Research in this area has been hampered by the lack of any reliable method to measure the construct of the prison climate I a way that allows meaningful comparisons to be made either between institutions or in the same institution over time. This study reports the validation of a brief measure of social climate in two Australian prisons. The measure, a 15−item instrument (the Essen Climate Evaluation Schema; EssenCES), comprises three subscales: the Therapeutic Hold scale assesses perceptions of the extent to which the climate is supportive of therapy and therapeutic change; the Patient Cohesion scale assesses whether mutual support of a kind typically seen as characteristic of therapeutic communities is present in an institution or unit; and the Safety scale assesses tension and the perceived threat of aggression and violence. A total of 253 participants (144 prisoners and 109 staff members) completed the EssenCES measure of social climate, together with a number other measures designed to establish convergent validity of the assessment tool. Factor analysis of EssenCES ratings provided support for the three subscales identified by the measure developers. A small, but significant, positive association between prisoner scores on the EssenCES and a measure of readiness to engage with offender rehabilitation programs was suggestive of convergent validity, as was the moderate significant association observed between prison staff scores on the EssenCES and ratings of staff stress. These results suggest that the EssenCES measure is suitable for use in future investigations of prison social climate. Further analyses sought to establish whether significant differences existed in social climate between the two institutions that participated in this research: a specialist rehabilitation prison and a mainstream prison, both located in the same jurisdiction. Both of these prisons were shown to provide a social climate that might be considered to be at least as therapeutic as those that exist in forensic psychiatry settings in other parts of the world. Between-prison differences were observed for the prisoner ratings on the measure of social climate, and there were significant differences with large effect sizes for the staff ratings. Staff at the rehabilitation prison rated the overall social climate as significantly more positive than their mainstream prison counterparts. Both the level of staff interest and support for prisoners and level of support and caring between prisoners were rated as significantly higher by staff from the rehabilitation prison. It is concluded that specialist rehabilitation prisons can succeed in providing an environment that is more conducive to offender rehabilitation than mainstream prisons, and that the data reported here provides some evidence to support the further development of such institutions (or specialist therapeutic units within mainstream prisons). However, further research is required to establish whether other factors such as type of prison unit (e.g., protection unit) or accommodation style (e.g., wings or small housing units) exert a systematic Assessing the social climate of prisons Page 5 of 42 effect on the social climate of a prison and whether a prison social climate can be modified in ways that enhance rehabilitative outcomes. What emerges from this research, however, is further support for the idea that the social climate of a prison can influence rehabilitative outcomes and that this can be easily and reliably measured. It is recommended that the social climate of Australian prisons are routinely audited such that changes over time are assessed, standards and targets for improvement set, and that the need for additional resources or interventions is identified and responded to. Details: Report to the Criminology Research Council (Australia), 2011. 42p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 15, 2013 at: http://www.criminologyresearchcouncil.gov.au/reports/02-0910.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia URL: http://www.criminologyresearchcouncil.gov.au/reports/02-0910.pdf Shelf Number: 127637 Keywords: Correctional ProgramsPrisonersPrisons (Australia)Rehabilitation Programs |
Author: Abrazaldo, Wally Title: Evaluation of the YouthBuild Youth Offender Grants Summary: This report summarizes findings from an implementation and outcomes evaluation of the YouthBuild Youth Offender grants. The evaluation consisted of site visits to each of the 34 grantees to examine their program design and implementation, the characteristics of the participants they served, and the outcomes they obtained. Two rounds of site visits were conducted, the first in the spring and the second in the fall of 2007. These visits included interviews with program administrators, staff, academic and vocational instructors, partners, and employers that had worked with participants. Further, more than 180 of the active participants were interviewed (approximately 75 percent of all active participants), with nearly 100 of them being interviewed during both rounds of site visits, to provide the youth perspective on the operation and value of the program. Additionally, data from the management information system (MIS) used for the grants was obtained and used to summarize the characteristics of youth offender participants and analyze the factors that are associated with their outcomes. Findings in this report are divided into several key areas, including those concerning organizational characteristics of the grantees and general fidelity to the YouthBuild model, recruitment and enrollment procedures, educational and vocational services, and case management, retention, and follow-up supports. Additional chapters examine how contextual factors may influence participants’ educational, workforce, and recidivism outcomes, and the developmental process participants must undertake in order to succeed in and after YouthBuild. Further, several case studies of youth experiences in the program are provided. Finally, participant outcomes are examined, and the factors that affect these outcomes are explored. Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Labor/ETA, 2009. 252p. Source: Internet Resource: accessed February 22, 2013 at: http://wdr.doleta.gov/research/FullText_Documents/Evaluation%20of%20the%20YouthBuild%20Youth%20Offender%20Grants%20-%20Final%20Report.pdf Year: 2009 Country: United States URL: http://wdr.doleta.gov/research/FullText_Documents/Evaluation%20of%20the%20YouthBuild%20Youth%20Offender%20Grants%20-%20Final%20Report.pdf Shelf Number: 115740 Keywords: Juvenile Aftercare - EducationJuvenle Offenders (U.S.)Rehabilitation ProgramsVocational Educational and Training |
Author: Landale, Sarah A. Title: Trajectories, Transitions and Turning Points: Sports, Substance Misuse and Desistance Summary: Despite well-established health benefits of physical exercise (Department of Health 2004; 2010; Pang et al., 2008), sport has played relatively little part in adult alcohol and drug treatment programmes. Limited research examines the contribution sporting programmes may make to people in their recovery from addiction. However, natural recovery research (overcoming addiction without formal treatment) identifies that meaningful activities are a key part of resolving alcohol and drug problems. At six-month intervals, this study conducted three individual, in-depth interviews with 19 male adults with substance misuse problems. They were engaging regularly on Second Chance, a sports programme for socially excluded groups, as part of their recovery from addiction. The study identified two patterns of behaviour. One group were desisting. In addition to Second Chance they had occupations which provided them with networks of support, and their narratives reflected hope and self-efficacy. The second group had few occupations, low self-efficacy, and high levels of anxiety, and their time was spent with other similarly situated people. Employing a developmental, life course theory of informal social controls (Laub and Sampson 2003), this study prospectively examined desistance from substance misuse in the context of Second Chance. The theory suggests that desistance and persistence from crime can be meaningfully understood by examining individuals’ routine activities, informal social controls and agency. Turning points are a key concept in life course theories, defined as change in the long term pathway which was initiated at an earlier point in time (Elder 1998). This study suggested that Second Chance was a “window of opportunity for change” (Groshkova and Best 2011:33), within which a turning point was being experienced by some of the interviewees. The turning point was an identity transformation, and this was facilitated through a confluence of meaningful routine activities, informal social controls, and, personal agency. Details: Durham, UK: Durham University, School of Applied Social Sciences, 2011. 277p. Source: Internet Resource: Theses: Accessed March 1, 2013 at: http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/3623/1/Thesis_-_landale,_s..pdf Year: 2011 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/3623/1/Thesis_-_landale,_s..pdf Shelf Number: 127746 Keywords: Alcohol AbuseDesistance (U.K.)Rehabilitation ProgramsSportsSubstance AbuseTreatment Programs |
Author: Visher, Christy A. Title: Workforce Development Program: Experiences of 80 Probationers in the U.S. Probation Office, District of Delaware Summary: Individuals returning home from prison face several common issues including finding housing, creating ties with family and friends, finding a job, abstaining from alcohol and drug abuse, resisting peer pressure to continue involvement in crime, and supervision requirements (Petersilia 2001; Seiter & Kadela 2003). One issue that has been receiving increased attention is employment and job readiness. Previous research has identified unemployment as an important predictor of recidivism (Seiter & Kadela, 2003; Uggen 2000; Visher, Debus, & Yahner 2008). However, for many ex‐offenders, finding a job after being released from prison can be a very stressful and difficult process. In some cases, they may have not had a legitimate job prior to incarceration, or they may have not been able to keep a legitimate job for a long period of time. Sometimes they may lack the necessary education or skills to obtain employment that will provide them enough income to sustain themselves. The additional burden of a criminal record also limits their prospects for many types of jobs. These individuals also face difficulties staying employed; adjusting to a new schedule, changing attitudes, and dealing with a greater level of responsibility can often be very challenging (Buck, 2000; Harris & Keller, 2005; Holzer, Raphael & Stoll, 2002). Over the past several years more research has been geared toward program evaluation and outcome assessment to determine what types of prisoner reentry programs, policies, and services work and which do not. Results from these studies help to develop evidence‐based practices that can lead to great efficiency and accountability for programs aimed at assisting men and women in their transition from prison back into the community. One specific program developed for ex‐offenders is the federal Workforce Development Program. This initiative has been piloted in several federal probation offices and involves providing men and women under community supervision with assistance to increase their job readiness (including education and vocational skills), identify potential employers, and develop resumes and interview skills with the goals of obtaining full‐time employment and reducing recidivism. While this initiative is still fairly new, preliminary research has found the program to increase employment and reduce recidivism in several jurisdictions including Missouri, Louisiana, and Vermont. In late 2006, the U.S. Probation Office, District of Delaware in Wilmington, Delaware decided to implement this program to improve employment and decrease recidivism for a group of higher risk probationers. Several recent reports on reentry programs and policies suggest that targeting high‐risk individuals is an important component of an evidence‐based reentry strategy (National Research Council 2007; Solomon et al. 2008). The purpose of this report is to present results of a pilot study to track the progress of federal probationers1 under the jurisdiction of the Delaware office after one year of being involved in the workforce development program, and assess the program’s effects on employment and recidivism. The report includes a description and assessment of the Workforce Development Program in Delaware and a comparison of the Workforce Development participants with probationers in two districts without workforce development programs. Details: Newark, DE: Center for Drug and Alcohol Studies University of Delaware, 2009. 20p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 1, 2013 at: http://madcp.dreamhosters.com/sites/default/files/3E%20Workforce%20Dvlpmnt%20Issues%20Final%20Report.pdf Year: 2009 Country: United States URL: http://madcp.dreamhosters.com/sites/default/files/3E%20Workforce%20Dvlpmnt%20Issues%20Final%20Report.pdf Shelf Number: 127752 Keywords: EmploymentPrisoner ReentryProbationers (Delaware, U.S.)Rehabilitation ProgramsVocational Education and Training |
Author: Barnoski, Robert Title: Recidivism Findings for the Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration's Mentoring Program: Final Report Summary: The Washington State Legislature directed the Institute to evaluate the Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration’s mentoring program. The Institute conducted a preliminary analysis of the program in 2002 using a 12-month follow-up period and found reduced recidivism for mentor participants. This report updates the preliminary findings by using a longer follow-up period to measure recidivism. Findings • During the preliminary follow-up, the mentor group recidivated at a lower rate than the comparison group. However, the gap converges by the 36-month follow-up. None of the differences between the two groups is statistically significant for any type of recidivism at the 24- or 36-month follow-up periods. • This study is limited by having a relatively small number of youth in the mentor and comparison groups. As a result, large differences between the groups are necessary to show statistical significance. Details: Olympia, WA: Washington State Institute for Public Policy, 2006. 4p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 4, 2013 at: http://www.wsipp.wa.gov/rptfiles/06-07-1202.pdf Year: 2006 Country: United States URL: http://www.wsipp.wa.gov/rptfiles/06-07-1202.pdf Shelf Number: 127820 Keywords: Juvenile OffendersMentoringRecidivismRehabilitation Programs |
Author: Newman, Mark Title: A Systematic Review of Selected Interventions to Reduce Juvenile Re-offending Summary: What do we want to know? This is a report of the methods and results of a systematic review of primary research on the effectiveness of selected interventions to reduce juvenile re-offending. The review provides answers to the question of the relative effectiveness of a small number of selected interventions in reducing juvenile re-offending. What did we find out about interventions? Consistent evidence of reducing re-offending • Pre-sentencing Diversion – personal skill straining + for first time offenders. The intervention included: o personal skills training/ counselling which is about anger management, personal responsibility and decision making. o some form of reparation to the community/ victim of crime. o family involvement. compared to standard diversion (caution & monitoring). • Community based family residential placement for female juvenile offenders. The intervention included: o Residential placement for six months to a year in small group supportive ‘family type’ environment. o personal skills training/ counselling which is about anger management, personal responsibility and decision making. o Monitoring and use of appropriate incentives and sanctions. compared to standard residential placement. Promising effects (positive or negative) limited or inconsistent evidence • ‘Teen Courts’ compared to other diversion – Positive • Community based family residential placements compared to standard residential placements for male juvenile offenders – Positive Insufficient evidence • Secure incarceration compared to community sentence • Psycho-dynamic counselling compared to ‘normal Court interventions • Pre-sentence diversions compared to court community sentence • Multi component diversion for persistent offenders (comparison not clear) • Multi-component diversion for mixed groups of offence severity (comparison not clear) • Supported transition from secure incarceration to community compared to no or limited support • Probation plus sports counselling compared to probation only • Violence re-education programme compared to court imposed community service. Details: London: EPPI-Centre, Social Science Research Unit, Institute of Education, University of London, 2012. 120p. Source: Internet Resource: EPPI-Centre report no. 2008T: Accessed March 12, 2013 at: http://eppi.ioe.ac.uk/cms/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=3YwaW7wpQnU%3D&tabid=3360 Year: 2012 Country: International URL: http://eppi.ioe.ac.uk/cms/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=3YwaW7wpQnU%3D&tabid=3360 Shelf Number: 127914 Keywords: Delinquency PreventionJuvenile Offenders (U.K.)Re-OffendingRecidivismRehabilitation Programs |
Author: Gyateng, Tracey Title: Young People and the Secure Estate: Needs and Interventions Summary: This report, by the Institute for Criminal Policy Research (ICPR), Birkbeck, University of London, and Ipsos MORI, was commissioned by the Youth Justice Board for England and Wales (YJB) in 2008. It provides an in-depth examination of the identified needs of children and young people within the secure estate and the interventions they received, based on fieldwork conducted over the course of 2010 to early 2011. The research encompassed the three types of establishment that make up the secure estate for children and young people: secure children’s homes (SCHs), secure training centres (STCs) and young offender institutions (YOIs). The key aims of the research were to: identify what types of interventions young people received within secure establishments describe the extent to which interventions were matched to identified needs elicit and describe young people’s experiences within the secure estate outline the views of staff within the secure estate regarding interventions. Methods The following research methods were used: a survey of 1,245 young people approaching the end of a custodial sentence (827 in YOIs, 229 in STCs and 189 in SCHs) an analysis of the administrative records, where available, for the surveyed young people (713 in YOIs, 211 in STCs and 181 in SCHs: 1,105 in total) forty-two in-depth qualitative interviews with secure estate staff across five establishments (two YOIs, two STCs and one SCH). Young people who were serving a custodial sentence were included in the study if they had a release date within four months after completion of the survey at the end of 2010. Young people were surveyed in six phases over the course of 2010. They were initially selected for participation in the survey on a random basis. However, since the population of young people in custody was consistently falling, phases two to six of the survey took the form of a census of all young people exiting custody within the defined timeframe. The analysis of administrative records involved an on-site case file review; and, to complement this, data were collected from the eAsset system at the YJB headquarters. However, both data collection methods found inconsistencies across the secure estate in the recording of details of interventions received by individual young people, such as the frequency and intensity of interventions, and levels of completion and achievement. Ten YOIs (including one female YOI), four STCs and eight SCHs participated in the study. Establishments were chosen to ensure that the sampled population covered 94% of the secure estate yearly throughput in YOIs5 and SCHs, and 100% in STCs. The following limitations need to be borne in mind when interpreting the findings: survey of young people Young people on longer sentences such as detention for public protection (section 226/228), where the release date could not be provided, were not included in this study. As they comprise only 4% of the sentenced custodial population, it is likely that the exclusion of this particular group of offenders will have had only a minimal impact on the yearly throughput. administrative data The completeness and quality of data varied both within and between establishment types. Unfortunately complete data were rarely available on each individual. Some form of administrative data were collected for 1,105 of the young people who participated in the survey. This sub-sample was broadly representative of the wider survey sample. in-depth interviews with secure estate staff Interviews were conducted with 42 staff from five secure establishments. It should be noted that findings from these interviews may not represent the views of all staff working within the secure estate. Key findings The research encompassed two main themes: young people’s general experiences of the secure estate and their relationships with staff at the secure establishments the interventions or programmes the young people received in relation to education, training and employment; offending behaviour; substance misuse; and resettlement into the community. Details: London: Youth Justice Board for England and Wales, 2013. 122p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 18, 2013 at: http://www.icpr.org.uk/media/34265/young-people-secure-estate.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.icpr.org.uk/media/34265/young-people-secure-estate.pdf Shelf Number: 127994 Keywords: Juvenile CorrectionsJuvenile DetentionJuvenile Offenders (U.K.)Rehabilitation Programs |
Author: Ludbrook, Maria Title: Youth Therapeutic Programmes: A Literature Review Summary: There is no doubt that youth offenders (i.e. those under 20) are a population of concern. New Zealand statistics show that youth aged 14 to 20 have the highest apprehension rates across major offence categories (MOJ 2010). Following release from prison, under 20 year-olds have the highest reconviction (88%) and reimprisonment (71%) rates within a 60-month period, with almost a quarter reoffending within three months of release, and almost half reoffending and returning to prison within 12 months. Prior incarceration increases the likelihood that youth will return to prison after any given release. First-timers to prison are 66% likely to return, and recidivist youth 88% likely to return within 60 months (Nadesu 2009b). Offenders at or near their peak offending age (i.e. those under 25) cause the most harm to society in any given year. Intervening before they reach their peak offending age gives more opportunity to prevent harm (Hughs 2010). While many youth grow out of criminal offending (or desist from crime more quickly), a small group persists and become New Zealand’s chronic low or high rate adult offenders. Nadesu (2009) suggested that intervening with young offenders within prisons should be a Departmental priority, as effective interventions are likely to have significant downstream benefits. This review was undertaken to identify the characteristics of effective programmes for young offenders. Effective programmes: are underpinned by sound theory and principles (cognitive behavioural, social learning); embody ‘therapeutic’ philosophies (i.e. involve development of new pro social skills); are cognitive behavioural in nature, and include anger management/aggression control and interpersonal skills training components in addition to the other core modules. They adhere to the principles of risk (i.e. interventions are commensurate with risk level), need (they target multiple criminogenic needs relevant to youth) and responsivity (i.e. CBT content and delivery are adapted to account for the differing characteristics of youth offenders). Effective programmes are implemented to a high quality, with close monitoring of treatment fidelity and programme integrity. Sound programmes also plan for generalisation, reintegration and after-care. Facilitators selected to deliver such programmes possess the desired interpersonal influence skills, and have adequate qualifications and/or training in CBT principles and techniques as they apply to the programme. Clinical supervision is delivered by a person who knows about the relevant programme. Details: Wellington, NZ: New Zealand Department of Corrections, 2012. 60p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed march 18, 2013 at: http://www.corrections.govt.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/641219/COR_Youth_Therapeutic_Program_WEB.pdf Year: 2012 Country: New Zealand URL: http://www.corrections.govt.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/641219/COR_Youth_Therapeutic_Program_WEB.pdf Shelf Number: 128005 Keywords: Intervention ProgramsJuvenile AftercareJuvenile DelinquencyJuvenile Offenders (New Zealand)Rehabilitation ProgramsYoung Adult Offenders |
Author: Texas. Legislative Budget Board Title: Windham School District Evaluation Summary: During the Seventy-ninth Legislature, Regular Session, 2005, the enactment of House Bill 2837 added Education Code, §19.0041, and mandated the evaluation of training services provided by the Windham School District (WSD) to offenders housed in Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) facilities. Specifically, this evaluation is to address the type of training services provided, the type of employment obtained upon release, whether employment is related to training received, the difference between earnings on the initial date of employment and on the first anniversary of that date, and employment retention factors. Pursuant to Education Code, §19.0041, WSD is to consult with the Legislative Budget Board (LBB) regarding the evaluation and analysis of the training services, and the LBB is to report the findings to the Legislature. Attachment A contains the most recent full report prepared by WSD, dated November 2012, with findings for offenders released from prison or state jail between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2010. This is the seventh annual report submitted to the legislature under this directive. WSD collaborated with TDCJ and the Texas Workforce Commission to collect and report data pertaining to this evaluation. When appropriate, comparisons are established between this and previous reports. Methodological changes across the reports limit comparability in some instances. Details: Austin, TX: Texas Legislative Budget Board, 2013. 86p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 30, 2013 at: http://www.lbb.state.tx.us/Public_Safety_Criminal_Justice/Windham/Windham%20School%20District%20Evaluation%20Reports2013.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://www.lbb.state.tx.us/Public_Safety_Criminal_Justice/Windham/Windham%20School%20District%20Evaluation%20Reports2013.pdf Shelf Number: 128173 Keywords: Ex-Offender EmploymentRehabilitation ProgramsVocational Education and Training (Texas, U.S.) |
Author: Robinson, Emma Title: Piloting an all-female ETS group in Bradford. Evaluation Report Summary: The initial part of the research was concerned with outcomes from males and females across all accredited programmes in West Yorkshire. Logistic regression techniques were applied in much of the analysis to try and pick out the key predictive factors for completion of any accredited programme then more specifically, ETS. Initial analysis of the data-set revealed that overall, in the 15-month period under review, females were just as likely to start an accredited programme as males. Completion figures were also very similar for males and females. Logistic regression analysis on this data showed that predictive factors for completion of an accredited programme were: Tier, Age and OGRS2 score. Offenders in the ‘too high’ OGRS band were less likely to complete an accredited programme as were Tier 3 and 4 cases. The likelihood of completion also appears to increase with age. The data revealed that a proportion of offenders had been inappropriately allocated to ETS on the basis of their OGRS2 score. However, whereas those in the ‘too high’ category were less likely to complete an accredited programme overall, this did not hold true for the ETS sub-sample as 72% of those in this category who started, then went on to complete the programme. This suggests that other factors may influence programme completion. A total of 12 females completed ETS in a fifteen month period in West Yorkshire. Four of these completers (33%) were singleton females. The all-female ETS pilot achieved two completions from 6 starts (33%), with a further individual attending catch-up sessions at the time of writing. Logistic regression analysis showed that when all other variables were controlled for, Gender and Age were significant predictors of the completion of ETS. The throughput showed that males were twice as likely to complete ETS than females and that the likelihood of completing the programme increases with age. Although a full set of psychometric test scores was not available, some preliminary analysis has been undertaken on the pre and post scores for the mixed ETS attendees and those post scores for the two completers of the pilot group. Overall, the data revealed some differences in scores pre to post programme for the mixed group, and on two of these measures, the post scores mean for the ETS female pilot were lower still. This may indicate some positive results for the female pilot, but without the pre-scores (which were not administered at the start of the course) it is not possible to confirm this. If further groups are to be run, it will be useful to ensure that these tests are administered in order to compare these groups against the mixed ETS programmes. The completers of the pilot group spoke positively about their experience of the programme and their engagement with the other group members. One of the completers indicated that she had no preference towards being in an all-female group or a mixed ETS group. Indeed, this was a common feeling among the respondents in this research as offenders in mixed groups did not necessarily feel that they would have been more comfortable in an all-female group. The pilot group achieved two completions, with a further female having dropped off the group at the very end. This was comparable to the number of ETS completion for females in the previous 15 months across West Yorkshire. Perhaps the group dynamics in the ETS pilot, for instance the supportive atmosphere and the use of real-life examples linked to the material does have an impact on engagement with the programme, but this did not in this instance impact on completion. The group dynamics may not be picked up on by the participants themselves having not been on a mixed group previously, and for those in mixed groups not having experience an all-female group. Both groups of respondents talked positively about the programme itself, and this did not appear to be affected by the composition of the group they were on, perhaps suggesting that females might engage with the programme more than males, and therefore there are other factors preventing females from completing ETS. It was thought that issues such as childcare might be one of these barriers, which was addressed by providing the creche service at the TWP. However, only one of the females used the creche service, so it is difficult to assess the impact of this link-in at this stage. If a further group is run, this may provide more data by which to assess the ‘added value’ of running the programme from TWP premises. The two programme tutors felt that although the creche facility was a useful resource for those attending the programme, it was issues linked to confidence that had made the group responsive to the needs of the women who took part. Confidence was picked up as a major factor for three of the women who were attending due to various issues around alcohol use and domestic violence relationships. As the women had an opportunity to use these real life examples and link them to the material covered in ETS, it was felt that the course had helped to boost their confidence This appeared to tie in with feedback from females on the group who suggested that it was not necessarily the absence of males on the group that was important, rather it was the opportunity to share experiences and talk with other females in a supportive environment. However, given this perceived better engagement of the women tutors had some unanswered questions about the low number of completions from the programme. The reasons for this are difficult to pinpoint and it was felt that organisational issues and an inadequate setting of programme boundaries might have played a part in this. This appears to have been a well-received pilot programme, as both offenders, tutors and staff at TWP spoke very positively about the experience and where hopeful about running further groups in the future. However it did not create significantly higher levels of completion, nor objective data to support the effectiveness of the programme. Details: Wakefield, UK: West Yorkshire Probation Service, 2008. 30p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 5, 2013 at: http://www.westyorksprobation.org.uk/documentlist.php?type=1&year=2008 Year: 2008 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.westyorksprobation.org.uk/documentlist.php?type=1&year=2008 Shelf Number: 128274 Keywords: Cognitive SkillsEducational ProgramsEnhanced Thinking Skills ProgramsFemale Offenders (U.K.)Rehabilitation Programs |
Author: Scottish Parliament. Justice Committee Title: 5th Report, 2013 (Session 4): Inquiry Into Purposeful Activity in Prisons Summary: 1. The Justice Committee believes that the effective rehabilitation of offenders is vital in order to reduce crime levels, reduce the economic and social costs of crime and help create a safer Scotland. It also enables those individuals who have offended, for a variety of reasons, to choose a better life for themselves, their families and communities. 2. A key element of rehabilitation is the recognition of those factors which cause some people to offend and the appropriate level of support to help them develop the skills, experiences and confidence to address these factors and change their behaviour. The Committee recognises that this process takes time and resources. The Committee also recognises, however, that evidence shows this process works. In addition, the Committee believes that this time and those resources can be justified given the significant time and resources currently spent by the police, courts, prison service and wider criminal justice system in connection with reoffending. 3. The Committee believes that, as well as punishing offenders by taking away their liberty, the prison system has an important role to play in rehabilitating offenders. In fact, rehabilitation must start in prison and, to be most effective, must also continue after release when, most often, offenders are back in the environment where they committed their crimes. 4. Purposeful activities, of an educational, counselling, work nature and such others as family contact, are a fundamental element of the rehabilitation process. They can help prisoners address any personal issues that may have contributed to their offending behaviour and help develop the working routine, education, skills and experience necessary to find employment on release and lead a stable, non-offending life. 5. The recommendations of the Committee are included. Details: Edinburgh: Scottish Parliament, 2013. 42p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 6, 2013 at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/S4_JusticeCommittee/Reports/jur-13-05w.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/S4_JusticeCommittee/Reports/jur-13-05w.pdf Shelf Number: 128301 Keywords: Correctional ProgramsInmatesPrisoners (Scotland)Rehabilitation ProgramsVocational Education and Training |
Author: Daykin, Norma Title: Evidence Review: Music Making with Young Offenders and Young People at Risk of Offending Summary: This review was commissioned by Youth Music in March 2011 with the purpose of identifying evidence concerning the impact of music making on young people within the youth justice system. It seeks to add to the knowledge base on the effects of music-based work with young people by providing an up-to-date synthesis of published research and evaluation of music projects in youth justice settings. The report draws on three areas of work: 1. A systematic evidence review of the published, English language international literature on music-making with children and young people in justice settings. 2. An evidence and best practice review of the ‘grey’ literature including UK project reports focusing on music-making in the youth justice system. 3. A review of projects with young offenders funded by Youth Music since 1999. Details: London: Youth Music, 2011. 71p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 25, 2013 at: http://www.youthmusic.org.uk/assets/files/Research/YM_YoungOffenders_web.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.youthmusic.org.uk/assets/files/Research/YM_YoungOffenders_web.pdf Shelf Number: 128320 Keywords: Juvenile OffendersMusic Therapy (U.K.)Rehabilitation Programs |
Author: Niebling, Sarah Title: Youth Camps: A Review of the International Literature Around the Philosophies, Principles, Processes and Outcomes of Youth Camp Initiatives in Reducing Offending and Re-Offending Behaviours and Increasing the Success of Rehabilitation Efforts for Yo Summary: This literature review was conducted to investigate the philosophies, principles, processes and outcomes of youth camp initiatives both in Australia and in New Zealand, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. The purpose of reviewing the international literature in this field was to compare and contrast the different models of youth camps. This will: Determine which of these key models are effective in addressing the needs of both Indigenous and non-Indigenous juvenile offenders and at-risk young people Provide a foundation for making informed decisions regarding best practice approaches in reducing offending and re-offending behaviours Assist policy makers in increasing the success rate of rehabilitation and reintegration back into the community upon a young person’s release from a youth camp program There were four youth camp models that were reviewed for the purposes of this report. These four models were (1) traditional boot camps, (2) wilderness and adventure camps, (3) sports and recreational camps, and (4) arts, music and cultural camps. Traditional boot camps emphasise military training exercises, strict discipline, punishment and obedience to authority (Atkinson, 1995; Caputo, 2004; MacKenzie & Donaldson, 1996). This type of intervention for juvenile offenders may be effective in reducing recidivism and rehabilitating offenders, but it is difficult to say with certainty due to many inconsistencies in the literature. More objective program design, assessment and evaluation methods are needed to increase understanding of the effectiveness of traditional boot camp interventions. Wilderness and adventure camps involve taking young offenders to remote, rural or environmental locations where the clients have opportunities for “routine, personal space, regular meals and positive reinforcement” (Polsen & Chiauzzi, 2003, p. 6). The literature has indicated that these types of camps have a greater likelihood of generating long-term behavioural change when compared with traditional boot camp strategies (Polsen & Chiauzzi, 2003). Sports and recreational camps focus on developing team work, fitness and physical strength through sporting and recreational activities (Mason & Wilson, 1988; Sallybanks, 2002). As was stated above for traditional boot camps, it is difficult to say with certainty how effective sports and recreational camps are in reducing recidivism in juvenile offenders, as only a limited amount of research has been conducted in the field of sporting and recreational intervention mechanisms. Arts, music and cultural camps focus on all three areas of arts, music and culture in attempting to rehabilitate Indigenous juvenile offenders and reintegrate them back into society (Dryfoos, 1993). As was stated above for sports and recreational camps, not enough empirical research has been conducted to accurately determine the effectiveness of these interventions when addressing the needs of Indigenous juvenile offenders and at-risk young people. The results of this literature review will provide a basis for policy makers, academics and community workers to make informed decisions regarding best practice approaches for juvenile offenders and at-risk youth from both Indigenous and non-Indigenous backgrounds. Careful consideration of all youth camp initiatives is important in ensuring that a best practice framework is adopted for the most appropriate treatment of both Indigenous and non-Indigenous young people. The development of structured best practice models for specific target groups may assist in reducing offending and re-offending behaviours in addition to increasing the chances of successfully reintegrating young offenders back into the community. Details: Brisbane, QLD: Eidos, 2006. 40p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed mary 1, 2013 at: http://www.eidos.org.au/v2/images/documents/FinalReports/YouthCamps.pdf Year: 2006 Country: International URL: http://www.eidos.org.au/v2/images/documents/FinalReports/YouthCamps.pdf Shelf Number: 106734 Keywords: Boot CampsJuvenile Offender RehabilitationJuvenile OffendersRehabilitation ProgramsWilderness CampsYouth Camps |
Author: Armstrong, Gaylene Title: Evaluation of the Windham School District Correctional Education Programs Summary: The Windham School District (WSD) provides educational services to the eligible offender population within the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Approximately 63,000 offenders participated in services during the 2011-2012 school year. Sam Houston State University researched and reported on offender outcomes based on various levels and types of participation in educational programs. After a review of research and program descriptions, the findings will provide a general overview from a service delivery perspective. Next, the report examines the impact of WSD program delivery on offender outcomes, specifically the advancement of educational achievement levels and recidivism. Finally, this report presents the results of the impact of participation in WSD programs on average quarterly wages for those offenders employed subsequent to their FY2009 release. All investigative findings should take into consideration that the study found that as legislatively mandated, the WSD prioritizes services for offenders with high risk characteristics. However, because offenders within the TDCJ are not individually identified as high or low risk for re-incarceration, measuring the impact of programming to recidivism was challenging. An individual program assessment of the pre-release program, CHANGES, is not included in the study because significant curriculum revisions infusing cognitive skills were made during the 2009 school year. However, CHANGES students were included as participants in applicable cohorts of the study. A Brief Comparison of Literature Review and Study Findings Literature: Research has indicated that program intensity and duration of rehabilitation programs are directly related to positive outcomes, including recidivism, for certain offenders. Finding: Each WSD program demonstrated to a statistically significant degree that higher levels of program exposure decreased the likelihood of WSD offender re-incarceration. Literature: The higher the overall education level of the offender, the less likely they are to recidivate. Finding: Advances in educational achievement levels, specifically reading, led to much lower re-incarceration levels in many cases. Offenders who participated in WSD adult basic education programs had significantly higher reading, math and language grade equivalency scores as well as overall composite scores upon release in FY2009 as compared to non-participants. Literature: Research found that participants were 1.7 times more likely to be employed upon release to the community. Finding: WSD offenders who earned a GED were even more likely to report post-release earnings as compared to non-WSD offenders. Literature: Empirical evidence suggests correctional education participation results in an increased likelihood of success in obtaining and maintaining employment and higher wage earnings for former offenders. Finding: WSD offenders who had a higher level of reading ability as indicated by their reading category were more likely to report post-release earnings. Furthermore, participants in WSD programs improved their reading ability an average of two grade levels. Literature: Studies have shown that offenders who participate in correctional education programs have higher rates of employment upon release and participating offenders earn higher wages in each successive year. Finding: On average, WSD offenders earned higher wages per quarter as compared to Non-WSD offenders. Literature: Researchers have found that individuals who obtain meaningful, quality employment upon release have lower recidivism rates than those who obtain employment of a lesser quality. Finding: Obtaining Vocational Certification certificates further bolstered earnings within WSD offender groups. WSD offenders who earned vocational certifications on average earned $3,180.81 per quarter as compared to WSD offenders who engaged in vocational programming but did not earn certification who on average earned $2,795.37 per quarter. Literature: Findings are relatively consistent in that participation in correctional education reduces recidivism. Finding: Overall, younger offenders (<35) were significantly more likely to re-offend in contrast to offenders above the age of 35; however, within both age groups, educational achievement of WSD offenders had a suppression effect on re-incarceration. Literature: Cognitive-behavioral treatment is well-established as an effective method for adjusting maladaptive thinking and producing positive behavioral outcomes. Finding: WSD offenders who completed the Cognitive Intervention Program (CIP) earned significantly higher wages when post-release earnings were reported as compared to non-CIP participants. Further Considerations Future evaluation efforts should consider the examination the impact of consecutive or concurrent enrollment. Given that more than 43 percent of the offenders in this sampling time frame were incarcerated on more than one occasion, future consideration should be given to program involvement across various periods of incarceration. Future evaluations should compare differences between offenders exposed to a single correctional education program with those exposed to multiple programs. Details: Austin, TX: Sam Houston State University, 2012. 72p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 6, 2013 at: http://www.windhamschooldistrict.org/reports/WSD_Rider6_Response.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: http://www.windhamschooldistrict.org/reports/WSD_Rider6_Response.pdf Shelf Number: 128972 Keywords: Correctional Education Programs (Texas, U.S.)RecidivismRehabilitation ProgramsVocational Education and Training |
Author: Walsh, Michael Allen Title: Wilderness Adventure Programming as an Intervention for Youthful Offenders: Self-Efficacy, Resilience, and Hope for the Future Summary: A review of the literature on positive youth development clearly identifies demonstrated empirical relationships between perceived self competence, adolescent resilience, and hope, which are theorized in a strengths-based focus on youth offenders to be predictors of reduced recidivism. This evaluation of outcomes associated with participation in the Wilderness Endeavors (WE) Program of Thistledew seeks to test this theory that individuals who participate in WE will develop enhanced levels of perceived self competence, resiliency, and hope for the future, and therefore, result in a reduction of recidivism. The specific aims guiding this exploratory study include: 1) to establish a matched-pair control group using youth who were not referred to Thistledew, but which were referred from the same county court system to a Minnesota Department of Correction (MDOC) disposition or other programs, by using as matching variables age, age of first offense, type of committing offense, and risk assessments as determined by the Youth Level of Service Inventory (YSLI) used by the referring Youth Probation Officer (if possible given county court use of the YSLI from which a control group will be drawn); 2) to assess the baseline scores of the youth participant's on the following measures: a) Perceived-Self Competence (Self Efficacy), b) Hope, and c) Adolescent Resiliency; and to assess post-program scores on Perceived-Self Competence, Hope, and Adolescent Resiliency, and 3) to conduct a six-month follow up assessment that will assess both treatment and control youth re-offense rates, including the nature and degree of the re-offense. The paired t tests revealed that self efficacy and hope scores showed significant changes from pretest to posttest, suggesting that the Wilderness Endeavors Program had a significant positive effect on participant's self-efficacy and hope for the future. The non parametric test (McNemar) utilized to investigate the four hypotheses related to Wilderness Endeavors Program participation on the future offending behaviors (recidivism) of participants revealed that there were no significant differences in recidivism rates, or new program placements, between the treatment and control groups. Furthermore, involvement in school and employment were not significantly associated with recidivism rates in both treatment and control groups. The binary logistic regression showed that higher levels of hope were associated with those Wilderness Endeavors Program participants who did not recidivate, while changes in self-efficacy and resilience scores had no association with recidivism. Finally, the three demographic variables that are supported in the literature as being strong predictors of recidivism for juvenile offenders revealed only YLSI scores were associated with recidivism; those individuals who did not recidivate were more likely to have a lower risk score. Gender and age of first offense had weak or no associations with either group. Details: St. Paul, MN: University of Minnesota, 2009. 184p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed November 11, 2013 at: http://conservancy.umn.edu/bitstream/57003/1/Walsh_umn_0130E_10685.pdf Year: 2009 Country: United States URL: http://conservancy.umn.edu/bitstream/57003/1/Walsh_umn_0130E_10685.pdf Shelf Number: 131611 Keywords: Delinquency PreventionJuvenile OffendersRecidivismRehabilitation ProgramsWilderness Programs Youthful Offenders |
Author: Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission Title: Improving Illinois' Response to Sexual Offenses Committed by Youth: Recommendations for Law, Policy, and Practice Summary: The Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission performed extensive scientific and legal research to understand the complex issues of the behavior, treatment, and rehabilitation of juvenile sex offenders and the extent to which current knowledge has resulted in practical applications throughout the state. The findings from this research shaped the Commission's recommendations, which aim to increase public safety, improve outcomes for young offenders, and allocate scarce public resources effectively. To do this, Illinois should implement evidence-informed policies for professionals who work with victims and youth offenders; provide individualized, community-based, family-focused treatments and services; and repeal counter-productive sex offender registration requirements and categorical restrictions for young people. Details: Chicago: Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission, 2014. 150p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 19, 2014 at: http://ijjc.illinois.gov/youthsexualoffenses Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: http://ijjc.illinois.gov/youthsexualoffenses Shelf Number: 132518 Keywords: Juvenile OffendersJuvenile Sex OffendersRehabilitation ProgramsSex Offender TreatmentSexual Abuse |
Author: Council of State Governments Justice Center Title: Reentry Matters: Strategies and Successes of Second Chance Act Grantees Across the United States Summary: With over 95 percent of people in the nation's state prisons expected to be released at some point, officials at all levels of government recognize the need for initiatives to support the successful reentry of these individuals to their communities. For the estimated 60,000 youth incarcerated in juvenile detention and correctional facilities on any given day, there is a particular urgency to help them avoid crime and improve their prospects for a successful future when released. In 2008, Congress responded to these needs by passing the Second Chance Act, first-of-its-kind legislation that was enacted with bipartisan support and backed by a broad spectrum of leaders in law enforcement, corrections, courts, behavioral health, and other areas. The legislation authorizes federal grants that support reentry programs for adults and juveniles, nearly 600 of which have been awarded to government agencies and nonprofit organizations in 49 states by the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Justice Programs. The program snapshots below illustrate the positive impact these reentry initiatives can have by focusing on areas vital to reintegration back into the community, including employment, education, mentoring, and substance abuse and mental health treatment. Also highlighted are programs that address the needs of a particular population, such as youth, women, and tribal communities. Representing a wide range of populations served, these programs also demonstrate the diversity of approaches that can address recidivism and increase public safety. Details: New York: Council of State Government Justice Center, 2013. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 16, 2014 at: http://csgjusticecenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/ReentryMatters.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://csgjusticecenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/ReentryMatters.pdf Shelf Number: 132690 Keywords: Prisoner ReentryPrisoner ReintegrationRecidivismRehabilitation ProgramsSecond Chance Act |
Author: Finklea, Kristin Title: Juvenile Victims of Domestic Sex Trafficking: Juvenile Justice Issues Summary: There has been growing concern over sex trafficking of children in the United States. Demand for sex with children (and other forms of commercial sexual exploitation of children) is steady, and profit to sex traffickers has increased. Law enforcement is challenged not only by prosecuting traffickers and buyers of sex with children, but also by how to handle the girls and boys whose bodies are sexually exploited for profit. Under the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA; P.L. 106-386), the primary law that addresses trafficking, sex trafficking of children is a federal crime; moreover, an individual under the age of 18 who is involved in commercial sex activities is considered a victim of these crimes. Despite this, at the state and local levels, juvenile victims of sex trafficking may at times be treated as criminals or juvenile delinquents rather than victims of crime. Of note, there are no comprehensive data that address the number of prostituted or otherwise sexually trafficked children, and there are limited studies on the proportion of these juveniles who are treated as offenders. A number of factors may, alone or in combination, contribute to the criminalization of juvenile trafficking victims. One is a lack of victim identification and an awareness of key indicators that may help in identifying victims. Even in states that statutorily consider juveniles involved in commercial sex to be victims, law enforcement may not have received sufficient training to be able to identify victims. Another factor is a lack of secure shelters and specialized services for victims; despite knowing that the juvenile is a victim, law enforcement may charge the individual with a crime so as to place the victim into one of the only available safe and secure environments - a detention facility within the juvenile justice system. Researchers and policy makers have suggested a number of options aimed at preventing minor trafficking victims from being caught up in the juvenile justice system and diverting them to programs and services that can help rehabilitate and restore these youth. These have included supporting law enforcement training on human trafficking, enhancing law enforcement and community partnerships, enacting safe harbor laws preventing the prosecution of victims as offenders, establishing diversion programs for juveniles involved in commercial sex, and establishing provisions to seal or expunge records of trafficked youth's involvement in the juvenile justice systems. Because the federal government considers juveniles involved in prostitution as victims of trafficking, and because much of the policing to combat prostitution and sex trafficking - both of adults and children - happens at the state level, federal policy makers have considered how to influence states' treatment of trafficking victims (particularly minors) such that state policies are more in line with those of the federal government. Financial incentives from federal grants and victim compensation funds could be provided through a variety of avenues. These routes include TVPA-authorized grants, juvenile and criminal justice grants, Violence Against Women Act (VAWA; P.L. 113-4) - authorized grants, and the Crime Victims Fund. Details: Washington, DC: Congressional Research Services, 2014. 23p. Source: Internet Resource: R43677: Accessed August 13, 2014 at: http://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R43677.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: http://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R43677.pdf Shelf Number: 133028 Keywords: Child ProstitutionChild Sexual ExploitationJuvenile Sex Trafficking (U.S.)Rehabilitation Programs |
Author: Stewart, Lynn A. Title: Outcomes of Federal Aboriginal Offenders in Correctional Programs: Follow-up from the ICPM Evaluation Summary: What it means Past research suggests that Aboriginal offenders benefit from participation in both Aboriginal-specific, and mainstream Correctional Service Canada (CSC) correctional programs. Further research on their response to the Integrated Correctional Program Model (ICPM)Footnote 1, found that Aboriginal offenders participating in the Aboriginal Integrated Correctional Program Model (AICPM) do as well as, or better than, participants in the Aboriginal Nationally Recognized Correctional Programs (NRCP). AICPM, however, demonstrates no improvement in efficiency over the Aboriginal-specific NRCP menu in assisting offenders in the timely completion of correctional programs identified on their correctional plans. Key outcomes related to sex offending, violent offending and domestic violence offending have yet to be examined. What we found When risk factors were controlled and region was held constant, returns to custody and returns with an offence did not differ between Aboriginal offenders participating in ICPM or AICPM and matched participants in NRCPs. When the time period during which the offenders attended programs was the same between study groups, controlling for multiple risk factors, Aboriginal offenders participating in AICPM were significantly less likely to return to custody and to return with an offence than Aboriginal offenders participating in the Aboriginal-specific NRCP menu. An analysis of program efficiencies found that time from admission to start of the first correctional program was significantly longer for AICPM than Aboriginal NRCP. Time to the completion of the last correctional program prior to release did not differ between the AICPM and Aboriginal NRCP groups. Why we did this study A prior evaluation of the ICPM pointed to a trend for poorer results for offenders in the AICPM group than those in the NRCP group. Further information on the efficacy and efficiency of ICPM and AICPM for Aboriginal offenders was requested in order to inform decisions regarding full implementation of the program. What we did The following analyses were conducted: - All research reporting on outcomes for Aboriginal offenders who participated in CSC correctional programs was reviewed and summarized; - Aboriginal offenders in the ICPM (n = 24) and AICPM (n = 70) were compared on correctional outcomes; - Using a longer-term follow-up period, 137 Aboriginal participants in the ICPM/AICPM were compared to their matched NRCP pairs; and - The recent population of Aboriginal offenders in AICPM (n = 163) were compared to the recent population of Aboriginal offenders in Aboriginal NRCP programs (n = 858) on correctional outcomes and program efficiencies. Details: Ottawa: Correctional Service of Canada, 2014. 42p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Report No. R-328: Accessed August 23, 2014 at: http://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/005/008/092/005008-0328-eng.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Canada URL: http://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/005/008/092/005008-0328-eng.pdf Shelf Number: 133128 Keywords: Aboriginal Offenders (Canada)Correctional ProgramsRecidivismRehabilitation Programs |
Author: Bateman, Tim Title: Resettlement of Girls and Young Women: Research Report Summary: This report addresses a worrying gap in the knowledge about the effective resettlement of girls and young women. Reviewing research literature in a number of relevant areas, it cross-references evidence of what works in the resettlement of young people with what we know about the wider need of girls and young women. This iterative synthesis approach thus provides a gender-sensitive approach to inform policy and practice development in resettlement for this specific group. Introduction: addressing the resettlement needs of an ignored constituency - Recent years has seen an increasing focus on the resettlement of young people after custody, with a number of initiatives designed to address stubbornly high reoffending rates. However, the specific needs of girls and young women have received little attention in policy and practice. This is a worrying gap because research with adult female offenders consistently warns that what works with male offenders is unlikely to work with females. - The resettlement needs of girls and young women have been ignored partly because they make up a small proportion of the custodial population, and partly because they usually offend less frequently and seriously than young males. - Academics have also largely ignored the needs of this group in resettlement. This is reflective of relatively limited numbers of studies on women in the criminal justice system more generally, but with even less known about younger females, and less still around custody. - This report provides gender-sensitive perspective of the established gender-neutral principles of what works in resettlement with young people. The report first considers the contemporary policy context for the resettlement of girls and young women, specifically in relation to Transforming Youth Custody. Literature searches then focused on reasons behind female youth offending, reviews judicial responses to this group, details the characteristics of young females in custody, and reflects on lessons from interventions with older females. Finally, the report draws on any resettlement studies or interventions that have previously included some focus on girls or young women's specific needs. Details: London: Beyond Youth Custody, 2014. 68p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 13, 2014 at: http://www.beyondyouthcustody.net/wp-content/uploads/421_research-report_04_8_w-front_cover.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.beyondyouthcustody.net/wp-content/uploads/421_research-report_04_8_w-front_cover.pdf Shelf Number: 133886 Keywords: Female OffendersGender-Specific ProgrammingOffender ReentryRehabilitation ProgramsYoung Adult Offenders (U.K.) |
Author: Great Britain. National Offender Management Service Title: Stocktake of Women's Services for Offenders in the Community Summary: - In April 2013, the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) provided an additional L3.78 million to Probation Trusts in England & Wales, specifically to enable them to enhance the provision of services they commission or deliver to promote the rehabilitation of female offenders. To assess the impact of this extra investment, we conducted a stocktake of services in the community for female offenders, and this is our report. - NOMS is an executive agency of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ). The main objectives of the agency are to protect the public and reduce reoffending. Where offenders are given a community sentence by the courts, or released from custody on licence, these objectives are at present taken forward by the 35 Probation Trusts in England and Wales, which are responsible for the delivery of services at local level. - Probation Trusts deliver offender services in partnership with a wide range of public, private and third sector providers. They also commission services - sometimes jointly with partners - from other providers. NOMS has a contract with each Probation Trust. It is through contract management arrangements that NOMS ensures that the intentions and plans put forward by Probation Trusts during commissioning rounds are translated into the practical delivery of services in local communities. - In future, these offender services in the community will be delivered by the Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRCs) and (for higher-risk offenders) by the new National Probation Service. This stocktake describes how services for female offenders are delivered at present - and new providers will clearly be very interested in the practice it describes. More specifically, the report examines the impact of the additional L3.78 million provided this year. The aim of this extra investment was to enable Trusts to access additional services for women under their local commissioning arrangements, taking into account the requirement to ensure that services contribute to the overall objectives of the National Offender Management Service. - The extra funding does not represent the total spent by Probation Trusts on services for female offenders: Trusts routinely provide these services through their mainstream delivery. While our main aim in this report has been to identify the new initiatives and services funded from the additional provision, we also briefly highlight the way in which Probation Trusts have used their core funding to strengthen and improve services for female offenders. And wherever possible, we have identified resources contributed by other parties - though this is not always easy to do precisely. Details: London: NOMS, 2013. 38p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 25, 2014 at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/252837/stocktake-wcs.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/252837/stocktake-wcs.pdf Shelf Number: 134248 Keywords: Community Treatment ProgramsFemale Offenders (U.K.)Female ProbationersOffender Treatment ProgramsRehabilitation Programs |
Author: Great Britain. Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Probation Title: Full Joint Inspection of Youth Offending Work in Trafford Summary: Reducing reoffending Overall work to reduce reoffending was satisfactory. A strong focus and priority was given to reducing reoffending. Assessment and planning were, for the most part done well, and children and young people were particularly well supported in meeting health and education needs. However, in a small number of cases, assessments and elements of plans were not satisfactory and these had not been identified through management oversight systems. Protecting the public Overall work to protect the public and actual or potential victims was good. Assessment and planning work to reduce the risk of harm was completed well in a large majority of cases. There were systems in place to ensure oversight of, and partner contributions to, the management of risk of harm. Delivery of victim work, restorative justice and reparation was well structured although evidence for the uptake of direct work with victims was lacking. Barriers to information sharing between the police and YOS, as a result of the recently reduced capacity of the seconded police officer, inhibited the use of intelligence as part of case management. Protecting children and young people Overall work to protect children and young people and reduce their vulnerability was satisfactory. Although the majority of work to protect children and young people was completed sufficiently well, we saw a small number of cases in which the assessment and planning of vulnerability was weak, and which, on further investigation, revealed a number of systemic problems. Work was child-centred and there was a positive working relationship between the YOS and children's social care in many cases. Interventions to reduce unnecessary use of custody were good. However, more complex safeguarding cases revealed deficits in the YOS's collective knowledge, levels of staff training, management oversight and governance arrangements. Ensuring the sentence is served Overall work to ensure that the sentence was served was good. Practitioners across the YOS demonstrated enthusiasm, commitment and knowledge of their cases. There was evidence of good working relationships with children and young people and their parents/carers, who were largely positive in their comments about their contact with the YOS. Diversity needs were met well and where barriers to engagement were encountered, these were generally dealt with constructively. The use of self-assessment tools was inconsistent and some children and young people felt their views were not fully taken into account. Governance and partnerships Overall, the effectiveness of governance and partnership arrangements was satisfactory. The governance arrangements for the YOS were complex, with separate board arrangements in place for oversight of performance and safeguarding. Performance against youth justice key indicators was good, although membership and attendance at the YOS Performance and Governance Board had been inconsistent from some partners. More use could have been made of available data to understand trends, drive performance improvement and provide challenge. Governance and oversight of YOS safeguarding work was not sufficiently robust, lacked prominence on key agendas and did not feature in the local Youth Justice Plan. There was, however, some strong partnership work, particularly around health, education, training and employment. Interventions Overall the management and delivery of interventions to reduce reoffending were good. We found that the YOS had a good range of appropriate and accessible interventions available to children and young people. Where provision was external to the YOS, referral systems and pathways were in place. Most offence targeted work was undertaken on a one-to-one basis, although a number of group based interventions were also available. Materials used were focused on the reduction of reoffending. In a small number of cases, required interventions were not delivered. Details: London: HM Inspectorate of Probation, 2015. 42p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 1, 2015 at: https://www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmiprobation/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2015/02/Trafford-FJI-250215.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmiprobation/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2015/02/Trafford-FJI-250215.pdf Shelf Number: 135081 Keywords: InterventionsJuvenile DetentionJuvenile Offenders (U.K.)RecidivismRehabilitation ProgramsReoffending |
Author: O'Keeffe, Caroline Title: The Melting Pot: Final Evaluation Report Summary: The Melting Pot is a three year creative writing and mentoring programme, working with some of the most isolated and vulnerable prisoners at the Dangerous and Severe Personality Disorder (DSPD) Westgate Unit at HMP Frankland in Durham. This ambitious and pioneering project is the first of its kind in the UK. The Melting Pot (MP) project specialises in developing and exploring creative writing activities which are specifically aimed at the DSPD prisoner. This report contains the findings of the final phase of the Melting Pot evaluation conducted by the Hallam Centre for Community Justice and funded by Northern Rock1. Phase One of the Melting Pot evaluation was a process evaluation which sought to give a 'broad brush' account of how the Melting Pot project had progressed since its inception, highlighting key successes, challenges and learning points along the way2. Following on from this initial context setting, Phase Two of the evaluation adopted a 'short and deep' approach which focused upon replicability and routes to impact. Thus, the key aims of Phase Two were to: - Facilitate organisational learning by: - identifying those key characteristics of Melting Pot which make it successful - assessing the extent to which these are replicable in other settings; - test out an approach for measuring impact (through the development of a 'routes to impact' tool); - provide evidence of impact (through implementation of the tool over a given time period); - enable further promotion of the Melting Pot to wider stakeholders and potential future funders. - Focus group with 11 prison staff; - in depth interviews with 4 MP participants; - interviews with two Visiting Writers; - Knowledge Harvesting activity with Melting Pot Co-ordinator/Lead Writer; - interview with Melting Pot participant mother. The data collected from these activities was thematically analysed and then combined with Phase One findings as well as data from the Co-ordinator/Lead Writer's journal and interim reports. Details: Sheffield Hallam University, Hallam Centre for Community Justice, 2013. 55p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 16, 2015 at: http://artsevidence.org.uk/media/uploads/melting-pot-final-evaluation-report---dec-2013-(2).pdf Year: 2013 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://artsevidence.org.uk/media/uploads/melting-pot-final-evaluation-report---dec-2013-(2).pdf Shelf Number: 135247 Keywords: Correctional Programs (U.K.)Creative Writing ProgramEducationRehabilitation Programs |
Author: Elwick, Alex Title: Improving outcomes for young offenders: An international perspective Summary: This review of international approaches to education and interventions for young people in custody identifies differences between judicial systems, and in particular youth justice systems, across the world. It focuses on reoffending behaviour in these different systems and the methods these administrations employ to address the issue. The review draws upon a series of case studies from a range of high-performing jurisdictions in order to exemplify institutions, interventions and programmes which have either been shown to have a positive impact on reoffending or indirectly contribute towards these acknowledged or proven high-performing systems. Based upon these case studies, a number of key features of provision for young offenders in custody emerge which, within their own contexts, contribute to a successful approach. These include: - Education is placed at the heart of an institution's focus. - Interventions are personalised and targeted. - Staff are given multidisciplinary training, often to graduate level, and custodial staff are also involved in the education of offenders. - Institutions are relatively small, and are split into units which are even smaller. - There are high ratios of staff to offenders. - Offenders are assigned mentors who work with them up to 12 months after their release. - Activities within the community are a key aspect of provision. - Residential facilities are locally distributed, situated reasonably close to the homes of young offenders. Building on this analysis, a number of recommendations are made in terms of the future of youth custody in England and Wales: Details: Reading, Berkshire, UK: CfBT Education Trust, 2013. 32p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 20, 2015 at: http://cdn.cfbt.com/~/media/cfbtcorporate/files/research/2013/r-improving-outcomes-2013.pdf Year: 2013 Country: International URL: http://cdn.cfbt.com/~/media/cfbtcorporate/files/research/2013/r-improving-outcomes-2013.pdf Shelf Number: 135268 Keywords: Educational ProgramsEvidence-Based ProgramsJuvenile OffendersRecidivismRehabilitation ProgramsReoffending |
Author: Sheffield Hallam University Title: The Melting Pot: Year One Evaluation Summary: The Melting Pot is a three year creative writing and mentoring programme, working with some of the most isolated and vulnerable prisoners at the Dangerous and Severe Personality Disorder (DSPD) Westgate Unit at HMP Frankland in Durham. This ambitious and pioneering project is the first of its kind in the UK. The Melting Pot (MP) project specialises in developing and exploring creative writing activities which are specifically aimed at the DSPD prisoner. The project is a direct result of a long-term development partnership between Writers in Prison Network (WIPN), the Writer in Residence at HMP Frankland (2002-2006), and the Learning and Skills Department at HMP Frankland. During 2007-2008, WIPN and the Sir James Knott Trust worked together to assess the impact of the Writer in Residency at HMP Frankland with a view to developing new project opportunities. This culminated in a successful bid to the Northern Rock Foundation by the Writer, with WIPN support, to deliver the three-year Melting Pot (MP) project. Thus, the concept of the MP was the creative vision of an enthusiastic Writer in Residence and was enabled by a cooperative and mutually beneficial relationship between the three key stakeholders, all of whom were keen to embrace development and innovation in working with some of the most challenging prisoners, in the most challenging of settings. Key Melting Pot project objectives are to: - offer a highly unique extra-curricular, sensitive and intelligent approach to creative writing and mentoring among DSPD prisoners; - identify and help contribute to the overall well being of men within the DSPD Unit; and - contribute to the therapeutic and rehabilitation programme within the DSPD setting. In the UK, a specific DSPD Programme operates within two high security establishments in the prison estate for men1 and specifically focuses on the rehabilitation needs of prisoners who are deemed to have dangerous personality disorders. Prisoners are encouraged to address their own personal difficulties and receive intensive therapeutic treatment programmes, along with interventions, such as education, sport, and extra-curricular meetings and visits. Details: Sheffield, UK: Sheffield Hallam University, Hallam Centre for Community Justice, 2009. 36p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 20, 2015 at: http://artsevidence.org.uk/media/uploads/20090075-melting-pot---year-one-evaluation-report.pdf Year: 2009 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://artsevidence.org.uk/media/uploads/20090075-melting-pot---year-one-evaluation-report.pdf Shelf Number: 135270 Keywords: Correctional Programs (U.K.) Creative Writing Program Education Rehabilitation Programs |
Author: Mukamal, Debbie Title: Degrees of Freedom: Expanding College Opportunities for Currently and Formerly Incarcerated Californians Summary: College has the power to change lives. A college education creates job opportunities; it fosters leadership and improves the social and economic well-being of students, families, and communities. California has long recognized these benefits, and we enjoy a robust public higher education system unparalleled by any in the nation. More significantly, California is a national leader with a long-standing commitment to making college accessible and affordable for all its residents. In order to fully realize this commitment, we cannot overlook Californians who are involved in the criminal justice system. College can break the cycle of recidivism and transform formerly incarcerated individuals into community leaders and role models; it can alleviate economic barriers faced by the formerly incarcerated and enable families to enjoy the fruits of economic mobility. We must recognize that these students' success is part of California's success by including them in our existing education structures, and by ensuring that they persist to graduation. Improving access for all will require leadership and strategic intervention. Our colleges and criminal justice agencies must break out of their silos and share a commitment to high-quality education for all students whether they are learning in prison, jail, or the community. Our policymakers must enable partnership and collaboration between the education and criminal justice fields. Realizing this vision may not be easy, but doing so will improve the lives of thousands of potential college students, for the benefit of our communities now and in future generations. California has a history as a leader in prioritizing college access for all, including criminal justice-involved students. In the late 1970s, every state prison facility offered in-person college courses, and programs to support students with criminal histories existed at 15 community colleges across the state and on nearly half of California State University campuses. Today, we have the infrastructure and experience to successfully support non-traditional students working to achieve their educational goals, but we have only one in-person college program in our 35 prisons and only a handful of small campus programs to assist formerly incarcerated students. We can be a national leader again. This vision will not be realized without overcoming challenges. California is a remarkably decentralized state, both in education and in criminal justice. Programs that work in one region may be practically or politically unpalatable in another. Budgeting priorities in one county may differ greatly from the adjacent county, and each county has its own way of delegating decision-making power between education institutions and criminal justice agencies. For these reasons, a college education may remain elusive for criminal justice-involved individuals as well as others. To do nothing, however, abandons thousands of potential students who are eager for better opportunities. We have the tools to help, and we should. The descriptions and recommendations in this report are based on research conducted in 2014 by the Stanford Criminal Justice Center at Stanford Law School and the Chief Justice Earl Warren Institute on Law and Social Policy at the University of California, Berkeley School of Law. This initiative included a May 2014 convening of over 150 leaders and stakeholders in education and criminal justice from across California and the United States, as well as reviews of academic research, government reports, legal archives, publicly available databases, and surveys. We interviewed over 175 educators, educational administrators, criminal justice stakeholders, and formerly incarcerated students throughout California and the nation, including in-depth, semi-structured interviews with representatives of college programs for criminal justice-involved students across the country. Some of their direct words are highlighted throughout the report. (See Appendix A for a complete list of contacts and Appendix B for program descriptions.) Drawing on these sources, this report begins with a background on the higher education and criminal justice systems in California. This background section highlights the vocabulary and common pathways for each system, and provides a primer on California community colleges. Part II explains why California needs this initiative. Part III presents the landscape of existing college programs dedicated to criminal justice-involved populations in the community and in jails and prisons. This landscape identifies promising strategies and sites of innovation across the state, as well as current challenges to sustaining and expanding these programs. Part IV lays out concrete recommendations California should take to realize the vision of expanding high-quality college opportunities for currently and formerly incarcerated individuals. It includes guidelines for developing high-quality, sustainable programs, building and strengthening partnerships, and shaping the policy landscape, both by using existing opportunities and by advocating for specific legislative and policy changes. Profiles of current college students and graduates with criminal records divide the sections and offer first-hand accounts of the joys and challenges of a college experience. Throughout this report, terms marked in red italics are defined in the Glossary (only the first appearance of glossary terms are marked in red). Throughout this report, we refer to jail and prison inmates as incarcerated people or prospective students. The education and criminal justice systems relate and refer to the individuals who pass through them differently: colleges and universities teach students by exposing them to new ideas and skills, instilling a thirst for inquiry and cultivating leadership; correctional institutions confine inmates and prioritize the safety and security of their facilities by enforcing compliance and restricting individuality. Using the term student, rather than inmate or offender, intentionally aims to shift public perception of these individuals from passively confined inmates to actively engaged students pursuing the goals and dreams that a college education makes possible. Details: Stanford, CA: Stanford Criminal Justice Center; Berkeley, CA: Chief Justice Earl Warren Institute on Law and Social Policy, 2015. 154p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 26, 2015 at: http://law.stanford.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/default/files/publication/874512/doc/slspublic/Degrees%20of%20Freedom2015.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://law.stanford.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/default/files/publication/874512/doc/slspublic/Degrees%20of%20Freedom2015.pdf Shelf Number: 137139 Keywords: Colleges and UniversitiesEducational ProgramsRehabilitation ProgramsVocational Training and Education |
Author: Manitoba Office of the Auditor General Title: Managing the Province's Adult Offenders Summary: The Department of Justice manages approximately 10,000 adult offenders. About 24% are in provincial correctional centres; the other 76% are supervised in the community. We examined how adequately the Department managed adult correctional centre capacity, adult offenders in the community, adult rehabilitation programs, and related public performance reporting. We found that the Department's management of its adult correctional centre capacity was inadequate for its long-term needs. Although it had increased capacity by 52% since 2008, overcrowding in centres was on-going; offender population forecasts were not always reliable; there was no comprehensive long-term capital plan to address either the forecast bed shortfall or the deterioration in aging correctional centre infrastructure; and initiatives to help reduce bed demand required greater attention. There were also problems in managing adult offenders in the community. While the Department had a number of policies in this area, we found that offenders were not always adequately supervised; their rehabilitation plans needed improvement; supervisors were not regularly reviewing staff's work to ensure it complied with standards; and management had reduced offender supervision standards in 3 regions to resolve workload issues. In addition, there were gaps in planning and monitoring adult rehabilitation programs, and limited public information provided on how well the Department was managing its adult offenders. Taken together, these issues affected the Department's contribution to public safety and reduced the likelihood of successful offender rehabilitation. Details: Winnipeg, MB: Office of the Auditor General, 2014. 57p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 21, 2016 at: http://www.oag.mb.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Chapter-6-Managing-the-Provinces-Adult-Offenders-Web.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Canada URL: http://www.oag.mb.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Chapter-6-Managing-the-Provinces-Adult-Offenders-Web.pdf Shelf Number: 138359 Keywords: Adult OffendersCommunity CorrectionsCorrectional AdministrationInmatesOffender SupervisionPrisonersPrisonsRehabilitation Programs |
Author: Lizama, Jaslene Title: What Works? Short-Term, In-Custody Treatment Programs Summary: Assessing the effectiveness of in-custody treatment programs is essential in the correctional system to appropriately allocate resources and reduce offender recidivism rates. With California passing AB 109, "2011 Public Safety Realignment", it becomes imperative to understand the characteristics and principles of effective rehabilitation programing. Treatment programs that follow the core principles of the Risk-Needs-Responsivity model are found to be effective and to significantly decrease recidivism rates (Andrews, Bonta, & Wormith, 2011). The main question is whether jail treatment programs can be effective given the short duration of most jail terms. The transitory population in jails makes it difficult to provide continuous and effective treatment, further indicating the importance of analyzing the effectiveness of short-term, in-custody treatment programs. The authors reviewed the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy, education and vocational programs, substance and alcohol abuse treatment, faith-based, and mental illness treatment programs. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is based on the premise that offenders have distorted cognitions, which allows for dysfunctional thinking patterns that lead to unreasonable thoughts and beliefs and eventually to criminal and anti-social behaviors. There are different types of CBT programs that include, for example, Moral Reconation Thinking, Thinking for a Change, and Reasoning and Rehabilitation. These CBT programs are cost effective and when the program targets an offender's criminogenic needs, it can positively reduce an offender's recidivism rates. Effective educational and vocational programming are important as a large percentage of offenders in jail lack the basic skills to be a part of a well-functioning society. Educational programs are considered to be Adult Basic Education (ABE), General Educational Development (GED), and Post-Secondary Educational (PSE) classes - which includes academic classes and vocational training. Though most if not all correctional facilities provide their adult offenders with educational classes and vocational training there are no conclusive findings that these programs actually reduce recidivism. However, these programs are deemed effective because they teach offenders basic education, such as reading and writing and they also emphasize academic, vocational, and social education skills. Alcohol and substances abuse rehabilitation programs aim to reduce offenders' dependency and recidivism rates simultaneously. The research suggests cognitive-behavioral therapy, therapeutic communities, and interactive journaling used as in-custody treatment programs for offenders with alcohol or substance dependence can be effective in helping decrease drug use, drug relapse, and future criminal activity. Another promising program for jail inmates is the short-term but intensive OUT program. It is important to note that 12-step programs implemented in rehabilitation programs yield inconclusive evidence of effectiveness and have been found to have harmful consequences if not fully completed. Faith-based programs work with inmates to help grow their beliefs while providing vital services during incarceration but there is little evidence to support their effectiveness as a treatment. Sumter and Clear (n.d.) concluded that there are not enough studies regarding faith-based rehabilitation programs, and the results of the few existing studies yield too many inconsistences to clearly support the effectiveness of religious programs to reduce recidivism. Mentally ill offenders pose a difficult challenge for correctional facility staff and with the growing inmate population more mentally ill individuals find themselves placed in insufficient facilitates that do not meet their needs. Similar to faith-based rehabilitation programs; there is little research analysis to determine the effectiveness of treatment. While it is hard to determine whether mental illness programs can significantly reduce recidivism, it is essential for correctional facilities to provide some sort of programs to meet this population's needs. In general, research suggests that select short-term, intensive treatment programs may be useful within jails and can be effective in reducing offender recidivism rates. Details: Fullerton, CA: California State University - Fullerton, Center for Public Policy, 2015. 40p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 5, 2016 at: http://cpp.fullerton.edu/Faculty/Dixie_CPP/What_Works_In_Corrections_2015.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://cpp.fullerton.edu/Faculty/Dixie_CPP/What_Works_In_Corrections_2015.pdf Shelf Number: 138563 Keywords: Correctional ProgramsRehabilitation ProgramsVocational Training and Education |
Author: Gyngell, Kathy Title: Breaking the habit: Why the state should stop dealing drugs and start doing rehab Summary: - The Coalition has inherited a failing and costly drug policy. The priority was to prescribe methadone to drug addicts in the hope that that this would replace their use of street drugs, reduce street crime and cut criminal justice costs. - This policy impeded and delayed addicts recovery from addiction. There are as many addicts today as there were in 2004/05. Fewer than 4% of addicts emerge from treatment free from dependency. Drug deaths have continued to rise. In the last three years, the number of referrals to rehabilitation units has fallen to an all-time low of 3,914. - It has been extremely expensive. The cost to the state of maintaining addicts on methadone has doubled since 2002/03 to $730 million a year. Drug users are estimated to receive L1.7 billion in benefits a year, while the welfare costs of looking after the children of drug addicts are estimated at a further L1.2 billion a year (the longer term inter-generational costs are unquantifiable but will probably be far higher). - This brings the total social and economic burden for this population to over L3.6 billion. - The Coalition has wisely recognised the scale of the problem it inherited. However, its proposed solution is flawed. - In particular its 'Drugs Recovery Payment by Results (PbR)' approach will only reinforce the status quo. - The PbR pilots will reward operators who can show that addicts have improved health and employment, who have not offended recently and who are not in treatment for drugs. - This is seriously misguided. Solving the drug problem means recognising the problem for what it is: one of addiction. The solution lies in freeing people from it, not by measuring proxy outcomes (which are easy to manipulate). - In addition, the tendering process is being managed by the National Treatment Agency - the organisation responsible for the previous policy. It clearly favours the current set-up. Independent small-scale rehabilitation operators have in effect been excluded from the PbR trials. Details: London: Centre for Policy Studies, 2011. 70p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 7, 2016 at: https://www.cps.org.uk/files/reports/original/111026175000-breakingthehabit.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.cps.org.uk/files/reports/original/111026175000-breakingthehabit.pdf Shelf Number: 138601 Keywords: Drug Abuse and AddictionDrug Abuse TreatmentDrug OffendersDrug PolicyRehabilitation Programs |
Author: Reichert, Jessica Title: Evaluation of St. Leonard's Ministries: Case studies of former residents of St. Leonard's House and Grace House Summary: This report, the first in the series for the St. Leonard's Ministries' evaluation, focuses on five case studies. Researchers conducted in-depth interviews with three men who were former residents of St. Leonard's House and two women who were former residents of Grace House. The goal was to learn about the life experiences of program participants before, during, and after the program. The following are some key findings: - At the time of the interview, the five research subjects were 34 to 70 years old - the average age was 46 years old. Three research subjects reported their race as African American, one as Caucasian, and one as Hispanic. - All of those interviewed had been incarcerated in Illinois prisons - the average number of prior incarcerations was three. - The length of stay in the residential programs ranged from six months to eighteen months. - Of those interviewed, the range of time since leaving the residential program was five months to two years; the average was 11 months. - At the time of the interview, all of the research subjects were living in Chicago in rental apartments. Three of those interviewed were unemployed, and two were employed. - At the time of the interview, four of the research subjects were never married, and one was married. Four of the five research subjects had children. - Four of the five research subjects were former addicts of cocaine, heroin, alcohol, marijuana, and ecstasy. - Overall, the men and women interviewed for this study thought the program facilities were adequate. In general, all interviewed thought that staff were supportive. - The women recommended more consistency in enforcement of program rules at Grace House. In addition, one of the men reported staff did not always enforce program rules at St. Leonard's House. - In general, the women liked all the services and activities of Grace House, in particular, the psychological services. - Two research subjects recommended having more consistency with counselors because the psychology interns often changed. - In general, interviewees would recommend St. Leonard's House and Grace House to others. Details: Chicago: Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, 2015. 66p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 10, 2016 at: http://www.icjia.state.il.us/assets/pdf/ResearchReports/SLM_Case_Study_Report_051115.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://www.icjia.state.il.us/assets/pdf/ResearchReports/SLM_Case_Study_Report_051115.pdf Shelf Number: 139371 Keywords: Halfway HousePrisoner ReentryRecidivismRehabilitation ProgramsResidential Programs |
Author: University of Manchester. Centre for Applied Theatre Research Title: The impact of Blagg on challenging and reducing offending by young people: An evaluation of a drama based offending behaviour workshop Summary: This independent evaluation highlights the potentially positive contribution drama based projects can make to the development of group work provision for young people at risk of offending. Blagg had most significant impact on young people's awareness of the effect of offending on victims, their awareness of thoughts, feelings and decision making relating to offending and their confidence and self esteem. Increased confidence and self esteem is a frequently reported outcome of taking part in drama - drama provides supervised opportunities to interact with peers and gain recognition and praise. Project description Blagg is a drama workshop developed by TiPP that employs drama tools and techniques to challenge offending behaviour. Six implementations of Blagg within two YOTS in the North West region were evaluated - data from qualitative interviews and questionnaires with participants and staff, observation of the programme and YOT records were collected and analysed. Details: Manchester, UK: Centre for Applied Theatre Research, 2003. 54p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 30, 2016 at: http://www.artsevidence.org.uk/evaluations/impact-blagg-challenging-and-reducing-offending-yo/ Year: 2003 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.artsevidence.org.uk/evaluations/impact-blagg-challenging-and-reducing-offending-yo/ Shelf Number: 139903 Keywords: Arts in PrisonsArts ProgramsAt-Risk YouthDelinquency PreventionRehabilitation ProgramsTheater Arts |
Author: Bruce, Katie Title: Evaluation Report: Community Exchange project between detainees at Harmondsworth Immigration Removal Centre and young people at West London YMCA Summary: The report explores the project's impacts on participants' well-being and resilience, awareness and understanding, and musical skills. Based on observations, questionnaires, interviews and focus groups, it contains a wealth of detail about the creative process and the experience of participants. The report also looks at the project as an example of inclusive practice, examining what made it succeed and what could be done to improve outcomes further. It puts forward a number of recommendations for Music In Detention and the wider sector, broken down into three categories: concept, planning and delivery. This report follows a community exchange that took place during the months of March and April 2015 between detainees at Harmondsworth Immigration Removal Centre, Heathrow and young people at West London YMCA in Hayes. The musicians facilitating this project were: - Yiannis Zaronis, an experienced MID musician originally from Greece. Yiannis is a multi-instrumentalist who specialises in a variety of instruments, including guitar, mandolin, bouzouki and darbuka. - Yiannis was joined for four out of the six sessions by Oliver Seager, a new artist to MID on his first community exchange project. Oliver is a singer songwriter, rapper and producer releasing his own material under his stage name, Kotchin. - For the other two sessions Yiannis was joined by MID musicians Tea Hodzic and Shammi Pithia. This report seeks to profile Music in Detention's approach to working in detention centres and with vulnerable young people; assess the works' musical and social outcomes; and evaluate how this work supports inclusivity in the borough of Hillingdon, including recommendations relevant to the wider arts sector. Details: Bedford, UK: Music in Detention and Sound Connections , 2015. 46p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 1, 2016 at: http://www.artsevidence.org.uk/media/uploads/mid-sc-evaluation-report-final.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.artsevidence.org.uk/media/uploads/mid-sc-evaluation-report-final.pdf Shelf Number: 139906 Keywords: Arts in PrisonsArts ProgramsAt-Risk YouthDetention CentersImmigrant DetentionMusic ProgramsRehabilitation Programs |
Author: Maschi, Tina Title: An Evaluation of a Cultural Arts Program for Youth in a Juvenile Justice Program: Technical Report Summary: Arts programming has been touted as a way for youth to learn new skills that will increase youth resilience in stressful environments; improve social and emotional skills and abilities, as well as possibly increase cognitive functions. While there have been a number of studies conducted to examine these relationships, most had a research design that had a number of confounding factors. This study was one of the few that had a comparison group that provided for a stronger research design. The participants attended a program that served as a diversion program for arrested youth and a prevention program for family, friends, and neighbors, of the arrested youth. Previous analyses indicated a pre-post difference in mental health and social skills and an impact analysis indicated a very low recidivism rate for the participants relative to other programs. The findings of this study, in which trends, but few significant results were seen, indicated that art programming's impact on social skills was modest when participating in this relatively short 8 week program. A few significant results were observed that indicated the program had more impact on females. Other perspectives should be examined in order to develop a model of the impact of art programming on a youth's long-term behavior. Details: Unpublished paper, 2013. 54p. Source: Internet Resource: Working Paper, Accessed October 11, 2016 at: https://www.arts.gov/sites/default/files/Research-Art-Works-Fordham1.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: https://www.arts.gov/sites/default/files/Research-Art-Works-Fordham1.pdf Shelf Number: 145408 Keywords: Art EducationJuvenile OffendersRehabilitation ProgramsSocial Skills |
Author: Foster, Rowan Title: Evaluation of the Employment and Reoffending Pilot: Lessons learnt from the planning and early implementation phase Summary: The evaluation of the Employment and Reoffending Pilot aims to draw out lessons learned from its design, development, implementation and delivery, including any reasons for the results it achieves, providing valuable learning to inform the implementation of Transforming Rehabilitation. This report contains findings from the first phase of the evaluation, covering the set-up and first six months of operation of the pilot. Annex D - Topic Guides used in the Employment and Reoffending Pilot Evaluation is published as a separated document alongside this report. Details: London: Ministry of Justice, 2013. 54p., annex. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 15, 2016 at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/265287/employment-reoffending-pilot.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/265287/employment-reoffending-pilot.pdf Shelf Number: 146640 Keywords: Ex-offender EmploymentOffender RehabilitationRe-offendingRecidivismRehabilitation Programs |
Author: Spier, Philip Title: Offending by Children in New Zealand Summary: Children who offend are a group who are under-researched in New Zealand. This research report aims to fill some key information gaps around the profile of child offenders in New Zealand and their patterns of offending and reoffending. The findings from this research will inform future work under the cross-agency Youth Crime Action Plan in response to Government commitments made in September 2012 following the Social Services Select Committee's Inquiry into the identification, rehabilitation, and care and protection of child offenders. Offending trajectories were examined for the 1995 to 1999 birth cohorts to the end of 2013, and child offenders aged 10 to 13 years in the period 2009 to 2013 were examined in some depth. Children who offend are a group who are under-researched in New Zealand. This research report aims to fill some key information gaps around the profile of child offenders in New Zealand and their patterns of offending and reoffending. The findings from this research will inform future work under the cross-agency Youth Crime Action Plan in response to Government commitments made in September 2012 following the Social Services Select Committee’s Inquiry into the identification, rehabilitation, and care and protection of child offenders. Offending trajectories were examined for the 1995 to 1999 birth cohorts to the end of 2013, and child offenders aged 10 to 13 years in the period 2009 to 2013 were examined in some depth. Key findings An estimated one in twenty New Zealand children offend before age 14 The number of child offenders has dropped considerably Despite offending less, Māori children remain significantly over-represented Large drop in shoplifting, and violent offending down Fewer children are becoming offenders Early identification of persistent offenders is critical to reduce crime Police responses reflect changing patterns of offending A little over half of all child offenders reoffend within two years Conclusions Offending by children has dropped in the last five years for both genders, across all ethnic groups and ages, across almost all offence types, and in all regions. A falling youth crime rate is not unique to New Zealand, and the reasons for the fall are unclear and therefore subject to debate. It is likely due to the confluence of a number of factors such as: changes in police practice; better public and private security measures; more effective youth justice interventions; goods often subject to theft or burglary historically continuing to become affordable to more people; and a proliferation of smart phones and video gaming devices among youth which may prevent some opportunistic crimes through boredom. The factors behind the fall in crime may also differ for different types of crime. Much of the drop in offending by children in New Zealand has been because of a drop in first-time child offenders. This is a very positive finding. It is encouraging that there was at least a third fewer child offenders from all ethnic groups apprehended in 2013 than in 2009. However, the decrease for Māori was smaller than that seen for European and Pacific children, with the consequence that the over-representation in the offender statistics of Māori children is exacerbated. This over-representation at the front-end of the youth justice system flows through to other parts of the system (i.e. Child, Youth and Family and the Youth Court). It is important to understand and address the complex interplay of risk factors that lead to Māori children, both boys and girls, being apprehended at a greater rate than children from other ethnic groups. Broadly, attention needs to focus on two areas. Firstly, the rate of Māori children offending and entering the youth justice system in the first instance needs to be reduced. Secondly, for those children who do come in contact with the system, there needs to be effective interventions to increase the likelihood that they do not reoffend. Although a minority (20%) of child offenders committed the majority (57%) of offences by children over the five-year period 2009 to 2013, this was not a small group (around 3,600 children). Within these figures there were 820 children who committed around 11,000 offences, including 170 children who committed nearly 4,200 offences. These figures support the view that early identification and application of effective interventions with high-risk child offenders presents an opportunity to steer the children onto a more positive path, thereby preventing a large number of future crimes and a large number of people from becoming victims. Children who offend are a group who are under-researched in New Zealand. There would be benefit to further research in the following areas: The dynamics of offending by Māori children, and what effective interventions for this group would look like. Who are the high-risk child offenders, how can they be identified early, and what would effective interventions for this group look like? Details: Wellington, NZ: Ministry of Social Development, 2016. 34p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 16, 2016 at: http://apo.org.au/resource/offending-children-new-zealand Year: 2016 Country: New Zealand URL: http://apo.org.au/resource/offending-children-new-zealand Shelf Number: 144843 Keywords: Juvenile Justice SystemJuvenile OffendersRe-offendingRecidivismRehabilitation ProgramsTrajectories |
Author: Texas. Sunset Advisory Commission Title: Windham School District: Schools in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Sunset Self-Evaluation Report Summary: Mission: The Windham School District (WSD) will provide appropriate educational programming and services to meet the needs of the eligible offender population in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) and reduce recidivism by assisting offenders in becoming responsible, productive members of their communities. Statutory Goals: (1) reduce recidivism; (2) reduce the cost of confinement or imprisonment; (3) increase the success of former inmates in obtaining and maintaining employment; and (4) provide an incentive to inmates to behave in positive ways during confinement or imprisonment. (TEC, §19.003) Statutory Powers and Duties: The district may establish and operate schools at the various facilities of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. (TEC, §19.002) The district shall: (1) develop educational and vocational training programs specifically designed for persons eligible under Section 19.005, and (2) coordinate educational programs and services in the department with those provided by other state agencies, by political subdivisions, and by persons who provide programs and services under contract. (TEC, §19.004), The key functions continue to serve the following ongoing objectives: 1. reduce recidivism; 2. reduce the cost of confinement or imprisonment; 3. increase the success of former inmates in obtaining and maintaining employment; and 4. provide an incentive to inmates to behave in positive ways during confinement or imprisonment. The functions are still needed for the following reasons: • Thousands of offenders in TDCJ lack the educational background and basic skills necessary to obtain employment upon release or participate in advanced educational programs. The typical WSD student: - dropped out of school in the 9th or 10th grade, - functions at the 5th or 6th grade level, - has an IQ of 86, - has a history of academic failure, - has a defensive and/or negative attitude, - has low self-esteem, - has little confidence in self to find employment, - has limited ability to visualize a productive future, - has difficulty with relationships, - has difficulty controlling anger, and - exhibits impulsive behavior. - Windham School District serves as a dropout recovery program for thousands of offenders who never completed high school. Offenders as young as 14 years of age may be incarcerated in TDCJ facilities. According to the TDCJ Statistical Report for 2010, nearly 2,800 offenders were under the age of 20 - still eligible for public school. Additionally, more than 44,000 offenders were between the ages of 20 and 29. Most of these offenders lack a high school diploma, have no significant work history, and lack the skills and credentials necessary to compete successfully for jobs. Many lack even the most basic academic skills, not to mention the higher order thinking, reasoning, and problem-solving skills that are typically required in today's workplace. - In 2010, WSD provided educational services to 326 offenders who were seventeen years of age or younger, and an additional 5,964 offenders throughout the system who were public school age. - Education programs serve as a prison management tool. Participation in education programs is tied directly to an offender's classification status and serves as a behavioral incentive. Additionally, offenders who are actively engaged in productive activities are far less likely to create a disturbance than those who are idle. There is also a cost savings in terms of security operations. Education employees supervise thousands of offenders in classrooms every day. Details: Austin, TX: The Advisory Commission, 2011. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 6, 2016 at: https://www.sunset.texas.gov/public/uploads/files/reports/Windham%20School%20District%20SER%202011%2083rd%20Leg_0.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: https://www.sunset.texas.gov/public/uploads/files/reports/Windham%20School%20District%20SER%202011%2083rd%20Leg_0.pdf Shelf Number: 147858 Keywords: Correctional Education ProgramsCorrectional programsRehabilitation Programs |
Author: Hill, Leslie Brooke Title: Becoming the Person Your Dog Thinks You Are: An Assessment of Florida Prison-Based Dog Training Programs on Prison Misconduct, Post-Release Employment and Recidivism Summary: Dog Training Programs have recently become a popular rehabilitative program within correctional facilities. They are present in all 50 states as well as many other countries. However, the empirical literature on the effectiveness of these popular programs is sparse. Using a cohort of inmates released from Florida prisons between the years of 2004-2011 (n=181,547) this study examines the effectiveness of dog training programs on prison misconduct, post-release employment and recidivism. Findings indicate that participation in a dog training program can lead to reductions prison misconduct and reductions in the likelihood and timing of re-arrest. Among those who participated in dog training programs, longer duration, recency of participation, continuity of treatment and being in the program at release emerge as predictors of reductions in prison misconduct and re-arrest and increasing obtaining employment upon release. Due to promising findings, policy implications are discussed as well as potential avenues for future research. Details: Tallahassee: Florida State University, 2016. 186p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed December 14, 2016 at: http://fsu.digital.flvc.org/islandora/object/fsu%3A360369 Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: http://fsu.digital.flvc.org/islandora/object/fsu%3A360369 Shelf Number: 140442 Keywords: Correctional ProgramsDog Training ProgramsEx-Offender EmploymentPrison ProgramsPrisoner MisconductPrisoner ReentryRecidivismRehabilitation Programs |
Author: Crittenden, Courtney A. Title: Gender and Programming: A Comparison of Program Availability and Participation in U.S. Prisons for Men and Women Summary: The current study examines the state of prison programming across the U.S. and whether availability of and participation in prison programs varies by gender and other key factors such as the interaction effects of race and gender, self-identified needs, and facility-level characteristics. Using Morash, Rucker, and Haarr's (1994) study, the last major study comparing prison programming for men and women in U.S. prisons, as a guide, I explore the current state of prison programming using national-level survey data. The results indicate that gender does indeed matter for both prison programming availability and participation with women having more programs available to them and participating in more programs than men. Moreover, the findings suggest that programming might be influenced by both stereotypical gender expectations and gender-responsive principles. The interactions of race and gender were also significant for at least one programming option in every domain examined. Results also indicated that inmates are being placed into programming based on self-identified needs, which is promising. Finally, facility-level characteristics are important factors for both program availability and participation. Details: Columbia, SC: University of South Carolina, 2013. 424p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed December 16, 2016 at: http://scholarcommons.sc.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1610&context=etd Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://scholarcommons.sc.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1610&context=etd Shelf Number: 146124 Keywords: Correctional ProgramsGender-Based ProgramsPrisonersRehabilitation Programs |
Author: Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Work and Pensions Committee Title: Support for Ex-offenders. Fifth Report of Session 2016-17 Summary: The Government's own assessment of the prison system is that it fails to rehabilitate or make sure criminals are prevented from reoffending. The cost to the taxpayer of reoffending stands at around L15 billion per year. It is in society's interest to bring this cost down. Members of this Committee have assisted constituents with firsthand experience of failures in rehabilitation; individuals leaving prison with no fixed accommodation, no financial support and no prospect of finding work. Employment significantly reduces the chances of reoffending. It can also lead to other positive outcomes that have been shown to reduce reoffending, such as financial security and finding a safe and permanent home. We have heard from businesses who have successfully worked with prisons to get ex-offenders into jobs but more employers must follow suit. Individuals entering prison have a range of complex needs. Nearly one-third report a learning difficulty or disability and almost half report having no school qualifications. They enter a prison system where the landscape of education and employment support is fragmented, and good practice is patchy and inconsistent. Added to this are the challenges of rising levels of violence in prisons, a reduction in prison officer numbers and pressure on capacity. Education and employment in prison The problem of employment support in prison is partly one of coordination. Currently, there is no clear strategy for how different agencies, in different prisons, should work together to achieve the common goal of getting ex-offenders into work. We urge the Government to state clearly who has ultimate responsibility for helping prison leavers into work. The Government, charities, employers and ex-offenders themselves all agree that the 'gold standard' of employment support involves employers working in prisons and offering work placements through Release on Temporary License. Over the course of this inquiry, we have seen many examples of good practice, such as work done by Blue Sky, a company that works to understand employer's labour needs, delivers training in prisons and places ex-offenders into jobs. Details: London: House of Commons, 2016. 51p. Source: Internet Resource: Fifth Report of Session 2016-17; HC 58: Accessed February 11, 2017 at: https://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201617/cmselect/cmworpen/58/58.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201617/cmselect/cmworpen/58/58.pdf Shelf Number: 145020 Keywords: Correctional ProgramsEx-offender EmploymentInmate Work ProgramsPrisoner Education and TrainingPrisoner ReentryRehabilitation ProgramsReoffending |
Author: Loeffler-Cobia, Jennifer Title: Utah Department of Corrections Evidence-Based Practice Adherence Summary Report Summary: According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, in 2013, Utah released 94% of its prison population back into the community, meaning that these previous offenders are back working and living in society. With the majority of offenders returning to their communities, politicians, policy makers, program administrators, researchers, and government officials often ask "are our programs working to reduce recidivism?" That is, we want to know "is the money that we allocate to our prison and jail treatment programs providing the skills offenders need to be productive members of society and yielding positive results?" So how do correction programs provide effective interventions to decrease recidivism? Current research points to eight principles that, when reflected in the system policies, procedures, and day-to-day work of community corrections agencies, increase the likelihood of offender risk reduction (Smith, Gendreau & Swartz, 2009). The eight principles are (see Figure 1. National Institute of Correction's Eight Principles of Effective Intervention): 1. Assess Actuarial Risk/Needs; 2. Enhance Intrinsic Motivation; Target Interventions Risk Principle: Prioritize supervision and treatment resources for higher risk offenders. Need Principle: Target interventions to criminogenic (correlated to crime) needs. Responsivity Principle: Be responsive to temperament, learning style, motivation, culture, and gender when assigning programs. Dosage: Structure 40-70% of high-risk offenders' time for three to nine months. Treatment Principle: Integrate treatment into the full sentence/sanction requirements. 3. Skill Train with Directed Practice (e.g., use cognitive behavioral treatment methods); 4. Increase Positive Reinforcement; 5. Engage Ongoing Support in Natural Communities; 7. Measure Relevant Processes/Practices; and 8. Provide Measurement Feedback However, building an evidence-based criminal justice system requires more than just having an understanding of the research that constructed these eight principles. It requires a commitment to fundamentally changing the way criminal justice organizations operate and the way that policy makers, funders, providers and other stakeholders work together. To invest criminal justice reform and make the commitment required, in 2014, Governor Gary Herbert introduced the Utah Justice Reinvestment Initiative (UJRI) that called for a review of the current criminal justice system and will guide a strategic plan to decrease recidivism. As part of the UJRI review, the Utah Criminal Justice Center (UCJC) at the University of Utah was asked to evaluate prison and jail treatment programs on their adherence to these evidence-based practices (EBP) and provided technical assistance surrounding improving treatment practices. The Utah Department of Corrections (UDC) has worked assiduously toward the goal of having their treatment programs become evidence-based and contribute to the criminal justice reform efforts and overall improve public safety in Utah. To this end, 5 prison and 3 jail treatment programs were selected to participate in a program evaluation and quality improvement process with UCJC to enhance their service delivery to be more consistent with EBP. This report is a summary of the eight program evaluations and results of a focus group conducted with program directors. This evaluation provides valuable information on where not only correction treatment programs can improve their practice, but where the Utah criminal justice system can improve as well. The recommendations provided in this report will act as a roadmap for sustainable implementation and replication of EBP in Utah and to develop a just, effective, and evidence-based system. Details: Salt Lake City: Utah Criminal Justice Center, University of Utah, 2015. 43p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 11, 2017 at: http://ucjc.utah.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015-CCJJ_UDC-EBP-Adherence-Summary-ReportFinal-for-Distribution.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://ucjc.utah.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015-CCJJ_UDC-EBP-Adherence-Summary-ReportFinal-for-Distribution.pdf Shelf Number: 144796 Keywords: Correctional ProgramsCorrectional Treatment ProgramsEvidence-Based PracticesRecidivismRehabilitation Programs |
Author: John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Prisoner Reentry Institute Title: Building Communities, Changing Lives: The NYC Justice Corps Community Benefit Projects Summary: The NYC Justice Corps aims to change the dynamic between justice system-involved young adults and the communities in which they live. At the heart of the program are community benefit projects - from renovation and restoration projects to educational and arts initiatives - designed and carried out by Corps members. Community beneft projects promote transformation on several levels. By taking the lead in all aspects of creating and completing their service projects, Corps members learn the hard and soft skills needed for their return to education or entry into training and the workforce. As they seek input from Community Advisory Board members and carry out projects in community centers, parks, and other important local sites, Corps members come to view themselves as contributors to the vibrant fabric of their neighborhoods, developing a stronger connection to the physical landscape and people around them. As one Corps member said: "So [we] give back to them and put ourselves in a different light, definitely. It's wonderful." Neighborhoods, too, beneft from transformational physical improvements and the positive engagement of their young people. One community leader noted that Justice Corps members had come at the "opportune time" and "stepped up" to complete their service project. Community benefit projects have the potential to pave the way for a shift in community members' perception and experience of young people with criminal histories. Young adults aged 18-24 returning to their communities after criminal justice involvement are at a turning point. As criminologist Shadd Maruna notes, individuals at the reentry "'threshol... shed their former identities, but what they shall become is not yet known. They stand outside the normal structures of society in a liminal state characterized by jeopardy and promise." The NYC Justice Corps ofers young people a chance to change their paths through youth-led, collaborative service work in the form of community benefit projects, structuring their program participation to reduce the "jeopardy" and maximize the "promise" of reentry. Details: New York: The Institute, 2017. 72p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 29, 2017 at: https://kf4fx1bdsjx2as1vf38ctp7p-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/NYC-Justice-Corps-Community.pdf Year: 2017 Country: United States URL: https://kf4fx1bdsjx2as1vf38ctp7p-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/NYC-Justice-Corps-Community.pdf Shelf Number: 146932 Keywords: Community-Based ProgramsPrisoner ReentryRehabilitation ProgramsWork ProgramsYoung Adult Offenders |
Author: Wilton, Geoff Title: The additive effects of women offenders' participation in multiple correctional interventions Summary: In the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC), in addition to correctional programs, many other services and interventions are provided to women offenders to prepare them for release into the community and, ultimately, to reduce their risk to reoffend. Some of these services include employment and employability programs, educational programs, mental health programs and services, chaplaincy, prison visits, and social programs. While there is evidence suggesting that these types of interventions can have a positive impact on women's rehabilitation and reintegration, there is very little research that attempts to disentangle the relative contribution of participation in multiple interventions or services on women's outcomes. Since in CSC multiple correctional interventions and services are offered throughout the course of offenders' sentences, it is important to examine the extent to which these services provide "additive effects," that is, further improve the outcomes of offenders who participate in correctional programs. This study, therefore, determined the relative contribution of key services and interventions to rates of revocations of conditional release of federally sentenced women. All federally sentenced women admitted to the custody of CSC between September 2009 and August 2013 and released prior to April 13th, 2014 were included in the study (N = 918). The research design first controlled for differences between women offenders based on factors related to offending. Beginning with a control model subsequently applied to all analyses, interventions including CORCAN and CSC employment, education programs, vocational certificates, community employment centre services, prison visits, community correctional programs, and maintenance programs were added, first on their own, then all interventions significantly contributing to outcomes were added together in the final model. Previous research on federally sentenced men had found encouraging results with respect to CSC's overall approach to their rehabilitation. Likewise, this study on federally-sentenced women also found that the combination of services and interventions produced outcomes that significantly improved their chances of success on release. The most promising interventions were: (a) education programs, particularly those that enabled women to get close to obtaining a high school equivalent, (b) participation in community maintenance/booster sessions, and (c) having received at least one prison visit. When all the interventions were included in the model at the same time only prison visits and the number of education courses completed remained uniquely associated with reductions in the rates of revocations. Based on the results we can conclude that, in addition to correctional programs, other services offered to women offenders in CSC are associated with reduced revocations of conditional release even after controlling for risk factors associated with outcomes. This suggests that there are several methods by which CSC works to improve women's success on release in addition to offering correctional programs. Details: Ottawa: Correctional Service Canada, 2015. 41p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 9, 2017 at: http://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2017/scc-csc/PS83-3-369-eng.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Canada URL: http://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2017/scc-csc/PS83-3-369-eng.pdf Shelf Number: 148098 Keywords: Correctional ProgramsFemale InmatesFemale OffendersFemale PrisonersRecidivismRehabilitation Programs |
Author: Lynch, Mathew Title: Arches Transformative Mentoring Program: An Implementation and Impact Evaluation in New York City Summary: The Arches Transformative Mentoring program (Arches) advances New York City's commitment to maintain public safety through community-based programming that supports personal development as a mechanism to avoid future criminal activity. Through a combination of credible messenger mentoring and an evidence-based curriculum, Arches reduces one-year felony reconviction by over two-thirds and reduces two-year felony reconviction by over half. These findings demonstrate the promise of combining an evidence-based curriculum and credible messenger mentoring to achieve recidivism reduction. This evaluation report reflects the findings of a qualitative and impact evaluation of Arches, a group mentoring program serving young adult probation clients ages 16 to 24. Arches uses an evidence-based interactive journaling curriculum centered on cognitive behavioral principles, delivered by mentors with backgrounds similar to those of their mentees, known as "credible messengers," direct service professionals with backgrounds similar to the populations they serve, often including prior criminal justice system involvement. Launched in 2012 as part of the NYC Young Men's Initiative (YMI) and with private funding from Bloomberg Philanthropies and oversight from the Mayor's Office for Economic Opportunity (NYC Opportunity), Arches is managed by the NYC Department of Probation (DOP) and currently operates with City funding at 13 sites across the five boroughs. The evaluation was conducted using a matched comparison group to assess the impact of Arches on participant outcomes, including recidivism reduction; to explore participant and staff experiences in and attitudes toward the program; to identify practices associated with successful programmatic operation and positive outcomes; and to develop recommendations for program enhancement. The evaluation finds that Arches participants are significantly less likely to be reconvicted of a crime. Relative to their peers, felony reconviction rates among Arches participants are 69 percent lower 12 months after beginning probation and 57 percent lower 24 months after beginning probation. This impact is driven largely by reductions among participants under age 18. The evaluation also indicates the program helps participants achieve improvement in self-perception and relationships with others. Pre- and post-assessment show gains in key attitudinal and behavioral indicators, including emotion regulation and future orientation. Qualitative findings show that participants report very close and supportive relationships with mentors, attributed to mentors' status as credible messengers, their 24/7 availability for one-on-one mentoring, and a "family atmosphere" within the program. The report presents several recommendations to enhance the Arches program model and capitalize on its success, including better tailoring the content of the curriculum to reflect the lived experience of the participant population, increasing the frequency and length of programming to support participant engagement, and introducing wraparound and aftercare services. The report highlights the potential for expanded collaboration across Arches providers to improve knowledge sharing and adoption of best practices, as well as enhanced partnerships between Arches providers and other young adult programming to supplement service delivery and grow community awareness of the program. The report also calls for expanded mentor supports, including opportunities for full-time employment and advanced training. This evaluation confirms that Arches is an impactful program with demonstrated ability to reduce participant recidivism and great promise to produce sustainable attitudinal and behavioral change for justice system-involved young adults. New York City has already formalized its commitment to Arches through the new allocation of City funding to sustain the program following the completion of Bloomberg Philanthropies grant funding. Additionally, as part of the Mayor's Action Plan for Neighborhood Safety, the Mayor's Office of Criminal Justice has launched the Next STEPS program, a modified version of Arches targeted to serve young adults at risk of justice-system involvement who reside in select high-crime New York City Housing Authority developments Details: Washington, DC: Urban Institute, 2018. 81p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 19, 2018 at: https://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/publication/96601/arches_transformative_mentoring_program.pdf Year: 2018 Country: United States URL: https://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/publication/96601/arches_transformative_mentoring_program.pdf Shelf Number: 149523 Keywords: Cognitive Behavioral ProgramsEvidence-Based ProgramsFelony OffendersMentoringProbationersRecidivismRehabilitation ProgramsYoung Adult Offenders |
Author: Illinois Sentencing Policy Advisory Council Title: A Cost-Benefit Tool for Illinois Criminal Justice Policymakers Summary: In recent years, criminal justice research, including rigorous evaluation of existing programs and policies, has established that recidivism can be reduced through targeted interventions that address the drivers of a person's criminal behavior. These drivers are identified through risk and needs assessment and can be changed with proper programming and services. Programs that reduce the risk that individuals released from prison will commit additional crimes create measureable outcomes in terms of less victimization, lower government costs, and other economic benefits. The critical question for policymakers is: Do the benefits of a program outweigh the costs? Cost-benefit analysis (CBA) answers that question by quantifying and weighing both costs and benefits to determine programs that will produce a sufficient return to warrant the investment of tax dollars. For this report, the Illinois Sentencing Policy Advisory Council (SPAC) used the Illinois Results First cost-benefit model which includes a database of 52 programs in the criminal justice sector that have successfully reduced recidivism over time in a variety of states. SPAC chose nine Illinois programs that are consistent with the programs in the database and for which cost data was available. The model incorporates Illinois-specific system costs incurred by state and local governments, crime trend and recidivism data, and victimization costs established by national research, including the costs to victims of medical expenses, property damage and losses, and lost wages. SPAC's model compares the money spent on programs with the social value of the outcomes produced by that spending to produce a "Consumer Reports" style guide that allows policymakers to do an apples-to-apples comparison of these nine programs. In sum, Illinois can get a better return on investment for taxpayers' dollars by focusing resources on programs with the most benefits and focusing cuts on those with the least benefits. The outcome measure used in the model is a reduction in recidivism. This report is intended to be solely descriptive of the expected outcomes of investing in evidence-based programs that are implemented with fidelity to the evaluated programs and are subject to evaluation. SPAC does not make recommendations, oppose, or support specific policy proposals. SPAC is a statutorily created, independent commission of criminal justice stakeholders that reports to all three branches of government. SPAC is mandated to provide system-wide fiscal impact analysis and provide research and analysis to support implementation of evidence-based practices. Cost-benefit analysis is one tool SPAC is using to weigh alternatives and potential outcomes as measured by lower recidivism rates. This is not a recommendation for specific programs but an informative report to facilitate planning and budgeting. Details: Springfield: SPAC, 2016. 28p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 14, 2018 at: http://www.icjia.state.il.us/spac/pdf/Illinois_Results_First_Consumer_Reports_072016.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: http://www.icjia.state.il.us/spac/pdf/Illinois_Results_First_Consumer_Reports_072016.pdf Shelf Number: 150532 Keywords: Cost-Benefit AnalysisCosts of Criminal JusticeCriminal Justice PolicyEvidence-Based PracticesRehabilitation Programs |
Author: Jarjoura, G. Roger Title: Evaluation of the Mentoring Enhancement Demonstration Program: Technical Report Summary: Introduction -- In 2012, OJJDP launched a demonstration field experiment, the Mentoring Enhancement Demonstration Program (MEDP) and Evaluation to examine: (1) the use of an "advocacy" role for mentors; and (2) the use of a teaching/information provision role for mentors. The overall goal of MEDP was to develop program models that specified what advocacy and teaching look like in practice and to understand whether encouraging the general practice of advocacy and teaching could improve youth outcomes. The American Institutes for Research (AIR) conducted a rigorous process and outcome evaluation of programs funded by OJJDP in 2012. The evaluation was designed to rigorously assess the effectiveness of programs that agreed to develop and implement enhanced practices incorporating advocacy or teaching roles for mentors, including providing focused prematch and ongoing training to mentors, and providing ongoing support to help mentors carry out the targeted roles. The Mentoring Enhancement Demonstration Program MEDP grantees comprised collaboratives that would offer coordinated implementation of the same set of program enhancements in three or four separate established and qualified mentoring programs located within the same regional area. The MEDP collaboratives varied widely in their geographical locations, their size and experience in mentoring, and the structure of their mentoring programs. The types and structures of mentoring programs also varied across, and sometimes within, collaboratives. All the collaboratives proposed enhancements in the way they would train mentors for their roles, and in the way they would provide ongoing support to the mentors and in some cases, the matches. The evaluation of MEDP was designed to: (1) provide rigorous evidence about whether the enhancements improved youth outcomes and reduced risk for delinquency, and (2) describe the practice models and program characteristics associated with these improvements. This combined outcome and implementation analysis was guided by a theory of change. The MEDP Evaluation -- Based on recent research and theory in mentoring as well as the broader field of youth development, the theory of change posited that mentors exposed to enhanced training and support should be more likely to engage in the types of behaviors encouraged through the initiative, and through these behaviors promote more positive, longer-lasting relationships with their mentees, which should, in turn, promote stronger positive outcomes for youth. The implementation evaluation focused on understanding how different the proposed enhancements were from the existing (i.e., the business-as-usual) program practices and whether these differences were big enough to lead us to expect that they might result in differences in match and youth outcomes. We also examined the extent to which the enhanced program practices were delivered as intended. Finally, we wanted to understand what it took for the programs to implement their planned programmatic enhancements. The impact evaluation was designed to understand whether the programmatic enhancements had an impact on the intermediate and distal youth outcomes. We were also interested in understanding - based on the theory of change-what processes led to these outcomes, and whether mentor experiences could be shaped by exposure to the enhanced program practices. Sources of data for the evaluation included program documents, mentor training rosters, notes from site visits, notes from staff focus groups, surveys of staff, and baseline and follow-up surveys of youth, parents, and mentors. Throughout the initiative, the research team took a collaborative approach to working with the program staff who supported data collection activities, to increase their capacity to participate in the evaluation and to ensure data quality. Details: American Institutes for Research, 2018. 233p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 27, 2018 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/grants/252167.pdf Year: 2018 Country: United States URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/grants/252167.pdf Shelf Number: 153846 Keywords: Cognitive Behavioral ProgramsDelinquency PreventionEvidence-Based ProgramsMentoringRehabilitation ProgramsYoung Adult Offenders |
Author: California Lawyers for the Arts Title: Arts-In Corrections:: County Jails Project Summary: California Lawyers for the Arts became involved in advocacy to restore California's stellar Arts-in-Corrections programs in 2011, just as the US Supreme Court was requiring the state to reduce severe overcrowding in the state's prisons. In addition to having the nation's largest state prison population, California also claimed one of the highest recidivism rates in the country at nearly 70%. We worked actively with Dr. Larry Brewster of the University of San Francisco and the William James Association to conduct a collaborative demonstration project in several state prisons that involved pre and post surveys of the students. Based on the evidence we gathered at that time, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) was persuaded to provide the California Arts Council with a $2.5 million contract in 2014 for a two-year pilot project providing arts programs in up to 19 state prisons. CLA's Arts in Corrections Initiative, which has received major funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, the California Arts Council, the Quentin Hancock Fund, the Wallace A. Gerbode Foundation and the Art for Justice Fund, brings a new level of awareness and appreciation for the value of effective arts programming in correctional facilities. The goal of this multi-year study is to measure the behavioral and attitudinal changes experienced by residents in county jails throughout California and the impact on their lives through self-reported surveys administered at the end of sequential art classes. A third year of support from the NEA Locals program is supporting outreach to additional counties in California and the development of a tool kit for national distribution. In collaboration with art organizations in Santa Cruz, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Sacramento, Nevada, Sutter, and Yuba Counties, we evaluated the results of the 10 to 18-week art classes attended by a total of 119 men and women. At the end of each program, the participants completed surveys that were designed by Dr. Larry Brewster of the University of San Francisco School of Public Administration. The art classes were held in Santa Cruz Main Jail, San Francisco County Jail - San Bruno Complex, MCJ Twin Towers Correctional Facility in Los Angeles, Fresno County Jail, Sacramento County Jail - Rio Cosumnes Correctional Center, Wayne Brown Correctional Facility in Nevada City, Sutter County Jail, and Yuba County Jail. The residents engaged in the arts reported a number of attitudinal and behavioral changes that can improve their lives. In addition to helping the inmates and their institutions, these benefits can extend to their families, their communities, and the society to which they return. Artists engaged in this work benefit from having socially meaningful work that connects them to larger public policy issues. Details: s.l.: The Program, 2018. 26p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 13, 2019 at: =https://www.calawyersforthearts.org/resources/Documents/cla.countyjailsprojectreport.revisedapril2018.pdf Year: 2018 Country: United States URL: https://www.calawyersforthearts.org/resources/Documents/cla.countyjailsprojectreport.revisedapril2018.pdf Shelf Number: 154933 Keywords: Arts in PrisonsArts ProgramsCorrectional ProgramsJailsOffender RehabilitationRehabilitation Programs |
Author: Wolf, Dennie Title: Our Voices Count: The Potential Impact of Strength-Based Music Programs in Juvenile Justice Settings Summary: Wolfbrown took on an evaluation of the impact of ensemble choral music-making on young people living in one of the most uncertain and stressful environments: the juvenile justice system. The project evaluated a choral residency program from Carnegie Hall's Musical Connections program and was funded through the ArtWorks program at the National Endowment for the Arts. Details: Detroit: WolfBrown, 2014. 39p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 13, 2019 at: http://wolfbrown.com/images/books_reports/documents/ourvoicescount.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: http://wolfbrown.com/images/books_reports/documents/ourvoicescount.pdf Shelf Number: 154935 Keywords: Arts in PrisonsArts ProgramsDelinquency Prevention (New York)Juvenile CorrectionsJuvenile OffendersMusic TherapyMusical ProgramsRehabilitation Programs |
Author: Arts Alliance Title: Demonstrating the value of arts in criminal justice Summary: This guide, produced by Charities Evaluation Services, provides practical tips to help organisations move from making their desired effect explicit to developing methods of capturing and demonstrating achievements; this includes how to analyse, interpret and use the data collected to make a convincing case. Details: London: Clinks, 2011. 48p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 14, 2019 at: https://www.artsincriminaljustice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Demonstrating-the-value-of-arts-in-Criminal-Justice.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.artsincriminaljustice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Demonstrating-the-value-of-arts-in-Criminal-Justice.pdf Shelf Number: 154971 Keywords: Arts Programs Rehabilitation Programs |
Author: Bilby, Charlotte Title: Re-imagining futures: Exploring arts interventions and the process of desistance Summary: This report was commissioned by the Arts Alliance, the national body representing arts in criminal justice. Jointly funded by the Ministry of Justice and the Monument Trust, the Arts Alliance represents a growing network of over 470 arts practitioners and organisations working in prisons and the community to support men, women and young people to lead crime-free lives, through creative interventions. The coalition Government's Transforming Rehabilitation strategy and ongoing austerity measures mean rapid and complex change across the Criminal Justice System. This includes opening up the market, restructuring of the prison and probation service and the introduction of payment-by-results mechanisms to re-offending outcomes. The Transforming Rehabilitation agenda also includes acknowledgement of offenders' complex backgrounds and a call for increased development of offenders' vocational skills to enhance future employability alongside learning opportunities which address responsiveness and diversity issues (NOMS, 2012; MoJ, 2013). This landscape presents huge challenges and potential opportunities for innovative arts projects, which contribute towards the important 'intermediate' outcomes that enable individuals to make positive steps towards effective rehabilitation. This research, along with the growing body of evidence, suggests there are strong reasons to consider arts in criminal justice an area of considerable significance and innovation. Arts practice aims to bring about a positive affect experience in the participant (Parkes & Bilby, 2010). The affective experience, which can include a sense of community cohesion, that time is passing at a different pace, or an improved feeling of self-satisfaction and achievement, can be linked to desistance from crime. Desistance is the process by which people who have offended stop offending (primary desistance) and then take on a personal narrative (Maruna, 2001) that supports a continuing non-offending lifestyle (secondary desistance). Change is not a linear process; rather some will zigzag and will offend again on the journey to secondary desistance. In order for desistance from crime to take place, Giordano, Cernkovich and Rudolph (2002: 999-1002) suggest that there is a four-stage process which includes an openness to change; exposure and reaction to 'hooks' for change (or turning points); imagining and believing in a 'replacement self'; and a change in the way that offending and deviant behaviour is viewed. Maruna (2007: 652) notes that 'desistance is typically understood to be more than just an absence of crime. Desistance is the maintenance of crime-free behaviour and is an - active process in itself- it involves the pursuit of a positive life'. This research considers the possible relationships between the intricate process of abstaining from crime and the influence that taking part in some form of art-based enrichment activity might have on participants. Employing a qualitative methodology, the research addresses a number of questions linked to intermediate steps (or outcomes) in an individual's journey to desistance from crime. The research specifically explores how arts interventions contribute towards enabling people to form positive identities, build new narratives and build positive relationships with peers, staff and family. It also begins to investigate how arts interventions enable people to make significant behavioural changes. The latest National Offender Management Service (NOMS) Commissioning Intentions Document (October 2013) recognises the importance and complexity of these intermediate steps, which may lead to desistance from crime. The research team investigated five arts projects in four criminal justice settings, including practising visual arts in a high security adult male prison; music and deejaying skills with young offenders in the community; a music making project in a resettlement (open) prison and creative writing and bookbinding in a closed female prison. The research team spent at least four sessions with each of the projects observing the activities and interviewing participants, arts practitioners and prison staff as part of an in-depth qualitative methodology. The team also used participants' written work and evaluations, and examples of the work produced in the arts activities. This data was analysed using a thematic, content analysis approach. This piece of research demonstrates a clear link between taking part in arts-based activities and the movement towards secondary desistance. It identifies the importance of arts practice for the participants and shows what types of outcomes successful projects should be producing. The research also highlights the importance of collecting qualitative as well as quantitative data on arts projects and their participants when measuring these changes. Analysis of the data across all five projects produced the following key findings: - Participation in arts activities enables individuals to begin to redefine themselves, an important factor in desistance from crime. - Arts projects facilitate high levels of engagement. This is significant because many individuals in contact with the Criminal Justice System have struggled to engage with productive activities in the past. Participants must engage in order to be able to redefine themselves. Engagement in arts projects has also been shown to lead to greater participation in education and work-related activities. - Arts projects can have a positive impact on how people manage themselves during their sentence, particularly on their ability to cooperate with others - including other participants and staff. This correlates with increased self-control and better problem-solving skills. - Engagement with arts projects facilitates increased compliance with criminal justice orders and regimes. - Arts projects are responsive to participants' individual needs. Current policy documentation on commissioning services to meet offenders' needs highlights the importance of responsiveness in meeting diverse needs. The status of arts practitioners as professional artists is highly significant in the success of projects and their impact on participants. The value of this should not be underestimated by agencies of the Criminal Justice System when considering using external organisations. - Arts projects provide safe spaces for individuals to have positive experiences and begin to make individual choices. The findings from this research clearly indicate that arts projects can contribute to an individual's journey to desistance. The findings highlight key outcomes for participants and the importance of the relationships with project facilitators. There is now a need for longitudinal research, combining both qualitative and quantitative methods, to assess how far the findings presented here are sustained in the long term. Details: London: Arts Alliance, 2013. 66p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed march 25, 2019 at: http://nrl.northumbria.ac.uk/16846/1/Re-imagining_Futures_Research_Report_Final.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://nrl.northumbria.ac.uk/16846/1/Re-imagining_Futures_Research_Report_Final.pdf Shelf Number: 155161 Keywords: Arts ProgramsCorrectional ProgramsDesistanceMusic TherapyMusical ProgramsOffender RehabilitationRecidivismRehabilitation ProgramsWriting Programs |