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Date: November 25, 2024 Mon

Time: 9:09 pm

Results for rehabilitation

249 results found

Author: Daly, Reagan

Title: Treatment and Reentry Practices for Sex Offenders: An Overview of States

Summary: This report provides an overview and analysis of existing treatment and reentry practices for sex offenders who are involved with the criminal justice system. It focuses, specifically, on four broad areas of practice: treatment in prison, treatment under community supervision, reentry programming, and community supervision.

Details: New York: Vera Institute of Justice, 2008

Source: Bureau of Justice Assistance

Year: 2008

Country: United States

URL:

Shelf Number: 115185

Keywords:
Recidivism
Rehabilitation
Sex Offenders

Author: Scott, Wayne

Title: Effective Clinical Practices in Treating Clients in the Criminal Justice System

Summary: This report addresses effective clinical practices in treating clients in the criminal justice system.

Details: Boston: Crime and Justice Institute, 2008

Source: National Institute of Corrections, Community Corrections Division

Year: 2008

Country: United States

URL:

Shelf Number: 113904

Keywords:
Offender Treatment
Rehabilitation

Author: McNeill, Fergus

Title: Towards Effective Practice in Offender Supervision

Summary: This paper provides an overview of evidence and argument about reoffending and about the kinds of practices of offender supervision in the community that might by most effective in reducing it. This report focuses more specifically on the effectiveness of rehabilitative programs. The concern of this report is not so much the merits of particular programs or interventions but rather broader practices and processes of supervision in which they are, or should be, embedded.

Details: Glasgow: Scottish Centre for Crime & Justice Research, 2009

Source: Report 01/09
University of Glasgow

Year: 2009

Country: United Kingdom

URL:

Shelf Number: 115542

Keywords:
Offender Supervision
Rehabilitation
Reoffending

Author: Lattimore, Pamela K.

Title: Prisoner Reentry Experiences of Adult Males: Characteristics, Service Receipt, and Outcomes of Participants in the SVORI Multi-site Evaluation

Summary: The Serious and Violent Offender Reentry Initiative (SVORI) funded 69 agencies in 2003 to develop programs to improve criminal justice, employment, education, health, and housing outcomes for released prisoners. This report presents findings for the adult male participants in 12 programs selected for the impact evaluation (863 SVORI participants; 834 comparison men).

Details: Research Triangle Park, NC: RTI International, 2009. 153p., app.

Source:

Year: 2009

Country: United States

URL:

Shelf Number: 116309

Keywords:
Prisoner Reentry
Rehabilitation
Reintegration

Author: Lattimore, Pamela K.

Title: The Multi-site Evaluation of SVORI: Summary and Synthesis

Summary: The Serious and Violent Reentry Initiative (SVORI) funded 69 agencies in 2003 to develop programs to improve criminal justice, employment, education, health and housing outcomes for released prisons. This report provides an overview of all findings from the SVORI Multi-site Evaluation.

Details: Research Triangle Park, NC: RTI International, 2009. 138p., app.

Source:

Year: 2009

Country: United States

URL:

Shelf Number: 117307

Keywords:
Prisoner Reentry
Rehabilitation
Reintegration

Author: Hawkins, Stephanie R.

Title: Reentry Experiences of Confined Juvenile Offenders: Characteristics, Service Receipt, and Outcomes of Juvenile Male Participants in the SVORI Multi-site Evaluation

Summary: This report presents SVORI Multi-site Evaluation findings from the pre-release and post-release interviews conducted with released juveniles in four impact sites. It describes the characteristics, service receipt, and outcomes on juvenile males who participated in the SVORI evaluation.

Details: Research Triangle Park, NC: RTI International, 2009. 138p., app.

Source:

Year: 2009

Country: United States

URL:

Shelf Number: 117856

Keywords:
Juvenile Offenders
Male Juvenile Offenders
Reentry (Juvenile Offenders)
Rehabilitation
Reintegration

Author: Aitken, Jonathan, Chair

Title: Locked Up Potential: A STrategy for Reforming Prisons and Rehabilitating Prisoners. A Policy Report by the Prison Reform Working Group

Summary: This report provides a comprehensive analysis of and 70 policy recmmendations for the U.K. failing prison system, including: prison management and governnance; overcrowding; mental health and substance abuse; prisoners' families; personal development through education, training, work and the arts; prisoners and their victims; resettlement, and three proposed new Acts of Parliament.

Details: London: Centre for Social Justice, 2009. 273p.

Source: Breakthrough Britain

Year: 2009

Country: United Kingdom

URL:

Shelf Number: 118165

Keywords:
Prison Administration
Prisons
Rehabilitation

Author: Dandurand, Yvon

Title: Conditional Release Violations, Suspensions and Revocations: A Comparative Analysis

Summary: Managing the social reentry of sentenced offenders is a potentially cost-effective way of preventing crime. Different types of conditional release programs can be used to support the social reintegration of offenders and improve public safety. This study is a preliminary comparative attempt to examine the decision-making process involved in selected jurisdictions in cases of alleged breach of conditions by offenders released on conditional release.

Details: Vancouver, BC: International Centre for Criminal Law Reform and Criminal Justice Policy, 2008. 50p.

Source:

Year: 2008

Country: International

URL:

Shelf Number: 114604

Keywords:
Parole
Parole Violations
Recidivism
Rehabilitation
Revocations

Author: Wolff, Nancy

Title: Reentry Readiness of Men and Women Leaving New Jersey Prisons

Summary: This report presents the findings on a survey of reentry readiness of soon-to-be-released men and women from New Jersey prisons. Data from the survey describe the general state of this population in terms of their needs, strengths, and resources. The survey serves as both a needs/risk assessment tool and a blueprint for intervention to inform New Jersey's reentry initiatives in ways that yield the most rehabilitation and reentry preparedness out of every correctional dollar.

Details: New Brunswick, NJ: Center for Behavioral Health Services & Criminal Justice Research, Rutgers University, 2010. 25p.

Source: Internet Resource

Year: 2010

Country: United States

URL:

Shelf Number: 118709

Keywords:
Inmates
Prisoners
Reentry (New Jersey)
Rehabilitation
Risk/Needs Assessment

Author: Sheehan, Mary

Title: Drink Driver Rehabilitation and Education in Victoria

Summary: This report presents a review of the current Victorian drink driver offender program. The aim of the research was to: determine what best practice drink drive rehabilitation is and compare this to what is currently delivered in Victoria; and obtain feedback from stakeholders and service providers on their perceptoins of the effectiveness of the current Victorian program. Based on the findings of the review of relevant international iterature a comprehensive range of recommendations are provided.

Details: Victoria, AUS: Royal Automobile Club of Victoria Ltd., 2005. 64p.

Source: RACV (Royal Automobile Club of Victoria) Research Report No. 05/01

Year: 2005

Country: Australia

URL:

Shelf Number: 118708

Keywords:
Alcohol Ignition Interlocks
Drink Driving
Drunk Driving (Australia)
Rehabilitation

Author: O'Connell, John P., Jr.

Title: Delaware Serious and Violent Offender Reentry Project 2003 to 2006 Evaluation with Recidivism Follow-up Results

Summary: This report presents program implementation issues and outcome data from Delaware's Serious and Violence Offender Reentry Project (SVORI). Implementation issues included selecting elible offenders offenders to complex issues concering the extent to which legal and societal barriers would affect successful reentry. Recidivism rates for the program were similar to that found in other reentry programs. Of the 303 participants, approximately one third successfully completed the program and approximately one quarter remained arrest-free at one year following release from prison.

Details: Dover, DE: Delaware Statistical Analysis Center, 2009. 24p.

Source: Internet Resource

Year: 2009

Country: United States

URL:

Shelf Number: 119199

Keywords:
Recidivism
Reentry (Delaware)
Rehabilitation
Serious and Violent Offender Reentry Program
Violent Offenders

Author: New Zealand. Department of Corrections, Strategy, Policy and Planning

Title: What Works Not? A Review and Update of Research Evidence Relevant to Offender Rehabilitation Practices Within the Department of Corrections

Summary: The principles of effective correctional rehabilitation can be divided into three major domains, namely risk, targets and responsivity. This review examines new research published over the last decade that relates to these three domains. In doing so, the approach taken was not limited to publications directly aligned with the "what works" paradigm; the goal was to consider all new evidence which relates to effective correctional rehabilitation.

Details: Wellington, NZ: New Zealand Department 0f Corrections, 2009. 70p.

Source: Internet Resource

Year: 2009

Country: New Zealand

URL:

Shelf Number: 119149

Keywords:
Correctional Programs
Corrections
Rehabilitation

Author: Ward, Rebecca

Title: ACCESS: Assertive Continuing Care Ensuring Sobriety and Success Final Evaluation Report

Summary: As formerly incarcerated youth return to the community, they are often faced with significant barriers to effective reintegration, including lack of educational and housing options, gang affiliation, an institutional identity, and substance abuse and mental health problems. During recent years, more attention has been paid to these reentry issues, which has resulted in the development of a number of evidence-based reentry models. One of these, Assertive Continuing Care (ACC), uses intensive case management, home visits, and parental/caregiver involvement to directly target the multiple barriers these youth face to successful reentry. In 2004, Using ACC as a model, Phoenix House of San Diego, Inc., created the ACCESS program to address the needs of youg offenders reentering local communities from detention facilities in San Diego County. This report provides a description of clients who entered the program and information on services provided, as well as outcomes measured by initial and six-month follow-up interviews, risk assessments, and criminal and placement history information. Results indicate that youth who successfully complete the program reported increased mental health, higher resiliency scores, and were less likely to recidivate.

Details: San Diego, CA: San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG), 2009. v.p.

Source: Internet Resource

Year: 2009

Country: United States

URL:

Shelf Number: 119221

Keywords:
Juvenile Offenders (San Diego)
Mental Health Services
Recidivism
Reentry, Juveniles
Rehabilitation

Author: Gaes, Gerald G.

Title: The Impact of Prison Education Programs on Post-Release Outcomes

Summary: This paper reviews the evidence on the impact of correctional ecuction programs on post-release outcomes.

Details: Unpublished paper presented at the Reentry Roundtable on Education, March 31 and April 1, 2008. 31p.

Source: Internet Resource

Year: 2008

Country: United States

URL:

Shelf Number: 119130

Keywords:
Correctional Education
Correctional Programs
Recidivism
Rehabilitation

Author: McGlaze, Aidan

Title: Making the Most of California's Correctional Education Reform: A Survey and Suggestions for Further Steps

Summary: This paper surveys California's correctional education reform, arguing for expanded services on the grounds that improved education reduced recidivism, saves money, and facilitates prisoner reentry. People with educational difficulties are more likely to end up members of the incarcerated population, and those who improve their educational status while incarcerated are less likely to commit future crimes. After exploring the widespread consensus that effective education for incarcerated individuals yields tangible and demonstrable benefits and examining national data on the educational deficits observable in incarcerated populations, the paper turns to an analysis of the current programming reform in California, advocating for careful data collection and analysis, universal assessment and programming participation, and the consideration of computer-facilitated education.

Details: Unpublished paper available at http://ssrn.com/abstract=977001

Source: Internet Resource

Year: 7001

Country: United States

URL:

Shelf Number: 119180

Keywords:
Correctional Education (California)
Correctional Programs
Recidivism
Rehabilitation

Author: McNeill, Fergus

Title: Changing Lives? Desistance Research and Offender Management

Summary: This report provides a literature review on desistance from crime which explores the purposes of offender management; understanding and supporting desistance; desistance and the process of offender management; desistance and compliance with offender management; and, desistance and the credibility of offender management.

Details: Edinburgh: Scottish Centre for Crime & Justice Research, 2010. 77p.

Source: Internet Resource; Report No.03/2010

Year: 2010

Country: International

URL:

Shelf Number: 118820

Keywords:
Desistance from Crime
Offender Management
Recidivism
Rehabilitation

Author: Scotland. Community Justice Services

Title: Review of the Glasgow & Fife Drug Courts: Report

Summary: This review evaluates the impact and effectiveness, including cost effectiveness, of the Glasgow and Fife Drug Courts. This will inform future policy and funding regarding drug courts in Scotland.

Details: Edinburgh: Scottish Government, 2009. 18p.

Source: Internet Resource

Year: 2009

Country: United Kingdom

URL:

Shelf Number: 119253

Keywords:
Cost-Benefit Analysis
Drug Courts (Scotland)
Drug Offenders
Recidivism
Rehabilitation

Author: Prospero, Moises

Title: Evaluation of Project 180 for Gang Offenders

Summary: Project 180 is a gang prevnetion and intervention program that is part of West Valley City's strategy to implement the OJJDP Comprehensive Gang Model. Project 180 integrates all elements of the Comprehensive Gang Model but the program focuses on social intervention by providing an approximately three month long program that includes mentoring and life skills groups and recreation activities. This evaluation found that Project 180 has had some early successes in increasing community involvement and decreasing antisocial attitudes, school suspension and arrests. Additionally, the evaluation revealed improvement in the participants' interpersonal behavior, such as cooperating with rules, talking to others in a friendly way, and not physically fighting with family or peers.

Details: Salt Lake City, UT: Utah Criminal Justice Center, S.J. Quinney College of Law, University of Utah, 2008. 39p.

Source: Internet Resource

Year: 2008

Country: United States

URL:

Shelf Number: 114822

Keywords:
Gangs (Utah)
Juvenile Offenders
Recidivism
Rehabilitation

Author: Muntingh, Lukas

Title: A Societal Responsibility: The Role of Civil Society Organisations in Prisoner Support, Rehabilitation and Reintegration

Summary: Civil Society Prison Reform Initiative (CSPRI) and the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) conducted a survey of 21 organisations working in the offender reintegration and prisoner support field. This report presents an analysis of the results which are based on in-depth interviews with practitioners and managers working in these organizations. It is a central finding of the survey that there is great diversity amongst organizations in respect of nearly every issue dealt with in the survey. On the one hand this indicates the willingness of the sector to engage in innovative approaches and incorporate a wide range of modalities in service delivery. On the other hand, it is also testimony to a fairly fragmented sector in which there has been limited debate on what offender reintegration is, what is effective and what should be avoided.

Details: Pretoria, South Africa: Institute for Security Studies, 2008. 33p.

Source: Internet Resource

Year: 2008

Country: South Africa

URL:

Shelf Number: 119291

Keywords:
Prisoner Reentry
Rehabilitation

Author: Great Britain. HM Inspectorate of Probation

Title: Restriction and Rehabilitation: Getting the Right Mix: An Inspection of the Management of Sexual Offenders in the Community

Summary: Although statistically sex offenders are reconvicted less frequently than most other offenders, their offences can cause great public concern because of the impact they have on the victim. Following a previous joint report in 2005, inspectors wanted to see how well Probation and Police are managing such offenders in the community. This inspection focused on sex offenders either sentenced to a community order or released on licence. Inspectors found much that was encouraging with many examples of good practice. However, they stated that gaps remained in arrangements to protect the public and rehabilitate those convicted of sex crimes.

Details: London: HMI Probation and HMI Constabulary, 2010. 58p.

Source: Internet Resource; Criminal Justice Joint Inspection

Year: 2010

Country: United Kingdom

URL:

Shelf Number: 119289

Keywords:
Pedophiles
Rapists (U.K.)
Rehabilitation
Sex Offenders (U.K.)

Author: McAlinden, Anne-Marie

Title: Employment Opportunities and Community Re-integration of Sex Offenders in Northern Ireland

Summary: This report considers employment opportunities and community re-integration of sex offenders in Northern Ireland. The report looks first at the international and national literature on employment opportunities and community reintegration of sex offenders, before turning to consider Northern Ireland as a specific case study.

Details: Belfast: Northern Ireland Office, Statistics and Research Branch, 2009. 75p.

Source: Internet Resource; NIO Research and Statistical Series; Report No. 20

Year: 2009

Country: United Kingdom

URL:

Shelf Number: 118699

Keywords:
Employment, Ex-Offenders
Rehabilitation
Reintegration
Sex Offenders

Author: Kerr, Jane

Title: Assessing the Feasibility of Conducting a Randomised Control Trial or Other Evaluation of the FOR...A Change Programme

Summary: This feasibility study explored whether it would be possible to carry out a randomised control trial (RCT) of the brief cognitive motivational intervention aimed at offenders in the last three months of their sentence; Focus on Resettlement (FOR)…A Change programme. The study discovered that it would be feasible to carry out an RCT of the FOR programme, with staff and offenders recognising the benefits available, provided FOR eligibility was widened to included all prisoners sentenced to under 12 months. The randomisation process of the evaluation was identified as the most contentious aspect for ethical reasons and would need the support from across the prison estate to succeed.

Details: London: Ministry of Justice, 2010. 103p.

Source: Internet Resource; Ministry of Justice Research Summary 17/10

Year: 2010

Country: United Kingdom

URL:

Shelf Number: 119346

Keywords:
Correctional Programs
Prisoners
Rehabilitation

Author: Easton, Helen

Title: Conditional Cautions: Evaluation of the Women Specific Condition Pilot

Summary: In September 2008 a new condition was developed for dealing with low-level, low-risk women offenders as part of the existing conditional caution scheme. The condition is referred to as the women specific condition (WSC) and is a rehabilitative condition requiring the woman offender to attend a Together Women centre for a needs assessment at a pre-arranged time and date. This report presents the findings of the evaluation of the pilot of the WSC over six months in three pilot areas. The aim of the research was to evaluate the implementation and effectiveness of the WSC. Evidence was collected on the view of stakeholders and women offenders on the WSC and looked at how the WSC was implemented in different pilot areas.

Details: London: Ministry of Justice, 2010. 66p.

Source: Internet Resource; Ministry of Justice Research Series 14/10

Year: 2010

Country: United Kingdom

URL:

Shelf Number: 119345

Keywords:
Alternatives to Incarceration
Female Offenders
Rehabilitation

Author: McEvoy, Kieran

Title: Enhancing Employability in Prison and Beyond: A Literature Review

Summary: This literature review presents a comprehensive survey of books, reports and journal articles on crime and employability. Chapters include: Crime, Employment & Offending; Employability, Education and Training In Prison; Post Release Policy and Practice: What Works?: Good Practice & Desistance from Crime; Employment, Connectedness and the Notion of Social Capital; and Barriers to Employability.

Details: NIACRO (Northern Ireland Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders), 2008. 53p.

Source: Internet Resource

Year: 2008

Country: United States

URL:

Shelf Number: 119369

Keywords:
Employment
Ex-Offenders
Job Training
Rehabilitation

Author: Stewart, Lynn

Title: An Examination of the Effectivess of Tupiq: A Culturally Specific Program for Inuit Sex Offenders

Summary: The Tupiq program is a culturally specific, high intensity program for moderate to high risk Inuit sex offenders. It is designed to adhere to the principles of effective correctional programs and, additionally, provide teachings based on traditional Inuit knowledge and cultural ceremonies led by Inuit healers and facilitators. The study assessed whether participation in this specialized program improves correctional outcomes. The study found evidence that the program reduces general and violent recidivism among moderate to high-risk Inuit sex offenders and that it may also reduce sexual reoffending.

Details: Ottawa: Correctional Service of Canada, 2009. 40p.

Source: Internet Resource; 2009 No. R-213

Year: 2009

Country: Canada

URL:

Shelf Number: 119368

Keywords:
Correctional Programs
Eskimos (Inuit)
Natives of North America
Rehabilitation
Sex Offenders
Treatment, Sex Offenders

Author: Willison, Janeen Buck

Title: Evaluation of the Ridge House Residential Program: Final Report

Summary: The Ridge House is a faith-based transitional housing program operating in Reno, Nevada, that provides prisoner reentry services to men and women leaving prison. The evaluation: (1) documents the logic and operations of the program; the barriers to and facilitators of successful operations; and whether program outcomes were achieved; (2) assesses the impacts of the program in reducing recidivism and improving employment, housing, and drug use outcomes of participants compared to a parolee comparison group; and (3) provides a cost-benefit analysis.

Details: Washington, DC: Urban Institute, 2010. 92p.

Source: Internet Resource

Year: 2010

Country: United States

URL:

Shelf Number: 119367

Keywords:
Cost-Benefit Analysis
Parole
Parolees
Recidivism
Rehabilitation

Author: Muntingh, Lukas

Title: Prisoner Re-Entry in Cape Town - An Exploratory Study

Summary: "Every month in South Africa approximately 6000 sentenced prisoners are released, some on parole and some on expiry of sentence. After serving their prison sentences it is society’s expectation that they will refrain from committing crime and be productive citizens. They are expected to find employment, rebuild relationships with their families and communities, and cease from engaging in certain activities and avoiding the risks that caused their imprisonment in the first instance. Unfortunately, it is the case that many released prisoners commit further offences and find their way back to prison, some in a remarkably short period of time while others return after several years. This study is concerned with the immediate post-release period and asked a very simple question: “What happens to people immediately after they have been released from prison?” The question is aimed at gaining a deeper and empirical understanding of what prisoner re-entry and reintegration into society mean and what the obstacles are to successful reintegration. When people’s lives have effectively been put on hold for several months or years, how do they pick up the strings where they had left them, if there are indeed strings to pick up? "

Details: Bellville, South Africa: Civil Society Prison Reform Initiative, 2008. 37p.

Source: Internet Resource; CSPRI Research Paper No. 14

Year: 2008

Country: South Africa

URL:

Shelf Number: 119383

Keywords:
Ex-Offenders, Services for
Prisoner Reentry
Prisoners
Recidivism
Rehabilitation

Author: Hickert, Audrey O.

Title: Evaluation of the Utah Juvenile Drug Courts: Final Report

Summary: The report examines 6 Utah Juvenile Drug Courts (JDCs) in Weber, Salt Lake, Tooele, Utah, Emery, and Grand counties, providing descriptive statistics on population served, services offered, and during and post-JDC juvenile recidivism. The four largest JDCs are compared to similar probationers on post-program juvenile and adult recidivism, with a 30 month follow-up period. There were no significant differences on alcohol/drug recidivism between probation and JDC after controlling for other significant factors; however, JDC had significantly less delinquency/criminal recidivism, even after controlling for other significant factors.

Details: Salt Lake City, UT: Utah Criminal Justice Center, University of Utah, 2010. 75p.

Source: Internet Resource

Year: 2010

Country: United States

URL:

Shelf Number: 119410

Keywords:
Juvenile Drug Courts (Utah)
Juvenile Drug Offenders
Juvenile Probation
Juvenle Offenders (Utah)
Recidivism
Rehabilitation

Author: Lennox, Charlotte

Title: Offender Health: Scoping Review and Research Priorities within the UK

Summary: This report is a scoping review of the literature surrounding health of people in contact with police custody, court, and probation settings. The aim of this report is: 1) to conduct a review of the current literature the health of people in police custody, courts and probations; 2)to discuss and evaluate the implications of the literature; and 3) to provide research priorities based on the knowledge gaps.

Details: Liverpool: Offender Health Research Network, 2009. 71p.

Source: Internet Resource

Year: 2009

Country: United Kingdom

URL:

Shelf Number: 117360

Keywords:
Drug Treatment
Health Care, Offenders
Medical Care
Mental Health Services
Rehabilitation

Author: Dekker, Joula

Title: An Evaluation of the Compulsory Drug Treatment Program (CDTP)

Summary: The Compulsory Drug Treatment Correctional Centre (CDTCC) is a purpose-built facility erected for the CDTP. The CDTP began in August 2006 and operates as a five-stage post-sentencing program for males. Drug treatment and rehabilitation is provided in Stages 1-3 primarily from the CDTCC, followed by Stage 4 (parole) and Stage 5 (voluntary case management0 in the community where appropriate. It was beyond the scope of the study to investigate the impact of Stages 4 and 5. Stage 1 involves closed detention, and participants are kept in full-time custody at the CDTCC. This stage aims to stabilise participants and to address physical and mental health needs, while providing adult education, work readiness and skills programs, and therapeutic programs that target dynamic risk factors for drug-related offending. Stage 2 involves semi-open detention, whereby participants are permitted to leave the CDTCC to attend employment, training and approved social activities. Stage 2 involves therapeutic programs to maintain positive behaviour change and other training to assist in effective re-integration into the community. Stage 3 involves community custody, where participants reside outside of the CDTCC but under intensive supervision from CDTCC staff. Stage 3 aims to support community re-integration and to strengthen changes made in Stages 1 and 2. Participants should stay in each stage of the program for a period of at least six months. Following successful completion of Stage 3 of the program, offenders are released into the community once the period of the sentence has been completed. The research involved a series of face-to-face interviews with CDTP participants. Baseline interviews were conducted with 95 participants at the commencement of their time on the program. Three follow-up interviews were conducted as close to the time that participants finished Stages 1, 2 and 3, as was practicable. By the time data collection ceased, 78 per cent of the baseline sample (74 participants) had completed Stage 1 and participated in one follow-up interview (end of Stage 1), and 41 per cent of the baseline sample (39 participants; for some measures information is missing for one participant so N = 38) had completed both Stages 1 and 2 and participated in two follow-up interviews (end of Stages 1 and 2). Of the baseline sample, 13.5 per cent (13 participants) had completed all three follow-up interviews (end of Stages 1, 2, and 3). Due to the small number of participants who had completed Stages 1, 2 and 3 and participated in all three follow-up interviews, changes from baseline through to the end of Stage 3 were not investigated. The evaluation also included analysis of the regular urine samples provided by CDTP participants as a condition of the program. Due to the lack of a comparison group it is difficult to draw any firm conclusions about the effectiveness of the program. Nevertheless, there are some promising aspects to the program. Participants' health and wellbeing appeared to improve over time on the program. Although the program was coercive, the vast majority of participants felt that their participation in the CDTP was voluntary. Participants made positive comments about the program and consistently expressed their desire to be in the program regardless of what stage they were in. This is encouraging evidence that offenders in the program genuinely wanted to change their behaviour. These positive findings, however, have to be set against the fact that illegal and non-prescribed drug use was detected in at least one of the drug tests for the majority of participants, despite 'positive' tests accounting for only a very small proportion of all tests conducted.

Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2010. 90p.

Source: Internet Resource

Year: 2010

Country: Australia

URL:

Shelf Number: 119479

Keywords:
Drug Offenders
Drug Treatment
Rehabilitation

Author: Visher, Christy

Title: Employment After Prison: A Longitudinal Study of Releasees in Three States

Summary: This brief explores the reality of finding employment after prison from the perspective of 740 former male prisoners in Illinois, Ohio, and Texas. Interviews were conducted as part of a comprehensive, longitudinal study entitled Returning Home: Understanding the Challenges of Prisoner Reentry. Eight months after prison, 65 percent of respondents had been employed at some point, but only 45 percent were currently employed. Those who held a job while in prison or participated in job-training programs had better employment outcomes after release. Respondents who were employed and earning higher wages after release were less likely to return to prison the first year out.

Details: Washington, DC: Urban Institute, Justice Policy Center, 2008. 9p.

Source: Internet Resource; Research Brief

Year: 2008

Country: United States

URL:

Shelf Number: 119544

Keywords:
Ex-Offenders, Employment
Reentry
Rehabilitation

Author: Shelupanov, Anton

Title: Turning the Corner: Beyond Incarceration and Re-Offending

Summary: This report makes the case for innovation in the justice sector - at policy, strategic and implementation levels, both locally and nationally. There is now widespread agreement that the system needs to change radically. But unfortunately there is not a sufficient number of proven alternatives to what exists which can simply be implemented and scaled up. Instead the system needs to become much more adept at designing, rapidly testing and then scaling new innovations in everything from helping former offenders into jobs to effectively supervising people on community sentences. This report assesses the current situation in terms of what the existing systemic challenges there are, what is being attempted to address them and how recent political and economic upheavals have affected the efforts of the justice system to reduce offending and strive for a safer society. Prison numbers are exceptionally high and the system is very expensive. At the same time major budget cuts mean that unless the system innovates, it may not be able to perform its function of keeping crime low and keeping the public safe. The Justice Secretary Kenneth Clarke has signalled that he wants to see a rehabilitation revolution. Such a revolution would mean a radically new approach, rather than doing more of the same. In this report we propose a number of new ideas: A greater role for innovation in justice; Social Impact Bonds; and Enhancing the employment prospects of former offenders by introducing Deployers.

Details: London: The Young Foundation, 2010. 104p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 19, 2010 at: http://www.youngfoundation.org/files/images/Turning_the_Corner.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://www.youngfoundation.org/files/images/Turning_the_Corner.pdf

Shelf Number: 119640

Keywords:
Criminal Justice Policy (U.K.)
Ex-Offenders, Employment
Prison Reform Policy
Prisoner Reentry
Rehabilitation

Author: Great Britain. Home Office

Title: Reducing Reoffending, Cutting Crime, Changing Lives: Guidance on New Duties for Community Safety Partnerships in England and Wales

Summary: Community Safety Partnerships (CSPs) across England and Wales have become a critical part of the local delivery landscape. They are now in an ideal position to co-ordinate the actions of the police, local authorities, housing providers, health services and other key players, including youth services and third sector organisations, all of which have a significant role in helping successfully reduce reoffending and in keeping communities safe. These changes will help responsible authorities focus better on the key elements that keep communities safe. This is particularly important when over half of all crime is committed by those who have already been through the criminal justice system. It will enable a more strategic engagement between CSPs and other local partners, such as the third sector, Local Strategic Partnerships, Local Service Boards and Local Criminal Justice Boards, in planning and commissioning services for offenders. For the first time local partners will be collectively accountable for reducing reoffending. The critical link between crime reduction and reducing reoffending is clearly recognised in Public Service Agreement 23 ‘Make Communities Safer’. Extending the duties of CSPs will further strengthen this link and formalise the effective joint working that is already underway at a local level through Integrated Offender Management (IOM) and schemes such as Prolific and other Priority Offenders (PPO). These approaches demonstrate our shift in focus from offences to offenders and highlight how effective partnerships can help the prevention and detection of crime and the rehabilitation and resettlement of offenders once they have been punished appropriately. Success in reducing reoffending can only be achieved by local partners working beyond traditional organisational boundaries. This guidance provides suggested practice and case studies to support the legislative changes to CSPs and help partners embed the new duties within their everyday activities. More effective partnership working as a result of these changes will help to reduce crime and reoffending, protect the public and improve public confidence in the criminal justice system, the police and in other local partners, in a way that allows people to see and feel the difference in their local communities.

Details: London: Home Office, 2010. 79p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 3, 2010 at: http://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/CD2F417E-271E-45D1-840A-BA0699A0C0FE/0/NationalSupportFrameworkReducingReoffending.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/CD2F417E-271E-45D1-840A-BA0699A0C0FE/0/NationalSupportFrameworkReducingReoffending.pdf

Shelf Number: 119734

Keywords:
Community Safety Partnerships (U.K.)
Partnerships
Probation
Rehabilitation
Reoffending

Author: Northern Ireland. Criminal Justice Inspection

Title: Youth Conference Service: Inspection of the Youth Conference Service in Northern Ireland

Summary: This inspection looked at how young offenders are dealt with through the Youth Conference Service (YCS). It followed on from a comprehensive evaluation of the service conducted early in its development by Queens University Belfast. Inspectors found that the YCS was delivering an effective and useful service but that it was operating at the boundary of its capacity under its present structures and resources. Staff and management were totally committed to providing a restorative system that worked for the young offenders as well as for victims and they were focused on getting the balance right between the needs of offenders and victims. The key recommendation of this Inspection is that a full system-wide review into current practices in youth offending is now needed with the aim of developing a clearer and more integrated system with restorative practice at its core.

Details: Belfast: Criminal Justice Inspection Northern Ireland, 2008. 48p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 9, 2010 at: http://www.juvenilejusticepanel.org/resource/items/C/J/CJINIYouthConference2007_EN.pdf

Year: 2008

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://www.juvenilejusticepanel.org/resource/items/C/J/CJINIYouthConference2007_EN.pdf

Shelf Number: 119740

Keywords:
Juvenile Offenders
Rehabilitation
Restorative Justice

Author: Lipsey, Mark W.

Title: Effects of Cognitive-Behavioral Programs for Criminal Offenders

Summary: Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is among the more promising rehabilitative treatments for criminal offenders. Reviews of the comparative effectiveness of different treatment approaches have generally ranked it in the top tier with regard to effects on recidivism (e.g., Andrews et al., 1990; Lipsey & Wilson, 1998). It has a well-developed theoretical basis that explicitly targets “criminal thinking” as a contributing factor to deviant behavior (Beck, 1999; Walters, 1990; Yochelson & Samenow, 1976). And, it can be adapted to a range of juvenile and adult offenders, delivered in institutional or community settings by mental health specialists or paraprofessionals, and administered as part of a multifaceted program or as a stand-alone intervention. Meta-analysis has consistently indicated that CBT, on average, has significant positive effects on recidivism. However, there is also significant variation across studies in the size of those treatment effects. Identification of the moderator variables that describe the study characteristics associated with larger and smaller effects can further develop our understanding of the effectiveness of CBT with offenders. Of particular importance is the role such moderator analysis can play in ascertaining which variants of CBT are most effective. The objective of this systematic review is to examine the relationships of selected moderator variables to the effects of CBT on the recidivism of general offender populations.

Details: Oslo: Campbell Collaboration, 2007. 27p.

Source: Internet Resource: Campbell Systematic Review, 2007:6: Accessed September 16, 2010 at: http://www.campbellcollaboration.org/lib/download/143/

Year: 2007

Country: International

URL: http://www.campbellcollaboration.org/lib/download/143/

Shelf Number: 119821

Keywords:
Offenders
Recidivism
Rehabilitation
Treatment Programs

Author: Helyar-Cardwell, Vicki

Title: A New Start: Young Adults in the Criminal Justice System

Summary: The Transition to Adulthood (T2A) Alliance believes that there must be a wholesale shift in the way the UK Government works with young adults in, and at risk of becoming involved with, the criminal justice system. This must be far more than tinkering around the edges of the system, but rather a cross-departmental in-depth look at vulnerable young adults involved in the criminal justice system, and a commitment to find effective ways of working with these young adults in trouble to help them move away from crime. While some modest improvements have been made in recognising issues such as race, gender, juvenile offending and mental health, there has been little progress on young adults.

Details: London: T2A Alliance, 2010. 55p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 22, 2010 at: http://www.bctrust.org.uk/pdf/A_New_Start_Young_Adults.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://www.bctrust.org.uk/pdf/A_New_Start_Young_Adults.pdf

Shelf Number: 119270

Keywords:
Juvenile Justice Systems
Juvenile Offenders
Rehabilitation

Author: Hall, Michael

Title: Analysis of the Impact of Juvenile Justice Programming in Six New Mexico Counties

Summary: The purpose of this project is to contribute to the understanding of law enforcement and juvenile justice system factors, which perpetuate Disproportionate Minority Contact in New Mexico, and analyze the impact of juvenile justice programming in six New Mexico counties. This report is a first effort to understand county-level juvenile justice intervention programs funded by local juvenile justice continuum programs in New Mexico. We discovered that there are variations in programs from one county to another. Additionally, there are variations in the amount of information collected by each program. Standardization of data collection by programs is strongly recommended. In order for the State of New Mexico to accurately know and report on the type of programs and the number and types of clients served by funded programs, a standardized minimum data set is necessary. A data set is necessary to track the program's progress, to analyze the program's trends, to help improve upon the program's practices, and to hold the program accountable for the services provided. To help with that task, the New Mexico Sentencing Commission has developed a proposed minimum data set and provided it to the Children, Youth and Families Department. The current literature generally supports each of the juvenile justice programs discussed in this report. Adherence to model program principles and best practices by the county-level programs will also enhance their operations.

Details: Albuquerque, NM: New Mexico Sentencing Commission, 2010. 19p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 9, 2010 at:http://nmsc.unm.edu/nmsc_reports/

Year: 2010

Country: United States

URL: http://nmsc.unm.edu/nmsc_reports/

Shelf Number: 119912

Keywords:
Juvenile Justice Systems (New Mexico)
Juvenile Offenders
Rehabilitation

Author: Lovell, Mark

Title: Jailbreak: How to Transform Prisoners' Training

Summary: Within weeks of coming to office, Kenneth Clark (UK) has announced a dramatic change to justice policy. The use of prison sentences is now to be cut. Those who do end up in jail will be given training - with independent companies brought in to see it through. However, this study warns that radical change in the system is needed if the policy is to work. The last government had set out on the same path, but with little success. Re-offending rates remained high at around 62%. In particular the system: Lacks a clear chain of accountability. Responsibility for training and funding overlaps between different Whitehall Departments and their agencies; The system suffers from confused aims and means. Programmes are often ill-suited to the offenders and have the wrong emphasis. There are high drop-out rates; The system is patchy. Access to it for offenders is uncertain. Many don’t get the chance to train properly. But there are exceptions – where companies and others from outside the system have had remarkable success. A change of direction is needed if the system is to open to success. Responsibility for training must be allocated to one body with a clear chain of accountability. Success should be judged against whether the offender is prepared when in prison to find and keep a job on release. Funds must be transparently allocated on a per capita basis. The total amount now used should go to the contracted body for an individual’s training.

Details: London: Politeia, 2010. 32p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 20, 2010 at: http://www.politeia.co.uk/sites/default/files/files/Jailbreak%20PDF.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://www.politeia.co.uk/sites/default/files/files/Jailbreak%20PDF.pdf

Shelf Number: 119974

Keywords:
Correctional Programs
Corrections Training
Inmate Programs
Inmates
Offender Treatment
Rehabilitation

Author: Bath, Chris

Title: Time Is Money: Financial Responsibility After Prison

Summary: When someone is convicted of a crime, the impact on their finances can be extreme. The loss of liberty is the most severe form of punishment in the UK but with it come many unintended financial consequences. The criminal justice system can increase financial exclusion, and reduce personal responsibility, creating problems with housing, insurance, employment and family relations, and thus contributing to a greater risk of reoffending. This report explores the impact of the criminal justice system on banking, credit, debt, savings, financial capability, benefits, and insurance. The role of advice and the practical implications of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act are also considered. The key findings inform practical, cost effective recommendations to achieve financial inclusion for people in prison, former offenders and their families, improve resettlement and reduce reoffending.

Details: London: Prison Reform Trust and Snodland, UK: UNLOCK: The National Association of Reformed Offenders, 2010. 94p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 28, 2010 at: http://www.prisonreformtrust.org.uk/uploads/documents/timeismoney.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://www.prisonreformtrust.org.uk/uploads/documents/timeismoney.pdf

Shelf Number: 120102

Keywords:
Ex-Offenders, Financial Needs
Finances
Reentry
Rehabilitation

Author: Patel, Professor Lord Patel of Bradford

Title: The Patel Report: Reducing Drug-Related Crime and Rehabilitating Offenders

Summary: The report focuses on drug treatment and interventions for people in prison, people moving between prisons and the continuity of care for people on release from prison. The report outlines the evidence gathered and work carried out by the Review Group and summarises their conclusions and recommendations.

Details: London: UK Department of Health, 2010. 216p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 2, 2010 at: http://www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/@dh/@en/@ps/documents/digitalasset/dh_119850.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/@dh/@en/@ps/documents/digitalasset/dh_119850.pdf

Shelf Number: 120153

Keywords:
Drug Abuse and Addiction
Drug Abuse and Crime
Drug Offenders
Drug Treatment
Rehabilitation

Author: Sadlier, Greg

Title: Evaluation of the Impact of the HM Prison Service Enhanced Thinking Skills Programme on Reoffending Outcomes of the Surveying Prisoner Crime Reduction (SPCR) Sample

Summary: This research examined the impact of the Enhanced Thinking Skills (ETS) programme on the one-year reconviction outcomes of 257 prison-based participants between 2006 and 2008. Radius propensity score matching was used to match a comparison group that had no statistically significant difference (at the means) to the treatment group on any matching characteristic. ETS was found to significantly reduce both the reconviction rate (six percentage points) and frequency (60 reoffences per 100 released prisoners) of general reoffending of participants. No statistically significant impact was found on the severe offences reconviction rate. Almost identical impacts were found for completers. A stronger reduction in reconviction was found for participants meeting the suitability criteria. Though the programme has been shown to be effective in practice, the findings suggest that a stricter application of the targeting criteria might have further enhanced the effectiveness of the programme.

Details: London: Ministry of Justice, 2010. 56p.

Source: Internet Resource: Ministry of Justice Research Series 19/10: Accessed November 5, 2010 at: http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/docs/eval-enhanced-thinking-skills-prog.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/docs/eval-enhanced-thinking-skills-prog.pdf

Shelf Number: 120196

Keywords:
Correctional Programs
Prisoners
Recidivism
Rehabilitation
Reoffending

Author: Mulmat, Darlanne Hoctor

Title: Improving Reentry for Ex-Offenders in San Diego County: SB 618 Third Annual Evaluation Report

Summary: In October 2005, California Senate Bill (SB) 618 was signed into law. This law is based on the concept that providing tangible reentry support services will increase parolees’ successful reintegration into the community. As the first county authorized to create a multiagency plan, and with the leadership from the District Attorney’s Office, San Diego County brought together a diverse group of stakeholders to develop policies and programs to educate and rehabilitate non-violent felony offenders. Key program components are based on best practices and include conducting screenings and assessments and providing case management and services to meet identified needs. The process begins before sentencing and continues through imprisonment, as well as up to 18 months post release. As part of this effort, process and impact evaluations are being conducted by SANDAG. This second annual evaluation report describes project implementation to date, outlines the research methodology, and presents preliminary research findings from the process and impact evaluation.

Details: San Diego, CA: San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG), 2010. 238p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 10, 2010 at: http://sandiegohealth.org/sandag/sandag_pubs_2009-7-25/publicationid_1412_9234.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: United States

URL: http://sandiegohealth.org/sandag/sandag_pubs_2009-7-25/publicationid_1412_9234.pdf

Shelf Number: 120277

Keywords:
Ex-Offenders
Parolees
Reentry
Rehabilitation

Author: Lawrence, Sarah

Title: Reaching a Higher Ground: Increasing Employment Opportunities for People with Prior Convictions

Summary: Stable employment makes for a higher quality of life for almost all working adults. With it comes an increased ability to take care of oneself and one's family, the power to purchase goods and services, the opportunity to develop personal relationships, and the fulfillment of personal growth. The reach of the criminal justice system has expanded in recent decades, and the consequences of involvement with the criminal justice system are more serious than ever, as laws, policies, and practices relate to almost all facets of life. An historic number of citizens have been convicted of a felony. Between 1980 and 2009, California's prison population increased by 583%, and the state's recidivism rates are above the national average. High recidivism rates come with significant financial costs to the state. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) budget was $9.8 billion in the 2009-2010 fiscal year. At the same time, the prevalence of background checks has also increased. The number of Californians with a criminal record has continued to grow; there are nearly eight million individuals in the state's criminal history file. Although the challenges facing individuals with prior convictions are daunting, and the number of individuals impacted is enormous, there are opportunities for change in the current social and political environment.

Details: Berkeley, CA: Berkeley Center for Criminal Justice, University of California, Berkeley School of Law, 2010. 65p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 1, 2010 at: http://www.law.berkeley.edu/files/Final_EO_Master_Complete.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: United States

URL: http://www.law.berkeley.edu/files/Final_EO_Master_Complete.pdf

Shelf Number: 120320

Keywords:
Employment
Ex-Offenders (California)
Rehabilitation

Author: Johnson, Byron R.

Title: The Great Escape: How Religion Alters the Delinquent Behavior of High-Risk Adolescents

Summary: Does individual religious commitment serve as a buffer in supporting high-risk youth (such as those living in poor inner-city areas) escape drug use and other illegal activities? Inadequacies of support structures in poor inner-city black communities lead many black youth into criminal and other delinquent activities. However, there are protective factors which help numerous youth in those communities stay out trouble. We predict that individual religiosity will demonstrate itself to be one of those shielding factors. We expect that all other things being equal, religious commitment will act as a safeguard in protecting at-risk youth living in poor, inner-city black communities from socially undesirable activities. To test this proposition, we use data from an interview survey of 2,358 young black males from poor neighborhoods in Boston, Chicago, and Philadelphia. After analyzing the data, our results indicate that behavioral measures of religious commitment (the frequency with which one attends religious services) significantly reduce non-drug illegal activities, drug use, and drug dealing among disadvantaged youth. However, attitudinal measures of religious devotion (one's response to how important of a role religion plays in his or her life) is not significantly linked to reductions in juvenile delinquency. In this study, we discuss the theoretical and methodological implications of our findings, indicate the shortcomings of previous research, and provide direction for further investigation to focus on individual religiosity as a potentially important protective factor for high-risk disadvantaged youth.

Details: Waco, TX: Baylor University, Baylor Institute for Studies of Religion, 2008. 16p. (Originally published: 2002)

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 2, 2010 at: http://www.isreligion.org/wp-content/uploads/ISR_Great_Escape.pdf

Year: 2008

Country: United States

URL: http://www.isreligion.org/wp-content/uploads/ISR_Great_Escape.pdf

Shelf Number: 120354

Keywords:
Delinquency Prevention
Juvenile Offenders
Rehabilitation
Religion

Author: Redcross, Cindy

Title: Transitional Jobs for Ex-Prisoners: Implementation, Two-Year Impacts, and Costs of the Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) Prisoner Reentry Program

Summary: Almost 700,000 people are released from state prisons each year. Ex-prisoners face daunting obstacles to successful reentry into society, and rates of recidivism are high. Most experts believe that stable employment is critical to a successful transition, but ex-prisoners have great difficulty finding steady work. This report presents interim results from a rigorous evaluation of the New York City-based Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO), a highly regarded employment program for ex-prisoners. CEO participants are placed in paid transitional jobs shortly after enrollment; they are supervised by CEO staff and receive a range of supports. Once they show good performance in the transitional job, participants get help finding a permanent job and additional support after placement. CEO is one of four sites in the Enhanced Services for the Hard-to-Employ Demonstration and Evaluation Project, which is sponsored by the Administration for Children and Families and the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), with additional funding from the U.S. Department of Labor. The project is being conducted under contract to HHS by MDRC, a nonprofit research organization, along with the Urban Institute and other partners. The impacts of CEO's program are being assessed using a rigorous research design. In 2004-2005, a total of 977 ex-prisoners who reported to CEO were assigned, at random, to a program group that was eligible for all of CEO's services or to a control group that received basic job search assistance. So far, the two groups have been followed for two years after study entry. Almost 700,000 people are released from state prisons each year. Ex-prisoners face daunting obstacles to successful reentry into society, and rates of recidivism are high. Most experts believe that stable employment is critical to a successful transition, but ex-prisoners have great difficulty finding steady work. This report presents interim results from a rigorous evaluation of the New York City-based Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO), a highly regarded employment program for ex-prisoners. CEO participants are placed in paid transitional jobs shortly after enrollment; they are supervised by CEO staff and receive a range of supports. Once they show good performance in the transitional job, participants get help finding a permanent job and additional support after placement. CEO is one of four sites in the Enhanced Services for the Hard-to-Employ Demonstration and Evaluation Project, which is sponsored by the Administration for Children and Families and the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), with additional funding from the U.S. Department of Labor. The project is being conducted under contract to HHS by MDRC, a nonprofit research organization, along with the Urban Institute and other partners. The impacts of CEO's program are being assessed using a rigorous research design. In 2004-2005, a total of 977 ex-prisoners who reported to CEO were assigned, at random, to a program group that was eligible for all of CEO's services or to a control group that received basic job search assistance. So far, the two groups have been followed for two years after study entry. Key Findings Include the following: CEO's program operated smoothly during the study period, and most program group members received the core services. More than 70 percent of the program group worked in a transitional job; the average length of that employment was about eight weeks; CEO generated a large but short-lived increase in employment; the increase was driven by CEO's transitional jobs. By the end of the first year of the study period, the program and control groups were equally likely to be employed, and their earnings were similar; CEO reduced recidivism during both the first and the second year of the study period. The program group was significantly less likely than the control group to be convicted of a crime, to be admitted to prison for a new conviction, or to be incarcerated for any reason in prison or jail during the first two years of the study period. In Year 1, CEO reduced recidivism only for those who came to the program within three months after their release from prison; in Year 2, however, the program reduced recidivism both for recently released study participants and for those who were not recently released at study entry. The study will follow the two groups for a third year, but the results so far show that CEO's program reduced recidivism, even after the employment gains faded. Decreases in recidivism have rarely been found in rigorous evaluations. Further research is needed to identify approaches that can produce more sustained increases in employment and earnings for ex-prisoners.

Details: New York: MDRC, 2009. 159p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 6, 2010 at: http://www.urban.org/uploadedpdf/1001362_transitional_jobs.pdf

Year: 2009

Country: United States

URL: http://www.urban.org/uploadedpdf/1001362_transitional_jobs.pdf

Shelf Number: 120375

Keywords:
Employment
Ex-Offenders
Recidivism
Reentry
Rehabilitation

Author: Beranger, Boris

Title: Reducing Indigenous Contact With the Court System

Summary: This report examines the relationship between the number of Indigenous defendants appearing in the NSW Local Court and the rate of Indigenous recidivism. A simple model of the Indigenous recidivism process was developed and then used to simulate the effect of changes in the rate of Indigenous recidivism. It was found that reducing the rate of Indigenous recidivism is an effective way of reducing the over-representation of Indigenous defendants in court. A 20 per cent reduction in the rate of Indigenous re-appearance in the court system, for example, would reduce the ratio of Indigenous to non-Indigenous Local Court appearances from 1 in every 9.6 cases to 1 in every 18.6 cases. Efforts to reduce Indigenous over-representation in the criminal justice system should be focussed on offender rehabilitation and assistance in promoting compliance with court orders.

Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2010. 4p.

Source: Internet Resource: Bureau Brief, Issue Paper No. 54: Accessed December 10, 2010 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/BB54.pdf/$file/BB54.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: Australia

URL: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/BB54.pdf/$file/BB54.pdf

Shelf Number: 120444

Keywords:
Courts
Indigenous Peoples (Australia)
Reconviction
Rehabilitation

Author: Great Britain. Ministry of Justice

Title: Breaking the Cycle: Effective Punishment, Rehabilitation and Sentencing of Offenders

Summary: The safety and security of the law-abiding citizen is a key priority of the Coalition Government. Everyone has a right to feel safe in their home and in their community. When that safety is threatened, those responsible should face a swift and effective response. We rely on the criminal justice system to deliver that response: punishing offenders, protecting the public and reducing reoffending. This Green Paper addresses all three of these priorities, setting out how an intelligent sentencing framework, coupled with more effective rehabilitation, will enable us to break the cycle of crime and prison which creates new victims every day. Despite a 50% increase in the budget for prisons and managing offenders in the last ten years almost half of all adult offenders released from custody reoffend within a year. It is also not acceptable that 75% of offenders sentenced to youth custody reoffend within a year. If we do not prevent and tackle offending by young people then the young offenders of today will become the prolific career criminals of tomorrow.

Details: London: The Stationery Office, 2010. 92p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 13, 2010 at: http://www.official-documents.gov.uk/document/cm79/7972/7972.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://www.official-documents.gov.uk/document/cm79/7972/7972.pdf

Shelf Number: 120447

Keywords:
Costs of Criminal Justice
Criminal Justice Systems (U.K.)
Punishment
Recidivism
Rehabilitation
Sentencing

Author: Bontrager, Stephanie

Title: Redirection Services in Florida: One-Year Outcomes

Summary: In 2004, the Florida Legislature funded a pilot program to address the growing number of juvenile offenders committed to residential programs for non-law violations of probation. A non-law violation of probation results when a youth fails to adhere to court-ordered probation requirements, such as breaking curfew, skipping school, or engaging in other non-criminal acts prohibited by the terms of probation. The pilot initiative was designed to divert, or redirect, these non-law violators from residential placement to community-based treatments. Under this Redirection Initiative, the following two commitment alternatives are available for youth meeting specified eligibility criteria: Multisystemic Therapy (MST) and Functional Family Therapy (FFT). Prior research suggests that both of these programs are successful in preventing youth violence and delinquency. The purpose of the current evaluation is to assess the effectiveness of Redirection services in reducing recidivism. Recidivism is defined here as a subsequent juvenile adjudication or adult conviction within one year of program release. Additionally adult and juvenile outcomes include felony adjudication or conviction, arrest and felony arrest within one year of service completion. All youth released from and completing MST or FFT services or low, moderate or high-restrictiveness commitment programming between February 2005 and August 31, 2006 are examined in this evaluation. The effectiveness of Redirection was determined by comparing those completing Redirection programs to those in residential facilities. Finally, a cost analysis was prepared to demonstrate the potential financial savings of Redirection as an alternative to residential placement. The results demonstrate that: Youth who complete Redirection programming have better recidivism outcomes when compared to youth released from residential programming; Redirection youth are less likely to have a subsequent conviction or adjudication, and; The odds of felony adjudication or conviction are substantially lower for Redirection completers than residential placements. • Redirection services save the state approximately $27,059 per completion when compared to those completing low, moderate and high-risk residential placements; Diverting just 75 youth from residential to Redirection services has the potential to save the state over two million dollars. Redirection services are consistently linked to lower recidivism and significantly lower felony adjudication or conviction when contrasted with commitment placements. Furthermore, Redirection programming achieves these positive outcomes at considerably lower cost than more restrictive residential services. These outcomes collectively demonstrate that Redirection is a valuable and cost-effective alternative to committing youth to residential facilities.

Details: Tallahassee, FL: Evidence-Based Assoicates, 2007. 22p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 13, 2010 at: http://www.evidencebasedassociates.com/what_we_do/redirection/2007_jrc_outcome_evaluation.pdf

Year: 2007

Country: United States

URL: http://www.evidencebasedassociates.com/what_we_do/redirection/2007_jrc_outcome_evaluation.pdf

Shelf Number: 120487

Keywords:
Alternatives to Incarceration
Juvenile Diversion
Juvenile Offenders (Florida)
Recidivism
Rehabilitation

Author: Sample, Lisa L.

Title: Final Report for the Evaluation of Nebraska's Serious and Violent Offender Reentry Program

Summary: The purpose of the evaluation of the NDCS Serious and Violent Offender Reentry Program was to assess the success of the program in three areas. First, an evaluation of the process was conducted to determine if a reentry program had indeed been created by the NDCS. Second, a cost benefit analysis was conducted to determine the economic savings that a reentry program could promote for the state of Nebraska. Finally, an outcome evaluation was conducted to determine if the reentry program was successful in its goal of reducing recidivism among serious and violent offenders in the state. Below are the key findings of each of these three evaluation components. Process Findings: • Although the selection of program participants has evolved since the inception of the program, NDCS has targeted serious and violent offenders with a high risk of reoffending for pilot program participation. • There was community and agency support for the reentry program from its inception through its implementation. • NDCS had implemented the program components intended for Phase I of the reentry program, including the creation of personalized reentry plans for inmates and the creation of programs to address the mental health, substance abuse, and general living skills needed among the inmates. • The programs offered in Phase I of the reentry program are being delivered to inmates in Phase II thereby providing a seamless delivery of services as originally intended in the program's inception. • Overall, there is much consistency between what inmates perceive they need to live a crime-free life upon leaving prison and the services that are being delivered by NDCS. • Participants generally believed that the services they are receiving from NDCS are beneficial in helping them successfully return to society. • Overall, participants reported a positive attitude toward the services provided in Phase I and II of the reentry program and found the support provided to them by their transition mangers as most effective in bringing about their success in the program. • NDCS has not appeared to establish a graduated sanction or reward system to induce compliance with program requirements, manage problem behaviors, or minimize termination from the program. Cost Benefit Analysis Findings: • Those assigned to the re-entry program account for -96 fewer misdemeanor and -28 fewer felony arrests (per 200 participants) during a 12-month follow-up period. 6 • Based on average process costs incurred by misdemeanor arrests ($6,014) and felony arrests ($21,156), the fewer misdemeanor arrests result in annual outcome cost savings of $577,344 (-96 X $6,014), while fewer felony arrests save $592,375 (-28 X $21,156), or a total annual recidivism-outcome cost savings of $1,169,719 (per 200 participants). • The average annual recidivism-outcome cost savings per reentry program participant is $5,849. • Victimization costs include tangible costs (lost wages, medical and mental health care costs) and intangible costs (pain suffering and lost quality of life). The average estimated cost per violent victimization in the U.S. is $42,098, while the average cost of property victimizations is $1,313. • The annual victimization cost savings due to the lower rates of recidivism of 200 re-entry participants are $884,058 for violent crimes (-21 X $42,098) and $73,528 (-56 X $1,313) for property crimes, or a total societal-victimization cost savings of $957,586. • This equates to an average annual societal-victimization cost savings per reentry program participant of $4,788. • When recidivism-outcome and societal-victimization costs are combined, the total annual savings due to the NDCS Re-Entry Program are $10,637 per reentry participant. Outcome Evaluation • In order to assess outcomes, the 19 reentry participants were compared to a control group of 53 offenders who received “traditional” correctional treatment. • Each offender in both groups was interviewed in the month prior to their release to determine the degree of similarity between the two groups. • Based on this interview data, the two groups were remarkably similar on measures of race, age, prior criminal history, prior drug use and family relationships. • Recidivism was assessed using two measures: whether the offender was arrested during the 6 months following release, and the mean number of arrests during the six-month follow-up period. • 26% of the control group, but only 21% of the reentry participants were rearrested during the 6 month follow-up period. • The mean number of new arrests for reentry participants was .26 compared to .58 for control participants.

Details: Omaha, NE: School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, University of Nebraska at Omaha, 2008. 139p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 1, 2011 at: http://www.unomaha.edu/reentry/final_report_2008.pdf

Year: 2008

Country: United States

URL: http://www.unomaha.edu/reentry/final_report_2008.pdf

Shelf Number: 120647

Keywords:
Cost-Benefit Analysis
Prisoner Reentry
Recidivism
Rehabilitation
Violent Offenders

Author: Faisandier, Sally

Title: Informing the Development of the Priority Offenders Initiative in New Zealand: A Synthesis of Relevant Literature

Summary: As a crime reduction strategy the Priority Offenders Initative in New Zealand aims to address the root causes of offending for an identified group of offenders (referred to as priority offenders) who are particularly persistent and/or prolific in the nature of their offending. The initiative is still at an early stage of development. This report presents a summary of the literature from England and Wales about crime reduction strategies with priority offenders. New Zealand literature is used to describe the co-ordinated case management approach that is proposed for the New Zealand Priority Offenders Initiative.

Details: Wellington, NZ: New Zealand Ministry of Justice, 2008. 52p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 1, 2011 at: http://www.justice.org.nz/policy/crime-prevention/documents/priority-offenders/POI%20lit%20synthesis.pdf

Year: 2008

Country: International

URL: http://www.justice.org.nz/policy/crime-prevention/documents/priority-offenders/POI%20lit%20synthesis.pdf

Shelf Number: 120631

Keywords:
Crime Prevention
Habitual Offenders
Persistent Offenders
Rehabilitation

Author: Great Britain. Ministry of Justice

Title: Breaking the Cycle: Effective Punishment, Rehabilitation and Sentencing of Offenders

Summary: The Ministry of Justice Structural Reform Plan published in July 2010 set out a commitment to introduce a 'rehabilitation revolution' and conduct a review of sentencing policy. This consultation sets out the resulting proposals which aim to break the destructive cycle of crime and protect the public, through more effectively punishing and rehabilitating offenders and reforming the sentencing framework.

Details: London: The Stationery Officer, 2010. 92p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 1, 2011 at: http://www.justice.gov.uk/consultations/docs/breaking-the-cycle.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://www.justice.gov.uk/consultations/docs/breaking-the-cycle.pdf

Shelf Number: 120654

Keywords:
Criminal Justice Policy (U.K.)
Offenders
Punishment
Rehabilitation
Sentencing

Author: Great Britain. Criminal Justice Joint Inspection

Title: Restriction and Rehabilitation: Getting the Right Mix. An Inspection of the Management of Sexual Offenders in the Community

Summary: The proportion of sexual offenders who are reconvicted of further offending is known to be low. Nevertheless, their subsequent crimes understandably cause considerable public concern. In taking this inspection forward, we wanted to see how far the police and probation services were able to fulfil their different roles in controlling and restricting the offender, whilst at the same time offering them help to change their behaviour. In other words, whether they were able to maintain the right mix, so necessary for public protection, between Restriction and Rehabilitation in work with registered sexual offenders. We were aware, from our Offender Management Inspections of all probation trusts, that work with offenders assessed as an increased Risk of Harm to others was generally of a higher standard than that with other offenders. We were therefore not surprised to find many examples of good practice by both police and probation. These related particularly to the restrictive elements of work with sexual offenders and included: consolidating practice relating to the notification requirements for registered sex offenders; use of the sexual offences prevention order; monitoring licence conditions; and the multi-agency public protection arrangements (MAPPA) with more serious cases. The inspection, nevertheless, revealed a number of areas where practice by both police and probation could be improved. In our opinion the three main issues, all key to public protection, threatened to undermine the efficacy of work with registered sexual offenders by both the police and probation services. These were: 􀀛 engagement: some probation offender managers did not engage well with those sexual offenders who were not required to attend a Sexual Offender Treatment Programme 􀀛 communication: formal channels of communication, both within and between police and probation services, needed to be improved 􀀛 MAPPA: specifically the identification and management of level 1 cases, i.e. those subject to ‘ordinary agency management’.

Details: London: Criminal Justice Joint Inspection, 2010. 58p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 3, 2011 at: http://www.justice.gov.uk/inspectorates/hmi-probation/docs/Sex_Offenders_Report-rps.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://www.justice.gov.uk/inspectorates/hmi-probation/docs/Sex_Offenders_Report-rps.pdf

Shelf Number: 120682

Keywords:
Community Supervision
Policing
Probation
Recidivism
Rehabilitation
Sex Offenders (U.K.)

Author: Canada. Parliament. House of Commons. Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security

Title: Mental Health and Drug and Alcohol Addiction in the Federal Correctional System

Summary: Correctional institutions in Canada, like those in many countries, including Norway and England, accommodate large numbers of inmates suffering from mental disorders and drug and alcohol addiction. In Canada, some 80% of offenders serving prison sentences of two years or more have problems with drugs and/or alcohol. Approximately one in ten male inmates (12%), and one in five female inmates (21%), suffer from serious mental disorders upon admission to a federal correctional institution. This is not a recent development. Research has clearly shown that the correctional community, here as in elsewhere, is in poorer health overall than the population at large. The House of Commons Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security (hereafter the Committee) is concerned however about the scope of this phenomenon within Canada’s federal correctional system, and the lack of resources to enable Correctional Service Canada (CSC), which is responsible for the custody of offenders sentenced to two years or more, to meet the growing mental health and addiction needs of federal offenders. This report contains the Committee’s observations and recommendations based on its review of the policies, practices and programs adopted by CSC to provide treatment and support for federal offenders affected by mental disorders or addiction. The review highlighted the urgent need for an expansion of CSC’s capacity to meet the growing needs of these offenders. The situation demands decisive federal government action; the Committee believes this should include the immediate allocation of additional financial resources to CSC for this purpose. The CSC should in turn give priority to improving how it deals with mental health disorders and addiction issues. This is a public safety issue because offenders who fail to receive appropriate treatment while in custody are more likely to reoffend after release, thus threatening the security of all Canadians. That said, the Committee agrees with those who have testified before it that as far as possible, people suffering from mental disorders and addictions should not end up in detention because of these problems or the lack of community ressources. Correctional institutions should not be serving as hospitals by default. In general, prison is not suited to caring for people affected by such problems. Indeed, mental health experts agree that the prison environment is harmful to mental health. Moreover, because of the constraints inherent in the prison setting, therapeutic interventions are complicated and expensive. Like its witnesses, the Committee has concluded that CSC alone cannot cope with mental health and addiction problems in prisons. The criminalization and incarceration of those suffering from mental disorders or addictions is part of a broader context in which various players—government and non-government agencies—are active: the healthcare, social services and justice sectors. To avoid imprisoning people inappropriately because of their mental health disorders or addictions, all participants in the system have to work more closely together. Governments will have to establish a comprehensive, integrated and efficient mental health system based on promoting mental health and preventive care, early detection of mental disorders and addictions, access in the community to effective care and treatment and, as appropriate, the reintegration of those affected. The Committee’s study has also shed light on the need for rapid intervention, well before those concerned come into conflict with the law. When a crime is committed, there must be a capacity to assess the mental health of the accused in order to refer him or her to appropriate healthcare and support services and acquaint court officials with the accused’s requirements. The Committee shares the view of most of its witnesses that such an approach is more consistent with the rights of those suffering from mental disorders and addictions and could generate substantial cost savings in the long run. Imprisonment is expensive and generally unsuited to caring for those rendered vulnerable by mental disorders and addiction issues.

Details: Ottawa: The Committee, 2010. 97p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 3, 2011 at: http://www.hsjcc.on.ca/Uploads/commons%20report%20on%20offender%20mh%20dec%202010.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: Canada

URL: http://www.hsjcc.on.ca/Uploads/commons%20report%20on%20offender%20mh%20dec%202010.pdf

Shelf Number: 120683

Keywords:
Correctional Institutions
Inmates (Canada)
Mental Health Services
Mentally Ill Offenders
Prisons
Rehabilitation
Substance Abuse

Author: Kramer, John H.

Title: Evaluation of RIP D&A Treatment

Summary: From 1980 to 2005 Pennsylvania state prison population grew by 400%. Although is not possible to assess the extent to which drug addiction was the driving force for this tremendous increase but we do know that offenders incarcerated in state prison for drug offenses increased 2354% during this time frame and drug offenders accounted for 23.9% of the growth. Offenders convicted of drug offenses are just the tip of the iceberg in terms of the role of drug abuse and crime. Support of drug abuse increases theft offenses, burglaries, robberies and other offenses as well. Beyond driving our investment in prison expansion, addiction exerts tremendous costs in terms of lost human resources, and increased health care costs. The growth in prison populations reflect public policy initiatives in the 1980's and 1999's such as the passage of mandatory minimums as our primary focus in stemming the drug abuse problem. Despite significant attempts to deter drug use though harsh penalties and attempts to limit the flow of drugs, drug use seems to have been minimally effected. A1s one Pennsylvania judge reflected to one of the authors, "Drug use is a supply and demand problem, and the more I attempt to change this with tough sentences the more convinced I am that we the way to deal with the drug problem is to reduce the demand through prevention and treatment." This comment joins with a growing refrain from criminal justice experts who see drug abuse as generally impermeable to sanctions and promising results through prevention and treatment. Pennsylvania recognized the need for community based treatment and drug treatment in 1990 by passing legislation expanding sentencing authority for judges to include Intermediate Punishment (IP) (Act 193 of 1990) and building into IP sanctions a strong drug treatment component. Importantly, Pennsylvania supported this with funding to counties for drug and alcohol treatment. The research reported here studies whether these important policy steps were effective at reducing recidivism among drug dependent offenders.

Details: State College, PA: Pennsylvania State University, 2006. 93p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 8, 2011 at: http://pcs.la.psu.edu/publications/research-and-evaluation-reports/special-reports/evaluation-of-restrictive-intermediate-punishment-drug-and-alcohol-treatment-2006/SpecRptRIPDA2006.pdf#navpanes=0

Year: 2006

Country: United States

URL: http://pcs.la.psu.edu/publications/research-and-evaluation-reports/special-reports/evaluation-of-restrictive-intermediate-punishment-drug-and-alcohol-treatment-2006/SpecRptRIPDA2006.pdf#navpanes=0

Shelf Number: 120715

Keywords:
Alternatives to Incarceration
Drug Abuse Treatment
Drug Offenders
Intermediate Punishments (Pennsylvania)
Rehabilitation
Sentencing

Author: Latessa, Edward

Title: Evaluation of Selected Institutional Offender Treatment Programs for the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections

Summary: In general, correctional treatment programs have been associated with a reduction in recidivism. However, there is a great deal of variation among programs with respect to the degree of effectiveness. Correctional programs that adhere to certain principles are more successful at reducing offender recidivism, thereby increasing community safety principles of effective intervention, commonly referred to as the “what works' literature, are key in guiding correctional practices. Cullen and Gendreau (2000) reported that there is a 40 percent difference in recidivism rates between programs that adhere to "what works" principles and programs that do not. Specifically, programs that implement the "what works" literature have effect sizes up to 40 percent. In an effort to assess how well the principles of effective intervention are being implemented across state correctional institutions, Pennsylvania Department of Corrections (PADOC) contracted with the University of Cincinnati, Center for Criminal Justice Research to conduct a system-wide process evaluation of five treatment programs offered throughout the PADOC. Specifically, this evaluation was intended to identify system-wide strengths and areas for improvement within the Thinking for a Change, Batterer's Intervention, Violence Prevention, and Sex Offender outpatient and therapeutic community programs. This assessment was intended to identify the effectiveness of each program at providing evidence-based services. Therefore, this report begins with a brief review of the principles of effective intervention in order to provide some context and background. The findings of the assessments conducted on all of the aforementioned programs are then detailed, with a focus on identifying common strengths and areas that need improvement across all programs as well as systemic issues. Finally, recommendations to improve the effectiveness of services for offenders involved in the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections as a whole are provided.

Details: Cincinnati, OH: University of Cincinnati, School of Criminal Justice, Center for Criminal Justice Research, 2009. 322p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 10, 2011 at: http://www.uc.edu/ccjr/Reports/ProjectReports/PA_Institutions_Final_Report.pdf

Year: 2009

Country: United States

URL: http://www.uc.edu/ccjr/Reports/ProjectReports/PA_Institutions_Final_Report.pdf

Shelf Number: 120739

Keywords:
Correctional Programs (Pennsylvania)
Recidivism
Rehabilitation

Author: Mendel, Richard A.

Title: The Missouri Model: Reinventing the Practice of Rehabilitating Youthful Offenders

Summary: The state of Missouri’s approach to juvenile detention is designed to help troubled teens make lasting behavioral changes so that they can successfully transition back to their communities. This report explores the success of the model and builds the case for juvenile detention reform.

Details: Baltimore, MD: Annie E. Casey Foundation, 2010. 60p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 14, 2011 at: http://www.aecf.org/~/media/Pubs/Initiatives/Juvenile%20Detention%20Alternatives%20Initiative/MOModel/MO_Fullreport_webfinal.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: United States

URL: http://www.aecf.org/~/media/Pubs/Initiatives/Juvenile%20Detention%20Alternatives%20Initiative/MOModel/MO_Fullreport_webfinal.pdf

Shelf Number: 120725

Keywords:
Juvenile Detention
Juvenile Justice Reform
Juvenile Offenders
Rehabilitation

Author: DeGusti, Berenice

Title: Best Practices for Chronic/Persistent Youth Offenders

Summary: In 2006, the Canadian Research Institute for Law and the Family (CRILF) began work on the three-year project, A Study of Youth Offending, Serious Habitual Offenders, and System Response in Calgary. One objective of this study was to develop a knowledge base of best practices in Canada and internationally for chronic and persistent youth offenders. With funding from the Alberta Law Foundation and the National Crime Prevention Centre, and in partnership with the Centre for Initiatives on Children, Youth and the Community, City of Calgary Community and Neighbourhood Services, and the Calgary Police Service, CRILF researchers performed an environmental scan to assess what programs and strategies police agencies across Canada have in place to address this youth offending population. This report summarizes information collected on the nature and type of community-based, multi-agency and police strategies and programs that exist across Canada for chronic and persistent youth offenders. In order to examine the programs and strategies used by police organizations in Canada, CRILF interviews with key informants were conducted with a number of police agencies across the country. The key informants for this review included police and agency representatives from across Canada who had experience working with and delivering services to youth offenders. In total, 255 police agencies and other organizations were contacted across Canada from October 2008 to February 2009, with a total of 140 completed interviews conducted using a standardized interview protocol. Police and other agencies (community organizations) involved in providing services for youth offenders that did not participate in the environmental scan either declined to participate or did not respond before the end of the data collection period. While the focus of intervention in most provinces was police organizations, in Quebec, services for youth offenders are provided mainly through 16 Youth Centres (YCs) or “Centres jeunesse” located in communities across the province. These are para-governmental agencies almost entirely funded by the Ministry of Health and Social Services (MSSS). They provide a range of services to children, youth, and their families, including young people up to 18 years of age who are subject to the Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA) and/or the Youth Protection Act in Quebec. In order to get a comprehensive picture of the response of Quebec authorities to chronic and persistent youth offenders, requests were sent to all 16 YCs in the province. Interviews were completed with representatives from 12 Youth Centres serving more than 85% of the province’s population and the Director of Youth Protection in Inuulitsivik Baie, who have direct responsibility for providing services to youth offenders in Quebec. A total of 16 police services, including the Sûreté du Québec (SQ), were also contacted. Interviews were completed with representatives from 9 of the police agencies contacted serving approximately 80% of the province’s population.

Details: Calgary, Alberta: Canadian Research Institute for Law and the Family and Centre for Initiatives on Children, Youth and Community, 2009.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 15, 2011 at: http://people.ucalgary.ca/~crilf/publications/Final_Draft_Best_Practices_Report_May_2009.pdf

Year: 2009

Country: Canada

URL: http://people.ucalgary.ca/~crilf/publications/Final_Draft_Best_Practices_Report_May_2009.pdf

Shelf Number: 120771

Keywords:
Chronic Offenders, Juveniles
Juvenile Offenders (Canada)
Recidivism
Rehabilitation

Author: Bartels, Lorana

Title: Good Practice in Women's Prisons: A Literature Review

Summary: Good prison practices are essential for the wellbeing of prisoners and the wider community. Not only do they provide assistance to one of the most disadvantaged and vulnerable groups within society, but they also benefit the wider community by providing adequate support and services to a group of people who will ultimately return to the community. The purposes of incarceration not only include retribution, punishment, deterrence and incapacitation, but also rehabilitation. In order for a prison to achieve this, it is essential to have prison practice models that support reintegration, facilitate personal development and reduce recidivism rates. In this paper, the literature concerning examples of good practice in women’s prison systems in Australia is reviewed. Key international developments are also considered, although it is acknowledged that the potential for transfer of such models may at times be limited.

Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2011. 78p.

Source: Internet Resource: AIC Technical and Background Paper 41: Accessed February 15, 2011 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/4/E/5/%7B4E5E4435-E70A-44DB-8449-3154E6BD81EB%7Dtbp041.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: Australia

URL: http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/4/E/5/%7B4E5E4435-E70A-44DB-8449-3154E6BD81EB%7Dtbp041.pdf

Shelf Number: 120775

Keywords:
Correctional Programs
Female Inmates
Female Offenders
Rehabilitation

Author: MacRae, Leslie D.

Title: A Study of Youth Reoffending in Calgary

Summary: In 2006, the Canadian Research Institute for Law and the Family began work on a three-year study of youth offending in Calgary. One objective of the study was to develop a model for better understanding why some youth become more seriously involved in crime, while others do not. The first year of the study established a baseline for this model by developing profiles of youth offending in Calgary.1 With funding from the Alberta Law Foundation, and in partnership with City of Calgary Community and Neighbourhood Services and the Calgary Police Service, the purpose of current report is to use Calgary Police Service data to determine which of the 123 youth profiled in the original study sample went on to reoffend, and further, which factors differentiate repeat from non-repeat offenders. This report will contribute to the body of research on risk and protective factors for youth offending, and further assist the Calgary Police Service, City of Calgary Community and Neighbourhood Services, and other youth-serving agencies, as well as those who work in the youth justice field in general (i.e., judges, lawyers) in developing evidence-based prevention and intervention programs for youth offenders. The objectives of this report are to: Re-examine the files of the 123 youth in the study sample and determine how the study groups differed on individual, family, peer, school, and community factors; Identify factors that are related to youth reoffending; and Determine the factors that are most important in predicting which youth continued to reoffend from those who did not.

Details: Calgary, Alberta: Canadian Research Institute for Law and the Family, 2009. 107p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 15, 2011 at: http://people.ucalgary.ca/~crilf/publications/Final_Youth_Reoffending_Report_April_2009.pdf

Year: 2009

Country: Canada

URL: http://people.ucalgary.ca/~crilf/publications/Final_Youth_Reoffending_Report_April_2009.pdf

Shelf Number: 120776

Keywords:
Juvenile Offenders
Recidivism
Rehabilitation
Repeat Offenders

Author: Lobley, David

Title: Working with Persistent Juvenile Offenders: An Evaluation of the Apex CueTen Project

Summary: The CueTen project for persistent juvenile offenders was established in Glenrothes in October 1995, with funding for 3 years from The Scottish Office. Managed by Apex Scotland, it aimed to reduce offending by changing young people's attitudes to training and employment. The principal objectives of the CueTen programme were to develop employment-related skills and to introduce persistent juvenile offenders to the world of work and further training. These were to be pursued over a 26-week programme, the first half based in the project, the second half providing increasing opportunities for the independent exercise of the skills acquired. Main Findings include: The CueTen project worked with 86 young people in total (73 young men and 13 young women) and largely succeeded in working with its intended target group of the most persistent juvenile offenders in Fife; Seventy of the young people were aged 15 when they started at CueTen, and the rest were almost 15; Sixty-nine (80%) of the young people had been charged with crimes of dishonesty, 47 (55%) with miscellaneous offences, mostly minor assaults and public order offences, and 46 (53%) with offences of fire-raising and vandalism; These 3 offence categories accounted for about 87% of all charges against the young people in the year before they started at CueTen; The 26-week programme at CueTen proved too demanding for many of the young people; Fifty-five per cent completed the first block of 13 weeks, and only 40% completed the entire programme; Twenty were excluded from the project for violence, drug use, or seriously disruptive behaviour; Another 26 stopped attending for other reasons, usually associated with difficulties in their home lives; Those who completed the programme tended to be those who had been charged less frequently during the previous 12 months; Only one of the 12 young people with more than 15 charges in the previous year completed the programme and 13 of the 24 who completed the programme had 5 or fewer charges in this period; The offending records of the group who completed the programme showed more improvement in the 12 months after starting at CueTen than the records of the group who failed to complete and of a comparison group (N=39); The difference was not statistically significant; There were indications that the subsequent offences committed by the group who completed the programme were less serious than those committed by the other 2 groups; CueTen did not deliver an overall cost-saving to the criminal justice or child care systems during the 3 years covered by the evaluation, but this does not mean that it was less cost-effective than other interventions; and It is likely that the project produced modest long-term savings, through diverting young people from adult criminal careers.

Details: Edinburgh: Scottish Office Central Research Unit, 1999. 79p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 21, 2011 at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/156722/0042127.pdf

Year: 1999

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/156722/0042127.pdf

Shelf Number: 120834

Keywords:
Juvenile Offenders (U.K.)
Recidivism
Rehabilitation
Repeat Offenders

Author: Southern, Rebekah

Title: Evaluation of the ESP Funded Warbarth Project in Cornwall Delivered by Working Links

Summary: The UK’s National Action Plan to Reduce Re-offending (RAAP, 2004) reported that 75% of prisoners leave prison with no paid employment to go into, whilst 55% of individuals serving community sentences are unemployed at the start of their orders. Moreover, 52% of male and 71% of female adult prisoners start their sentences with no qualifications, which is compounded further by a limited capacity for learning at many UK prisons. There is poor uptake of education post-release because of a lack of support and advice, and incompatibility between education provision in prison and the community, and between course start dates and offenders’ release dates. Many offenders (as well as those working with them) experience difficulties choosing between the range of available provision, miss out on accessing existing job-seeking support, and find that employers and education colleges are often reluctant to accept people with a criminal record (Ministry of Justice, 2004). To facilitate offenders’ ability to access education, training and employment, the Warbarth project formed in May 2006 as a joint venture between Working Links and DCPA. It is overseen by the Warbarth Project Management Group, and financed through the European Social Fund’s (ESF) Objective One funding, with match funding from DCPA and Working links, until June 2008. In terms of service delivery, Warbarth drew on the experience of two existing projects: ‘Connect’, which primarily focuses upon removing barriers to employment for adults who have received short-term custodial sentences in West Mercia, Staffordshire, Warwickshire and the West Midlands; and the Working Links ‘Progress2Work’ programme, which again aims to remove barriers to employment for people aged between 16 and 65 years old who have experienced drug dependency. In the spring of 2007, the Social Research & Regeneration Unit (SRRU) at the University of Plymouth was commissioned by Devon & Cornwall Probation Area (DCPA) and Working Links to conduct an evaluation of the Warbarth project. This report presents the key evaluation findings. The report begins with an introductory section which provides a description of the Warbarth project, the evaluation objectives, and the research methods that were employed during the evaluation. Section Two elaborates on the findings of the evaluation in terms of clients’ expectations of Warbarth, the referral process, various aspects of service delivery and its impact upon clients. Section Three concludes the report by making suggestions for future development based on the findings.

Details: Plymouth, UK: Social Research & Regeneration Unit, University of Plymouth Centre of Expertise, 2007. 50p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 9, 2011 at: http://www.serio.ac.uk/resources/files/Evaluation%20of%20the%20ESF%20Funded%20Warbarth%20Project%20in%20Cornwall%20Delivered%20by%20Working%20Links.pdf

Year: 2007

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://www.serio.ac.uk/resources/files/Evaluation%20of%20the%20ESF%20Funded%20Warbarth%20Project%20in%20Cornwall%20Delivered%20by%20Working%20Links.pdf

Shelf Number: 120958

Keywords:
Employment
Recidivism
Rehabilitation
Repeat Offenders (U.K.)

Author: West, John Marcus

Title: Training Offenders for Life and Work: An Assessment of Texas' Project RIO (Reintegration of Offenders)

Summary: The first purpose of this study is to describe the ideal characteristics of a model offender reintegration program based on a review of the literature. The second purpose is to conduct a limited case study and assess Texas’ Project RIO (Reintegration of Offenders) using the ideal characteristics. The third purpose is to make recommendations that should assist all offender reintegration programs to assist offenders more effectively in the reintegration process. The methodologies used in this limited case study of Project RIO include document and archival analysis. The document and archival analysis include a collection of reports published by Project RIO’s operating agencies and several independent reports. Overall, Project RIO does not adhere to the practical ideal type model developed through the literature. Project RIO could improve services by: increasing requirements regarding participation in life skills and educational programming; adding a reintegrative focus to the intake assessment of the offender; creating a method for diverting offenders from a return to prison for technical violations; and developing a method for offenders to earn the reintegration of their rights.

Details: San Marcos, TX: Applied Research Projects, Texas State University - San Marcos, 2007. 91p.

Source: Internet Resource: Paper 257: Accessed March 11, 2011 at: http://ecommons.txstate.edu/arp/257



Year: 2007

Country: United States

URL: http://ecommons.txstate.edu/arp/257



Shelf Number: 120975

Keywords:
Correctional Programs
Offenders (Texas)
Reentry
Rehabilitation
Reintegration

Author: Feasey, Simon

Title: An Evaluation of the Sheffield PPO Premium Service

Summary: The aims of this evaluation were to: Undertake a needs and service assessment for Prolific and Priority Offenders in the Sheffield District; Identify gaps and obstacles to the provision of an integrated framework of delivery that supports the development of the Premium Service; Examine opportunities for the greater alignment of early interventions (Catch and Convict) with Rehabilitate and Resettle (R&R) and provide recommendations to enhance the governance, management and delivery of the PPO programme. Within the overall research aims a number of key research questions were identified: How effective are the selection and de-selection processes and to what extent do they reflect policing and community safety priorities? How do early interventions relate to R&R processes and what developments are required to improve an integrated approach? In terms of responding to the criminogenic needs of the PPOs, what are the gaps in service availability and delivery and how can this be addressed? What lessons can be learnt from the research of other PPO programmes previously undertaken and how might these be applied to the Sheffield context? How do PPO's experience their engagement with the programme and does this indicate specific areas of service delivery development? What strengths and areas of development are identified by partner agencies? What strengths and areas of development are identified by practice staff working directly with PPOs?

Details: Sheffield, UK: Hallam Centre for Community Justice, Sheffield Hallam University, 2009. 46p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 17, 2011 at: http://shura.shu.ac.uk/996/1/fulltext.pdf

Year: 2009

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://shura.shu.ac.uk/996/1/fulltext.pdf

Shelf Number: 121052

Keywords:
Priority Offenders
Prolific Offenders
Recidivism
Rehabilitation
Repeat Offenders (U.K.)

Author: Feasey, Simon

Title: The Wakefield District Prolific and Priority Offender Needs Analysis and Business Case ; Final Report

Summary: The Hallam Centre for Community Justice (HCCJ) at Sheffield Hallam University was commissioned by the Wakefield District Community Safety Partnership (WDCSP) to undertake a needs analysis of the Wakefield Prolific and Priority Offender Scheme (Rehabilitate & Resettle) and to develop a business case incorporating proposals and recommendations with regard to the future management and delivery of the scheme. The specified aims of this project were to: • undertake a needs and service assessment for Prolific and Priority Offenders (PPOs) in the Wakefield District • facilitate and develop a partnership business case for a pilot to enhance the existing approach for PPOs, in particular around the rehabilitate and resettle agenda • provide recommendations for the development of rehabilitate and resettlement services more generally The Home Office Development and Practice Report 46 ("Early Findings from the Prolific and Other Priority Offenders Evaluation") indicated that nationally early results from the PPO programmes were promising; significant reductions in reconvictions, the development of more intensive packages of intervention, benefits associated with partnership working and data sharing were all identified as positive indicators of effectiveness. However it is also apparent that programme implementation and development has varied considerably both at a regional and local level and final conclusions about best practice models have not been reached. The final report of the Home Office evaluation was published in February 2007 and includes useful recommendations drawn from empirical data but it is also apparent that local implementation needs to be defined by the specific and particular needs of local PPOs, the nature of existing collaborative partnerships and the capacity and capability of agencies to respond to the seven key pathways identified within the Reducing Re-offending Action Plan 2005. This research project investigates the local circumstances that pertain to the management of PPOs within the Wakefield District Community Safety Partnership and subsequently makes recommendations and proposals to support the development of a pilot which will enable best practice to become embedded within the rehabilitate and resettle agenda. It is anticipated that the research and subsequent preferred model of delivery will additionally provide good practice guidelines which can contribute to the improvement of generic rehabilitation and resettlement across the district.

Details: Sheffield, UK: Hallam Centre for Community Justice, Sheffield Hallam University, 2007. 61p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 17, 2011 at: http://shura.shu.ac.uk/991/1/fulltext.pdf

Year: 2007

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://shura.shu.ac.uk/991/1/fulltext.pdf

Shelf Number: 121053

Keywords:
Priority Offenders
Prolific Offenders
Recidivism
Rehabilitation
Repeat Offenders (U.K.)

Author: Vennard, Julie

Title: The Bristol Prolific Offender Scheme: An Evaluation

Summary: This report presents the results of an evaluation of the Bristol component of the Avon and Somerset Prolific Offender Scheme (ASPOS). Avon and Somerset Constabulary commissioned the evaluation. The Bristol Prolific Offender Unit (POU) was set up in April 2002 under the auspices of the Bristol Crime and Disorder Partnership. It is a joint police, prison and probation initiative which targets the most prolific offenders in the Bristol area. The scheme as implemented and delivered in Bristol was extended throughout Avon and Somerset during 2003-2004.

Details: Bristol, UK: University of Bristol, 2004. 100p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 17, 2011 at: http://www.bristol.ac.uk/law/research/centres-themes/offender/offend-rep.pdf

Year: 2004

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://www.bristol.ac.uk/law/research/centres-themes/offender/offend-rep.pdf

Shelf Number: 121054

Keywords:
Priority Offenders
Prolific Offenders
Recidivism
Rehabilitation
Repeat Offenders (U.K.)

Author: Olson, David E.

Title: A Process and Impact Evaluation of the Sheridan Correctional Center Therapeutic Community Program During Fiscal Years 2004 through 2010

Summary: In response to increases in Illinois’ prison population, low rates of access to substance abuse treatment services while in prison, and high rates of recidivism, on January 2, 2004, the Illinois Department of Corrections opened the Sheridan Correctional Center as a fully-dedicated, modified therapeutic community for incarcerated adult male inmates. Since the program began, a process and impact evaluation has been conducted by researchers from Loyola University Chicago, the Illinois Department of Corrections, the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, Treatment Alternatives for Safe Communities (TASC), the Safer Foundation, and WestCare. After 6 ½ years of operation, covering the period from January 2, 2004 through the end of State Fiscal Year 2010 (June 30, 2010), the evaluation has found the following:  The pre-operational target population identified for the program is being served, with those admitted to Sheridan having extensive criminal and substance abuse histories, and a substantial unmet need for treatment, vocational and educational programming;  As a result of strong support from IDOC executive staff, the Sheridan program has been allowed to evolve and be implemented in a manner that has ensured the clinical integrity of the program and the availability of sufficient resources for needed services;  As a result of Sheridan, IDOC has developed and implemented a process by which all adult inmates admitted to prison undergo a screening to identify substance abuse treatment need, the integration of this information into their automated Offender Tracking System, and the development of a treatment waiting list for inmates;  During the past 6 ½ years, the following significant accomplishments and improvements to the operation of the Sheridan Correctional Center have been achieved: o A consistently low rate of inmates being referred to Sheridan who are subsequently determined to not meet the eligibility criteria, and quicker identification and removal of these inmates from Sheridan. Overall, less than 5 percent of all inmates admitted to Sheridan were determined to not meet the eligibility criteria during the 6 ½ years of operation. o A consistently low rate of inmates being removed from Sheridan due to disciplinary reasons, despite the serious criminal histories of the population. The ratio of inmates who successfully complete the prison-phase of the program to those removed for disciplinary reasons was 4 to 1; o An increasing proportion of inmates being admitted to Sheridan via the treatment wait list from other institutions. During the first year of operation, less than 4% of admissions came from other prisons, but by 2007, nearly 25% of all Sheridan admissions came from other facilities via the treatment wait list; o During the course of program participation, inmates at the Sheridan Correctional Center improved their levels of psychological and social functioning, and reduced their criminal thinking patterns; o During the time period examined in this report, 32 percent of Sheridan graduates completed at least one vocational certificate program, and this reached a peak of 50 percent of inmates released during SFY 2008; and, o The implementation of enhanced pre-release planning for Sheridan releasees, including the involvement of a multidisciplinary case staffing team representing the institutional staff, parole and aftercare staff and the inmate.  In addition to these enhancements at the Sheridan Correctional Center, significant accomplishments, enhancements and improvements to the post-release phase of the program have also been evident during the 6 ½ years of program operation, including: o A pattern of aftercare referrals consistent with the pre-operational expectations, with all Sheridan releasees receiving referrals to either outpatient or residential treatment services; o An increased rate of successful treatment admission among Sheridan releasees, fewer releasees failing to show up for aftercare referrals, and a decreased length of time between an inmate’s release and aftercare placement; and, o An increased rate of successful aftercare treatment completion among the Sheridan releasees. Among the SFY 2005 releasees from Sheridan only about one-half successfully completed post-release aftercare, but among the SFY 2009 and 2010 releasees, aftercare completion rates exceeded 70 percent.  As a result of the successful implementation of the prison-phase of the Sheridan Correctional Center, coupled with the post-release aftercare component, the Sheridan program has produced the following outcomes: o The earned good conduct credits many of the inmates received at Sheridan for their participation in treatment during the first six full state fiscal years of operation (SFY 2005-2010) translates into a savings of 714 years of incarceration, which equates to $16.7 million, or $2.78 million per year, in reduced incarceration costs; o Sheridan participants who earned a vocational certificate were almost twice as likely to have job starts than those released from Sheridan who did not earn a vocational certificate; o As a result of the treatment services and aftercare received, those inmates released from Sheridan had a 16 percent lower likelihood of being returned to prison after three years in the community than a statistically similar comparison group of inmates released from Illinois’ other prisons during the same time period, and a 25 percent lower recidivism rate than those removed from Sheridan due to disciplinary reasons; and, o The largest reductions in recidivism —both in terms of rearrest and return to prison -- were evident among those Sheridan releasees who successfully completed aftercare treatment. Those Sheridan graduates who also completed aftercare had a 44 percent lower likelihood of being returned to prison after three years in the community than a statistically similar comparison group. Given that rates of aftercare treatment completion have improved substantially over the past year, it is likely that in the future the overall reductions in recidivism associated with Sheridan will be even larger.

Details: Chicago: Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, 2011. 120p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 21, 2011 at: http://www.icjia.state.il.us/public/pdf/ResearchReports/Sheridan_6_year_eval_report_01_2011.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: United States

URL: http://www.icjia.state.il.us/public/pdf/ResearchReports/Sheridan_6_year_eval_report_01_2011.pdf

Shelf Number: 121085

Keywords:
Aftercare
Correctional Programs
Offender Treatment (Illinois)
Recidivism
Rehabilitation
Substance Abuse Treatment
Vocational Training

Author: Serin, Ralph C.

Title: Offender Incentives and Behavioural Management Strategies

Summary: This review juxtaposes several themes across more than three decades in an effort to highlight consensus in the published literature regarding factors that might influence offender behaviour. To reduce the occurrence of misconducts and violence in prisons, various strategies have been explored. Contingency management programs in the form of individual and systemic incentives are the focus of this discussion, with examples drawn from both correctional and non-correctional settings. It is clear that the development of behavioural management strategies is complex in that only a minority of offenders commit serious misconducts and that issues of fairness are often compromised when broad-based discipline strategies are attempted. Overall, the results regarding the effectiveness of incentive systems to manage offender behaviour is mixed. There is increasing consensus regarding what not to do but far less consensus regarding viable next steps. This review sets the stage for discussions about effectiveness; policy development; policy implementation; and context. Liebling’s (2008) paper is perhaps the most ambitious and salient among all published work in that it provides a meaningful context to appreciate the purpose and challenges of implementing a standardized incentive model in a correctional setting. Much of her comments mirror discussions that have surrounded this topic in Canada and at Correctional Service of Canada for the past decade. From that perspective, it is a useful start point for the subsequent aspects of this work (consultation, identification of offender-centric incentives, measurement of offender compliance, etc.).

Details: Ottawa: Research Branch, Correctional Service of Canada, 2009. 77p.

Source: Internet Resource: Research Report 2010 N° R-214: Accessed March 26, 2011 at: http://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/text/rsrch/reports/r214/r214-eng.pdf

Year: 2009

Country: Canada

URL: http://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/text/rsrch/reports/r214/r214-eng.pdf

Shelf Number: 121119

Keywords:
Correctional Programs (Canada)
Prisoners
Rehabilitation

Author: Kunic, Dan

Title: The Aboriginal Offender Substance Abuse Program (AOSAP): Examining the Effects of Successful Completion on Post-Release Outcomes

Summary: Over 90% of the Aboriginal men in federal custody require substance abuse intervention. In response to this need, CSC introduced the Aboriginal Offender Substance Program (AOSAP) in 2004. The first version (V-1) of the program consisted of 31 sessions and was field-tested from November 2004 to June 2005. As a result of feedback from field staff and program participants, a restructured and improved second version (V-2), comprising 53 sessions, was delivered to participants from June 2005 to October 2006. The final version of the program (V-3), 65 sessions in length, was launched in November 2006. All versions of the program were designed to reduce the Aboriginal offender’s risk of relapse to substance abuse and recidivism through a holistic process that examines the impact of substance abuse through the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual dimensions of the Aboriginal offender. Contemporary best-practices approaches in substance abuse treatment are also interwoven throughout the program. A cohort of AOSAP participants, who were released to the community on day parole, full parole, or statutory release, were studied for a period not exceeding the warrant expiry date to evaluate the effects of the program on post-release outcomes. If AOSAP reduced the likelihood of revocation and/or testing positive for drugs following conditional release to the community, then the program’s effectiveness with respect to mitigating the risk of revocation and/or relapse to substance abuse was confirmed. The methodology that was employed to investigate the effectiveness of AOSAP is particularly notable because it compared Aboriginal offenders who participated in AOSAP to other Aboriginal offenders who participated in the moderate (M) and high (H) intensity National Substance Abuse Programs (NSAP). Including comparisons of this nature was important because it provided a more conservative estimate of AOSAP’s effect on post-release outcomes. A total of 94 (3.5%) of the Aboriginal men in the release cohort fully or partially participated in AOSAP, and 79 (2.9%) and 344 (12.8%) fully or partially participated in the NSAP high and moderate intensity interventions, respectively. The remaining 2,178 (81%) of the Aboriginal men did not participate in institutionally-based AOSAP or NSAP interventions. Main Findings: 1. Generally, Aboriginal offenders who participated in AOSAP were returned to custody at a lower rate during the follow-up period than the groups of Aboriginal offenders who participated in NSAP-H, NSAP-M, failed to complete a substance abuse program, or did not participate in a substance abuse program prior to release from custody. Aboriginal offenders who participated in versions 2 or 3 of AOSAP were returned to custody at the same rate as Aboriginal offenders who participated in version 1 of AOSAP. There was no statistical difference between versions of AOSAP. Advanced statistical analysis, which allow for the control of offender characteristics associated with criminal behaviour, confirm these results. 2. Only 5% of the successful participants of AOSAP- V 2&3, and 6% of the participants of AOSAP version 1 were returned to custody because of a new offence or charge compared to 16% and 20% of the successful participants of NSAP-H and NSAP-M, respectively. 3. Exposure to substance abuse treatment prior to release from custody was a relatively weak predictor of relapse to substance abuse. Nevertheless, there was some evidence suggesting that successful participants of AOSAP and NSAP-M were less likely to incur a positive urinalysis result while on release than successful participants of NSAP-H. The result emerged after adjusting for the effects of other offender characteristics that are known to be associated with criminal behaviour. 4. There was some evidence that Aboriginal offenders who participated in AOSAP were less likely than Aboriginal offenders from the other program exposure categories to test positive for drugs that are considered dangerous because of the physical harms they cause the individual (e.g., cocaine, opioids) and the effects they have on significant others and the broader community.

Details: Ottawa: Research Branch, Correctional Service of Canada, 2009. 89p.

Source: Internet Resource: Research Report 2010 Nº R-217; Accessed March 26, 2011 at: http://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/text/rsrch/reports/r217/r217-eng.pdf

Year: 2009

Country: Canada

URL: http://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/text/rsrch/reports/r217/r217-eng.pdf

Shelf Number: 121120

Keywords:
Corrections Programs
Drug Abuse Treatment
Drug Offenders
Indigenous Peoples
Inmates
Recidivism
Rehabilitation
Substance Abuse (Canada)

Author: Great Britain. HM Inspectorate of Probation

Title: Core Case Inspections of Youth Offending Work: Aggregate Findings Across Four English Regions and Wales, Including Findings by Diversity

Summary: This report provides aggregate findings across four English regions and Wales from HMI Probation’s Core Case Inspections (CCI) of key aspects of Youth Offending work by Youth Offending Teams, which are covering all 157 YOTs over a three year period from April 2009. The findings in this report cover the 79 YOT areas inspected so far. • Overall, these findings indicate that much sound work is being undertaken with young people who have offended, but that there is scope for further improvement, among other things in Public Protection work, in a number of YOTs. • On the main elements of work inspected in the CCI – Safeguarding and Public Protection: - the overall average percentage of Safeguarding work, that HMI Probation judged to have met a sufficiently high level of quality, was 67% - the overall average percentage of work to keep to a minimum each young person’s Risk of Harm to others, that HMI Probation judged to have met a sufficiently high level of quality, was 62% - the overall average percentage of work to make it less likely that the individual young person would reoffend, that HMI Probation judged to have met a sufficiently high level of quality, was 70% • In 88% of the cases the YOT worker actively motivated and supported the young person throughout the sentence. • In 73% of cases delivered interventions in the community were of good quality. In only 55% of all cases were they reviewed appropriately. • In 64% of cases where the young person did not comply with the supervision the authority took enforcement action sufficiently well. • When analysed by diversity characteristics, for the main elements of work overall, and for the majority of key specific aspects of work, there were no statistically significant differences. However, where there were differences, work was done sufficiently well: - with girls and young women somewhat more often than with boys and young men - on some aspects of work, including some on Risk of Harm, a little more often with white young people compared to black and minority ethnic (BME) young people - with individuals under 16 years of age somewhat more often than with the older age group - with individuals with no identified disability somewhat more often than those with an identified disability • Overall, there were no major differences in the quality of work between children and young people of different diversity characteristics, but the figures indicate that certain specific matters may require attention.

Details: London: HM Inspectorate of Probation, 2011. 48p.

Source: Internet Resource: accessed March 28, 2011 at: http://www.justice.gov.uk/inspectorates/hmi-probation/docs/CCI_aggregate_report_March_2011-rps.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://www.justice.gov.uk/inspectorates/hmi-probation/docs/CCI_aggregate_report_March_2011-rps.pdf

Shelf Number: 121146

Keywords:
Disability
Diversity
Juvenile Offenders (U.K.)
Juvenile Probation
Offender Supervision
Recidivism
Rehabilitation

Author: Minnesota Department of Corrections

Title: An Evaluation of the Institution/Community Work Crew Affordable Homes Program

Summary: The Affordable Homes Program (AHP) is a prison work crew program managed by the Minnesota Department of Corrections (DOC). In coordination with local non-profit agencies, AHP trains offenders in the construction trade while they are serving time in prison. The hands-on training provided in AHP is designed to help offenders find post-release employment in the construction industry by cultivating positive work habits and marketable job skills. AHP participants are placed in 5 to 11-man work crews and are tasked with the job of building or remodeling affordable homes throughout Minnesota. Supplied with a van and tool trailer, each work crew typically works four 10-hour days per week and is supervised by a DOC employee who is a master tradesman. While working on a project, the offenders are housed close to their work sites in minimum-security units at local correctional facilities; e.g., county jails. AHP began in 1998 with approximately 10 offenders and, in 2010, has grown to approximately 45 offenders participating in the program at any given time. This report presents the results of a rigorous outcome evaluation of AHP since its beginning in 1998. In doing so, this study addressed four main questions: 1. Does AHP increase the number of affordable homes in Minnesota? 2. Does AHP impact post-release employment? 3. Does AHP reduce costs? 4. Does AHP reduce offender recidivism?

Details: St. Paul, MN: Minnesota Department of Corrections, 2010. 44p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 29, 2011 at: http://www.doc.state.mn.us/publications/documents/12-10ICWCAHPreport.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: United States

URL: http://www.doc.state.mn.us/publications/documents/12-10ICWCAHPreport.pdf

Shelf Number: 121189

Keywords:
Correctional Industries
Housing
Offender Work Programs (Minnesota)
Recidivism
Rehabilitation
Vocational Training

Author: Minnesota Department of Corrections

Title: The Impact of Prison-Based Treatment on Sex Offender Recidivism: Evidence from Minnesota

Summary: In evaluating the effectiveness of sex offender treatment in Minnesota prisons, this study does not use a randomized experimental design. Furthermore, due to a lack of available data, it does not control for the possible impact that post-release participation in community-based treatment may have on reoffending. Despite these limitations, however, the present study contains a number of strengths that have been lacking from most prior treatment studies. First, as discussed later in more detail, a propensity score matching (PSM) technique was used to individually match treated and untreated sex offenders. In doing so, this study minimizes the threat of selection bias by creating a comparison group whose probability of entering treatment was similar to that of the treatment group. Second, in addition to being one of the first studies in the sex offender treatment literature to use PSM, this study further controls for rival causal factors by analyzing the data with Cox regression, which is widely regarded as the most appropriate multivariate statistical technique for recidivism analyses. Third, by comparing 1,020 treated sex offenders with a matched group of 1,020 untreated sex offenders, the sample size used for this study (N = 2,040) is one of the larger sex offender treatment studies to date. Fourth, to gain a more precise assessment of the effectiveness of treatment, multiple measures of treatment participation and criminal recidivism were used. Finally, because recidivism data were collected on the 2,040 sex offenders through the end of 2006, the average follow-up period for these offenders was 9.3 years. This study thus provides a robust assessment of treatment effectiveness by tracking offenders over a relatively lengthy period of time.

Details: St. Paul, MN: Minnesota Department of Corrections, 2010. 49p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 29, 2011 at: http://www.doc.state.mn.us/publications/documents/03-10SOTXStudy_Revised.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: United States

URL: http://www.doc.state.mn.us/publications/documents/03-10SOTXStudy_Revised.pdf

Shelf Number: 121190

Keywords:
Correctional Programs
Recidivism
Rehabilitation
Sex Offender Treatment
Sex Offenders (Minnesota)

Author: Nicholson, Chris

Title: Rehabilitation Works: Ensuring Payment by Results Cuts Reoffending

Summary: The U.K. prison population has increased to over 85,000 and spending on rehabilitation has reached record levels; yet reoffending rates remain stubbornly high in the UK. There is widespread agreement within the coalition government that the country is in need of a 'rehabilitation revolution'. However, rather than government deciding such initiatives centrally, the Ministry of Justice is proposing a much greater role for the private and voluntary sectors. Furthermore, it anticipates that for some groups of offenders providers of rehabilitation services should be paid only to the extent that they are successful in reducing reoffending – Payment by Results (PbR). Rehabilitation Works: ensuring Payment by Results cuts reoffending assesses the practicalities of implementing a PbR regime for reducing reoffending. How should the system be designed so as to avoid the risk of ‘parking and creaming’ of clients or offenders? And in what way can it be ensured that a diverse provider base is created, where SMEs and third sector organisations are not priced out of the bidding process? In order for a PbR model to be effective, there must be a diverse provider market and a commercial framework ensuring providers can generate a return whilst also offering the government value for money as a result of the policy. This paper recommends a phased introduction of outcome based payment mechanisms and stresses that the scheme will not be effective if offenders are treated as a single generic group.

Details: London: Centre Forum, 2011. 53p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 4, 2011 at: http://www.centreforum.org/assets/pubs/payment-by-results.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: United States

URL: http://www.centreforum.org/assets/pubs/payment-by-results.pdf

Shelf Number: 120916

Keywords:
Offenders (U.K.)
Recidivism
Rehabilitation
Reoffending

Author: McLean, Marcus

Title: Recidivism Survival Analysis of the Serious and Violent Offender Reentry Initiative 2003-2007

Summary: This evaluation report focuses on the Wyoming Adult Offender Reentry Program that was funded through a federal reentry program designed to reduce the extremely high rates of recidivism among the most serious and violent offenders in corrections systems. The Serious and Violent Offender Reentry Initiative (SVORI) prescribed a three phase approach to prisoner reintegration based on successful models of community reentry programming found in the peer-reviewed literature of the field . The SVORI strategy included an initial risk assessment to determine key risk and need factors commonly found in correctional populations. After development of a case management plan, offenders were provided access to the appropriate mental health and substance abuse treatment, skills and job training, education and other interventions needed to prepare them for community reentry. Once released into the community, offenders had continued access to services and interventions. At the national level, the Bureau of Justice Statistics reports that “at least 95% of all State prisoners will be released from prison at some point; nearly 80% will be released to parole supervision” (Reentry Trends in the United States,” BJS website). Of the state parole discharges in 2000, only 41% successfully completed their term of supervision. This report is based on data collected by the Wyoming Survey & Analysis Center (WYSAC) over the past five years (both data collected by WYSAC data compiled by WDOC). The Wyoming SVORI program began in April of 2003 and ran through December of 2007. Outcome data on the legal status of participants was gathered as late as February 2008. This evaluation report tracks SVORI participants and a similar non-participant, serious and violent comparator group that were incarcerated at the Wyoming State Penitentiary (WSP) or the Wyoming Women’s Center (WWC). After release most offenders were paroled to either Cheyenne or Casper, two small urban centers in Wyoming (pop. ~ 50,000). Through statistical procedures (survival analysis) this report measures the relative success of offenders at reentering Wyoming communities and maintaining their freedom.

Details: Laramie, WY: Wyoming Survey & Analysis Center, University of Wyoming, 2008. 54p.

Source: Internet Resource: WYSAC Technical Report No. CJR-801: Accessed April 11, 2011 at: http://www.jrsa.org/pubs/sac-digest/documents/wy_svori_recidivism2003-2007.pdf

Year: 2008

Country: United States

URL: http://www.jrsa.org/pubs/sac-digest/documents/wy_svori_recidivism2003-2007.pdf

Shelf Number: 121291

Keywords:
Recidivism
Reentry (Wyoming)
Rehabilitation
Violent Offenders

Author: Pew Center on the States

Title: State of Recidivism: The Revolving Door of America’s Prisons

Summary: The dramatic growth of America’s prison population during the past three decades is by now a familiar story. In 2008, the Pew Center on the States reported that incarceration levels had risen to a point where one in 100 American adults was behind bars. A second Pew study the following year added another disturbing dimension to the picture, revealing that one in 31 adults in the United States was either incarcerated or on probation or parole. The costs associated with this growth also have been well documented. Total state spending on corrections is now about $52 billion, the bulk of which is spent on prisons. State spending on corrections quadrupled during the past two decades, making it the second fastest growing area of state budgets, trailing only Medicaid. While America’s imprisonment boom and its fiscal impacts have been widely debated, the public safety payoff from our expenditures on incarceration has undergone far less scrutiny. Now, however, as the nation’s slumping economy continues to force states to do more with less, policy makers are asking tougher questions about corrections outcomes. One key element of that analysis is measuring recidivism, or the rate at which offenders return to prison. Prisons, of course, are not solely responsible for recidivism results. Parole and probation agencies, along with social service providers and community organizations, play a critical role. Although preventing offenders from committing more crimes once released is only one goal of the overall correctional system, it is a crucial one, both in terms of preventing future victimization and ensuring that taxpayer dollars are spent effectively. This report seeks to elevate the public discussion about recidivism, prompting policy makers and the public to dig more deeply into the factors that impact rates of return to prison, and into effective strategies for reducing them. For years the most widely accepted sources of national recidivism statistics have been two studies produced by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS). The most recent of those reports, which tracked offenders released from state prison in 1994, concluded that a little more than half of released offenders (51.8 percent) were back in prison within three years, either for committing a new crime or for violating rules of their supervision. Published in 2002, the BJS study followed a sample of offenders from 15 states, and did not provide any statelevel recidivism data. Recognizing the importance of recidivism to policy makers seeking better results from their correctional systems, Pew, in collaboration with the Association of State Correctional Administrators (ASCA), undertook a comprehensive survey aimed at producing the first state-by-state look at recidivism rates. The Pew/ASCA survey asked states to report three-year return-to-prison rates for all inmates released from their prison systems in 1999 and 2004. This survey differs from the prior BJS study in many important ways, the most significant of which is that it includes recidivism data from more than twice as many states. According to the survey results, 45.4 percent of people released from prison in 1999 and 43.3 percent of those sent home in 2004 were reincarcerated within three years, either for committing a new crime or for violating conditions governing their release. While differences in survey methods complicate direct comparisons of national recidivism rates over time, a comparison of the states included in both the Pew/ASCA and BJS studies reveals that recidivism rates have been largely stable. When excluding California, whose size skews the national picture, recidivism rates between 1994 and 2007 have consistently remained around 40 percent. The new figures suggest that despite the massive increase in corrections spending, in many states there has been little improvement in the performance of corrections systems. If more than four out of 10 adult American offenders still return to prison within three years of their release, the system designed to deter them from continued criminal behavior clearly is falling short. That is an unhappy reality, not just for offenders, but for the safety of American communities.

Details: Washington, DC: The Pew Charitable Trusts, 2011. 42p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 13, 2011 at: http://www.pewtrusts.org/uploadedFiles/wwwpewtrustsorg/Reports/sentencing_and_corrections/State_Recidivism_Revolving_Door_America_Prisons%20.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: United States

URL: http://www.pewtrusts.org/uploadedFiles/wwwpewtrustsorg/Reports/sentencing_and_corrections/State_Recidivism_Revolving_Door_America_Prisons%20.pdf

Shelf Number: 121333

Keywords:
Recidivism
Rehabilitation
Reoffending

Author: Fielder, Charlotte

Title: An Evaluation of Social Work Posts in Young Offender Institutions

Summary: The YJB is an executive non-departmental public body which oversees the youth justice system. It works to prevent offending and reoffending by children and young people under the age of 18, and to ensure that custody for them is safe and secure. It also addresses the causes of their offending behaviour. It is responsible for placing young people aged under 18 years who have been sentenced or remanded to custody. There are three types of secure custodial accommodation: 􀂃 secure training centres (STCs), run by private operators, are purpose-built centres for young offenders up to the age of 17 􀂃 secure children’s homes (SCHs), run by local authorities, are generally used to accommodate young offenders aged 12 to 14, girls up to the age of 16, and 15 to 16-year-old boys who are assessed as vulnerable 􀂃 young offender institutions (YOIs). YOIs are facilities run by the Prison Service and accommodate 15 to 21-year-olds, although under-18s are held in discrete establishments or young people’s wings. YOIs have lower ratios of staff to young people than STCs and SCHs and generally accommodate larger numbers of young people. The specific responsibilities that local authorities have towards such children have been set out in a Department for Education and Skills circular (DfES, 2004). These are: 􀂃 services in relation to children in need 􀂃 action where there are concerns that a child is suffering or likely to suffer harm 􀂃 action when a child dies in a juvenile secure establishment 􀂃 services in relation to looked-after children. In order to support the development of this work it was decided that social work posts should be established in YOIs specifically to undertake tasks relating to the duties listed above. It was felt that, in addition to fulfilling the specific requirements of the DfES circular, such posts would make progress towards addressing some of the broader underlying issues, which were identified by a range of national stakeholders. These issues include: 􀂃 recognition that many young people in custody have a high level of need, and that a significant number of young people in custody are looked-after children 􀂃 concern that previously young people in custody had been ‘neglected’, ‘forgotten’ or ‘sidelined’ by local authorities, even when statutory obligations existed; this meant that young people’s needs were being met neither in custody nor on release 􀂃 concern that prisons were not sufficiently child-centred – for example, prison staff were thought to be unlikely to understand issues relating to looked-after children, or to be equipped with the skills or time to deal with welfare issues. The overall aim of the evaluation was to explore the process and perceived impact of creating children’s social work posts within young people’s YOIs, with a view to informing the future planning and development of the role. More specifically the evaluation addressed the following questions: 􀂃 What activities have been undertaken by the YOI social workers and how is this monitored? 􀂃 How does this relate to their remit as planned? 􀂃 What barriers or challenges were encountered and how (if applicable) were these overcome? 􀂃 What different ‘models’ of implementation are in evidence, and which have been most successful? 􀂃 How do young people who have had contact with a YOI social worker perceive the role? 􀂃 How do other professionals/practitioners (both internal and external to the YOI) perceive the YOI social worker’s role? 􀂃 What perceived impact, if any, has the presence of the posts had on inter-agency working within youth justice and children’s services? 􀂃 What impact, if any, has the role perceived to have had on the safety and welfare of young people? These questions are considered directly in the conclusions and recommendations. section.

Details: London: Youth Justice Board for England and Wales, 2008. 70p.

Source: Online Resource: Accessed April 13, 2011 at: http://www.yjb.gov.uk/publications/Resources/Downloads/An%20evaluation%20of%20social%20work%20posts%20in%20YOIs_final.pdf

Year: 2008

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://www.yjb.gov.uk/publications/Resources/Downloads/An%20evaluation%20of%20social%20work%20posts%20in%20YOIs_final.pdf

Shelf Number: 121331

Keywords:
Juvenile Detention (U.K.)
Juvenile Offenders
Rehabilitation
Social Workers

Author: Great Britain. Comptroller and Auditor General

Title: The Youth Justice System in England and Wales: Reducing Offending by Young People. Ministry of Justice

Summary: In England and Wales, young people between the ages of 10 and 17 can be 1 held criminally responsible for their actions. Provisional data shows that young people committed 201,800 offences in 2009‑10. Although they make up only 11 per cent of the population above the age of criminal responsibility, in 2009 people in this age group were responsible for 17 per cent of all proven offending. The youth justice system manages young offenders and contributes to preventing young people committing crimes in the first place. The system is overseen by the Youth Justice Board (the Board), an executive non-departmental public body of the Ministry of Justice (the Ministry). On 14 October 2010 the Ministry announced its intention to take over the functions of the Board. This is subject to Parliamentary approval. Some 60 per cent of proven young offending is dealt with in court, with the 2 remainder handled by the police through reprimands and final warnings. In 2009‑10, the cost of managing young offenders, not including police and court costs, was £800 million, of which £500 million was spent through the Board. Most is spent on young offenders with court sentences. Although only three per cent of offences by young people brought to justice result in a custodial sentence, in 2009‑10 38 per cent of youth justice system expenditure was incurred on custodial places in secure establishments. We estimate that, in 2009, offending by all young people cost the economy 3 £8.5‑£11 billion. Young offenders, as with adults, are most commonly convicted of theft and violence. Although they have had a shorter time to offend than adults, a third of those dealt with each year have previously been reprimanded, warned or convicted in relation to an offence. They also have a high reoffending rate: 56 per cent of those receiving court sentences are proven to reoffend within a year. For all young offenders – that is, those who are convicted in court or receive reprimands and final warnings, collectively known as disposals – the reoffending rate is 37 per cent. Family breakdown, educational underachievement, substance abuse, mental illness 4 and other problems commonly affect young offenders. They are also more likely to have difficulty controlling their behaviour and understanding its impact on others. The youth justice system works on the basis that addressing such risk factors during the course of a sentence is the best way to reduce a young person’s risk of reoffending. The overall goal of the youth justice system is to prevent offending by young people. Local and national government both play important roles in the system. There are 157 Youth Offending Teams in England and Wales, which are multi-agency partnerships with statutory representation from local authorities, the police, probation, health and social services. Youth Offending Teams are responsible for the delivery of youth justice services such as the assessment of offenders and supervision of community-based sentences, with the assistance of their statutory partners and other organisations.

Details: London: The Stationery Office, 2010. 38p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 15, 2011 at: http://www.nao.org.uk/publications/1011/reoffending_by_young_people.aspx

Year: 2010

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://www.nao.org.uk/publications/1011/reoffending_by_young_people.aspx

Shelf Number: 121359

Keywords:
Costs of Criminal Justice
Juvenile Justice Systems (U.K.)
Juvenile Offenders
Recidivism
Rehabilitation

Author: California. Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Office of Research

Title: 2010 Adult Institutions Outcome Evaluation Report

Summary: To comport with national best practices, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) now measures recidivism by tracking arrests, convictions and returns to prison. Although all three measures are displayed in charts and tables in Appendix A, CDCR uses the latter measure, returns to prison, as the primary measure of recidivism for the purpose of this report. We chose this measure because it is the most reliable measure available and is well understood and commonly used by most correctional stakeholders. CDCR has reported recidivism rates for felons released from custody since 1977. Prior to this report, CDCR provided recidivism rates only for felons paroled for the first time on their current term during a specified calendar year. Parolees were only tracked until they discharged from parole. CDCR is now expanding the cohort to include direct discharge, first-release and re-released felons who are released during a State Fiscal Year (FY), beginning with FY 2005-06. All felons are tracked for the full follow-up period, regardless of their status as active or discharged. In addition, recidivism rates are presented based on numerous characteristics (e.g., commitment offense, length-of-stay). This report is intended to provide more detailed information about recidivism to CDCR executives and managers, lawmakers and other correctional stakeholders who have an interest in the dynamics of reoffending behavior and recidivism reduction.

Details: Sacramento: California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, 2010. 66p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 16, 2011 at: http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/Adult_Research_Branch/Research_Documents/ARB_FY0506_Outcome_Evaluation_Report.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: United States

URL: http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/Adult_Research_Branch/Research_Documents/ARB_FY0506_Outcome_Evaluation_Report.pdf

Shelf Number: 121369

Keywords:
Corrections (California)
Inmates
Prisoners
Recidivism
Rehabilitation

Author: Djurichkovic, Alexandra

Title: Art in Prisons: A Literature Review of the Philosophies and Impacts of Visual Arts Programs for Correctional Populations

Summary: This review was commissioned by Arts Access Australia to examine evidence for the value of visual arts programs in Australian prisons and their impact on adult inmates. It considers current philosophies behind art programs, how they are implemented and how ‘success’ is measured, and includes an annotated bibliography of relevant literature.

Details: Sydney: Arts Access Australia, University of Technology Sydney, 2011. 39p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 18, 2011 at: http://utsescholarship.lib.uts.edu.au/iresearch/scholarly-works/bitstream/handle/2100/1212/ArtinPrisons_Djurichkovic.pdf?sequence=3

Year: 2011

Country: Australia

URL: http://utsescholarship.lib.uts.edu.au/iresearch/scholarly-works/bitstream/handle/2100/1212/ArtinPrisons_Djurichkovic.pdf?sequence=3

Shelf Number: 121377

Keywords:
Correctional Programs
Inmate Art
Rehabilitation
Visual Arts (Australia)

Author: Aromaa, Kauko

Title: Survey of United Nations and other Best Practices in the Treatment of Prisoners in the Criminal Justice System Proceedings of the workshop held at the Twelfth United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Salvador, Brazil, 12-19 A

Summary: There is enormous variation in the way the world’s ten million prisoners are treated. Some young men do drill in military style boot camps while others are counselled in therapeutic communities. Prisoners deemed dangerous may be held in almost total isolation in the highest “supermax” conditions of security; low risk prisoners approaching their date of release go out to work during the day from open establishments. Some convicted prisoners can spend years in remote labour colonies, pre trial detainees a few weeks in city centre lock ups. In consequence of this almost infinite variety, any attempt to survey best practices in the treatment of prisoners within the criminal justice system in the course of a one day meeting is destined to be partial at best. Yet the presentations and discussions in this workshop make an important contribution to identifying priorities for UN member states and the international community in the field of penal reform. The substantive themes addressed in the workshop fall into three broad categories. The first concerns the best framework of international law and regulation which governs the treatment of prisoners and the practice of detention. The second concerns the way these international norms are implemented in reality, particularly in respect of the way prisons seek to rehabilitate offenders, promote their good health and meet the needs of the most vulnerable prisoners. The third theme is the contribution that wider society makes to the treatment of prisoners and the ways in which both prison systems and individual prisons relate to the broader community which they serve.

Details: Helsinki: European Institute for Crime Prevention and Control, affiliated with the United Nations (HEUNI), 2010. 150p.

Source: Internet Resource: Publications Series No. 65: Accessed April 27, 2011 at: http://www.heuni.fi/Satellite?blobtable=MungoBlobs&blobcol=urldata&SSURIapptype=BlobServer&SSURIcontainer=Default&SSURIsession=false&blobkey=id&blobheadervalue1=inline;%20filename=Taitto_65_Final_Painoon_Lis%C3%A4ys_030111.pdf&SSURIsscontext=Satellite%20Server&blobwhere=1295264950807&blobheadername1=Content-Disposition&ssbinary=true&blobheader=application/pdf

Year: 2010

Country: International

URL: http://www.heuni.fi/Satellite?blobtable=MungoBlobs&blobcol=urldata&SSURIapptype=BlobServer&SSURIcontainer=Default&SSURIsession=false&blobkey=id&blobheadervalue1=inline;%20filename=Taitto_65_Final_Painoon_Lis%C3%A4ys_030111.pd

Shelf Number: 121507

Keywords:
Correctional Programs
Prisoners
Prisons
Rehabilitation

Author: Washington State Department of Social and Health Services. Division of Community Programs, Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration

Title: Intensive Parole Model for : Chapter 338, Laws of 1997, Section 34 RCW 13.40.2129(2)

Summary: The 1997 Washington State Legislature recognized that traditional parole services for high-risk juvenile offenders were insufficient to provide adequate rehabilitation and public safety. As a result, they mandated (Chapter 338, Laws of 1997, Section 34) the implementation of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) Intensive Aftercare Program (IAP) model with the top 25 percent highest risk to re-offend youth in the Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration (JRA). The legislation requires JRA to report annually to the Legislature on process and outcome findings. The key elements of the JRA Intensive Parole supervision model are: Information management and program evaluation; Assessment and selection criteria; Individual case planning; A mixture of intensive surveillance and services; A balance of incentives and graduated consequences; Service brokerage with community resources and linkage with social networks; and Transition services. The key changes in the program as the model has developed over time are: Phase 1 (10/98 – 10/99): Community Supervision/Traditional Community Linkages; Phase 2 (10/99 – 10/00): Residential/Transitional/Community Supervision/Traditional Community Linkages; Phase 3 (10/00 – 1/03): Evidence-Based Services; Phase 4 (1/03 – Present): Functional Family Parole (FFP) services; Phase 5 (Future): Regionalization of JRA Community Residential Programs. In December 2002, the Washington State Institute for Public Policy (WSIPP) published a report that found the first two Intensive Parole (IP) cohorts did not have significantly different recidivism from the comparison group. They did find that the Basic Training Camp (BTC) second and third year cohorts had significantly lower recidivism. Based on the initial finding of IP in whole, funds for IP were significantly reduced increasing caseloads from 12 to 20:1 leading to a 40% increase in caseload size and reduced ability to perform community safety related activities, e.g., field surveillance, high levels of parole counselor contact, community justice work crews, day reporting programs, and electronic home monitoring. At this time, JRA continues to implement intensive parole as part of the overarching FFP model. Past budgetary reductions in intensive parole funding, with resulting increased caseloads and reduced staffing, can pose significant challenges to the implementation of this complex, promising model of FFP with the highest risk/highest need offenders.

Details: Olympia, WA: Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration, 2009. 22p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 3, 2011 at: http://www.dshs.wa.gov/pdf/main/legrep/Leg1209/Intensive%20Parole%20Model%20for%20High%20Risk%20Juvenile%20Offenders.pdf

Year: 2009

Country: United States

URL: http://www.dshs.wa.gov/pdf/main/legrep/Leg1209/Intensive%20Parole%20Model%20for%20High%20Risk%20Juvenile%20Offenders.pdf

Shelf Number: 121585

Keywords:
Intensive Parole
Juvenile Aftercare
Juvenile Offenders (Washington State)
Juvenile Parole
Recidivism
Rehabilitation

Author: Willison, Janeen Buck

Title: Faith-Based Corrections and Reentry Programs: Advancing a Conceptual Framework for Research and Evaluation

Summary: Resource strapped policymakers and criminal justice practitioners are increasingly turning to the faith community to help meet the multiple needs of returning prisoners. Although faith-based organizations have long served disadvantaged individuals, including prisoners, few studies have examined the effectiveness of faith-based efforts to improve prisoner reentry and reduce recidivism or identified the distinguishing characteristics of “faith-related” programming. None has focused on faith-based programs in corrections. As a result, basic questions about the nature of faith-based programs and how they may improve offender outcomes, including recidivism and other reentry outcomes, remain largely unanswered. This gap makes evaluation haphazard and inhibits meaningful policy debate. Researchers at the Urban Institute (UI) worked to address these critical gaps in knowledge with funding from the National Institute of Justice. Under the Faith-Based Corrections and Reentry Programs: Advancing a Conceptual Framework for Research and Evaluation (FBCRP) study, UI researchers surveyed faith-based in-prison and reentry programs across the country to identify key program characteristics and explore the extent and manner in which faith or spirituality infuses program content and activities. The primary objective of the survey was to formulate answers to two critical questions: (1) What is a faith-based program, and (2) How does faith “work” in faith-based programs. Concerted effort was made to identify and include programs operating from a mix of faith traditions. The overarching objective of the research was to provide policymakers, program developers, practitioners and evaluators with a practical tool for classifying faith-based corrections programs and advance a platform for future research on the effectiveness of faith-based reentry and corrections programs. The study, like the survey, was entirely exploratory in nature. Findings from the survey indicate meaningful variation in the characteristics of faith-based programs, even among programs identifying with the same faith tradition (Christian). Among the 48 programs represented in the survey, 85 percent identified as “faith-based.” Those operating outside the three Abrahamic faith-traditions (Christian, Jewish, and Islamic religions) were less inclined to do so, preferring the mantle “spiritually-based.” Analysis, though limited, confirms that faith-based programs are differentiated by the manner and degree to which faith and spirituality intersects around four dimensions: program identity; religious activities; staff and volunteers; and key outcomes. These distinctions provide direction for future research by identifying constructs and measures for further investigation and exploration. Practitioners in the field, such as parole or probation officers, also stand to benefit from this analysis: these distinctions suggest not all faith-based programs are alike and that a range of faith-based options are available to corrections practitioners and their clients. The extent to which the current findings would differ for a more diverse sample is unknown and a noteworthy consideration for future research efforts.

Details: Washington, DC: Urban Institute, 2010. 77p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 5, 2011 at: http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/234058.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: United States

URL: http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/234058.pdf

Shelf Number: 121648

Keywords:
Correctional Programs
Faith-Based Programs
Reentry
Rehabilitation
Volunteers in Corrections

Author: Duggan, Erica

Title: No Violence Alliance (NoVA) Project: San Francisco’s Model Adult Case Management Reentry Program

Summary: This report explores the history of releasing individuals from incarceration and how model reentry programs can assist in the reentry process. The benefits to formerly incarcerated individuals and society are discussed. The report further describes similar qualities between model programs in the United States. Finally, it highlights a San Francisco model reentry project, the No Violence Alliance (NoVA) Project that was initiated by the San Francisco Sheriff’s Department in collaboration with the Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice (CJCJ) and other community based organizations.

Details: San Francisco: Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice, 2010. 15p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 5, 2011 at: http://www.cjcj.org/files/No_Violence_Alliance_Project.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: United States

URL: http://www.cjcj.org/files/No_Violence_Alliance_Project.pdf

Shelf Number: 121651

Keywords:
Community-based Corrections
Parolees
Reentry
Rehabilitation

Author: Jacobs, Erin

Title: Report on the Evaluation of the ComALERT Prisoner Reentry Program

Summary: This report evaluates the ComALERT (“Community and Law Enforcement Resources Together”) program, which provides substance abuse counseling and other treatment, employment and housing services to parolees in Kings County, New York. The evaluation consists of three main parts: (1) an analysis of recidivism among ComALERT clients, studying patterns of re-arrest, re-conviction, parole violation, and re-incarceration, (2) an analysis of a survey of employment, family life, and drug use among ComALERT clients and a comparison group of Brooklyn parolees, and (3) an analysis of unemployment insurance data, containing earnings and employment information on the respondents to the survey. Among a new generation of prisoner re-entry programs around the country, ComALERT is unusual in providing a comprehensive array of services to its clients shortly after release from prison. In addition to substance abuse counseling, ComALERT offers transitional housing and employment for up to a year as well as job referral services in an effort to integrate parolees into mainstream social roles. While evaluations of prisoner re-entry programs typically focus on recidivism, our research design also aims to shed light on the employment, sobriety, and family life of the ComALERT clients. We take this broader focus in part because ComALERT is motivated to reduce recidivism particularly through treatment and employment, and partly because criminological research shows the importance of employment, family life, and sobriety to criminal desistance. To preview the main results, we find that ComALERT clients are 15% less likely to be re-arrested after two years from release from prison than a comparison group with a similar criminal history. Clients that graduate from the program are more than 30% less likely to be arrested than the comparison group. The survey data show very high employment rates among ComALERT clients and graduates, more than twice as high as a comparison group matched on criminal history and demographic characteristics. Graduates of ComALERT’s Ready Willing and Able program have especially high rates of employment. ComALERT clients also report modestly lower rates of drug and alcohol use than the control group. While these results are extremely promising, a stronger evaluation is needed. Such an evalution would involve some kind of random assignment to the program, to eliminate systematic selection as a source of the difference between the program and comparison groups.

Details: Cambridge, MA: Harvard University, 2007. 84p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 9, 2011 at: http://www.wjh.harvard.edu/soc/faculty/western/pdfs/report_1009071.pdf

Year: 2007

Country: United States

URL: http://www.wjh.harvard.edu/soc/faculty/western/pdfs/report_1009071.pdf

Shelf Number: 121663

Keywords:
Employment, Ex-Offenders
Housing
Parolees
Recidivism
Reentry
Rehabilitation
Substance Abuse Treatment

Author: Howard, Philip

Title: Hazards of Different Types of Reoffending

Summary: The study examined patterns of reoffending using combined Offender Assessment System (OASys) and Police National Computer (PNC) data. Reoffending patterns were studied in terms of their hazards: the chance of reoffending in a given time period if reoffending had not occurred in an earlier time period. The results demonstrated that the hazards for all types of reoffending were highest in the first few months following sentence/discharge, but some types of reoffending had a much more persistent hazard than others. The value of the OASys reoffending predictors in segmenting different types of reoffending according to risk was also demonstrated. The findings could be combined with existing literature on offender treatment to inform the delivery of interventions and supervision designed to reduce reoffending.

Details: London: Ministry of Justice, 2011. 43p.

Source: Internet Resource: Ministry of Justice Research Series 3/11: Accessed May 10, 2011 at: http://www.ohrn.nhs.uk/resource/policy/Hazardsofreoffending.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://www.ohrn.nhs.uk/resource/policy/Hazardsofreoffending.pdf

Shelf Number: 121691

Keywords:
Offender Treatment
Recidivism
Rehabilitation
Reoffending (U.K.)

Author: Morrish, Dawn

Title: A Health Needs Assessment of the Hertfordshire Probation Trust Caseload

Summary: There is much literature about the health, particularly mental health of prisoners, but very little about the health needs of offenders in the community. Offender Health Care Strategies concluded that offenders in the community would have similar needs to prisoners, mainly physical health, mental health and substance misuse needs. Whereas, at the end of March 2010 there were 85,184 people (80,894 males and 4,290 females) in custody in England and Wales a rise of 2,200 from March 2009. Amongst the remand population, the largest change since March 2009 by offence group was for drugs offences, which were up by 10%. One of the biggest requirements for community orders and suspended sentence orders from Q4 2008-Q4 2009 was for alcohol treatment, up by 13%. Compared to sentenced offenders there were 241,504 offenders being managed in the community by the National Probation Service as at end December, 2009. For Hertfordshire Probation Trust this figure was 3,487 compared to a prison population of 768 at HMP The Mount, Hertfordshire’s Category C male prison. If offender health is to be effectively addressed, the focus needs to widen to address offender health needs rather than emphasis on health care for prisoners. In the community many offenders seem to have difficulty accessing mainstream health services, and tend to overuse Accident and Emergency centres, but have very little provision of preventive health care or health promotion. The physical and mental health care needs of offenders in the criminal justice system have long been subject to calls for reform. Improving outcomes for this group is important both in terms of re-offending rates and successful rehabilitation. Offenders are subject to considerable health inequalities. They are much more likely to experience mental health problems or have a learning difficulty and are more likely to have problems with drugs and alcohol.

Details: Hertfordshire, UK: Hertfordshire Probation Trust and National Health Service Hertfordshire, 2011. 41p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 10, 2011 at: http://www.ohrn.nhs.uk/resource/policy/NeedsassessmentHertfordshireProbation.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://www.ohrn.nhs.uk/resource/policy/NeedsassessmentHertfordshireProbation.pdf

Shelf Number: 121693

Keywords:
Alcohol Abuse
Community-based Corrections
Drug Abuse Treatment
Health Care
Mental Health Services
Probationers (U.K.)
Rehabilitation
Substance Abuse Treatment

Author: Felini, Martha

Title: Prostitute Diversion Initiative: Annual Report: 2009-2010

Summary: The Dallas Police Department's Prostitute Diversion Initiative (PDI) is a novel law enforcement led prostitute diversion program that brings a comprehensive set of resources and services from a large cross section of organizations into the streets where the prostitutes work. Launched in 2007, the PDI has contacted a total of 538 prostitutes of which 174 entered the initial phase of the treatment program. Of those completing the initial treatment phase, 48% have not subsequently been re-arrested. This report documents the data collected from the 167 adult prostitutes contacted through the PDI from October 2009 through September 2010. The average PDI participant was black, female, 36 years of age, with at least a high school education. Most had children and were using drugs to cope with co-­occurring mental health disorders. Sixty percent of those eligible were immediately diverted to treatment services appropriate for addressing alcohol and drug abuse, mental health disorders, or physical health care. In addition to dealing with addictions, treatment services incorporate within their programs the capacity to deal with the lifetime of trauma these women suffered that served as the impetus to their life of prostitution. Criminal offenses on beats where truck stops are located decreased 60% in 2009-­2010 compared to the year prior to the implementation of the PDI.

Details: Dallas, TX: New Life Prostitute Diversion Initiative, 2010. 34p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 23, 2011 at: http://cedata.org/pdi_wp/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/PDI-Annual-Report-2011_Final-RS.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: United States

URL: http://cedata.org/pdi_wp/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/PDI-Annual-Report-2011_Final-RS.pdf

Shelf Number: 121782

Keywords:
Prostitutes
Prostitution (Texas)
Recidivism
Rehabilitation

Author: Disability Rights Texas

Title: Thinking Outside the Cell: Alternatives to Incarceration for Youth with Mental Illness

Summary: Youth with mental illness can suffer devastating consequences from commitment to juvenile justice facilities, where specialized treatment and supports are often insufficient to meet their rehabilitative needs. Given the prevalence of youth with mental health needs in the Texas juvenile justice system, there is a pressing need for the state to develop appropriate and costeffective alternatives to incarceration for this population. Texas has already started to shift its focus and funding in the right direction — toward community-based supports and services. During the 2009 legislative session, state leadership showed visionary support for community-based programming by reducing funding for the Texas Youth Commission (TYC) by $100 million and providing $45.7 million in new funding to juvenile probation departments for Commitment Reduction Programs intended to divert youth from TYC facilities. Many probation departments across the state used these funds to develop mental health resources, and preliminary data show an excellent return on investment. THINKING OUTSIDE THE CELL: ALTERNATIVES TO INCARCERATION FOR YOUTH WITH MENTAL ILLNESS features three case studies of youth placed in the Corsicana Residential Treatment Center, the TYC facility designated for youth with serious mental illness or emotional disturbance. Their stories highlight the significant challenges youth with mental health needs face before and after commitment to TYC. They also demonstrate that access to appropriate and effective community-based mental health services is key to addressing the underlying sources of many youths’ offenses, reducing recidivism, and preventing deeper penetration into the juvenile and criminal justice systems. This report also features numerous effective community-based intervention strategies currently being implemented in Texas and other jurisdictions to reduce the incidence of youth with mental health needs in the juvenile justice system. As Texas continues to transform its juvenile justice system, such model programs will help ensure better outcomes for youth, families and communities. Finally, the report provides policy recommendations concerning youth with mental illness involved in the juvenile justice system.

Details: Oakland, CA: National Center for Youth Law, 2011. 17p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 24, 2011 at: http://www.youthlaw.org/fileadmin/ncyl/youthlaw/publications/NCYL-thinking-outside-the-cell-report.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: United States

URL: http://www.youthlaw.org/fileadmin/ncyl/youthlaw/publications/NCYL-thinking-outside-the-cell-report.pdf

Shelf Number: 121822

Keywords:
Alternatives to Incarceration
Community-based Corrections
Juvenile Offenders (Texas)
Juvenile Probation
Mental Health Services
Mentally Ill Offenders, Juveniles
Rehabilitation

Author: Cohen, Marcia I.

Title: Final Report on the Evaluation of the Boys Town Short-Term Residential Treatment Program for Girls

Summary: Few studies have carefully examined the effectiveness of short-term care facilities for juvenile offenders. Even fewer have concentrated on female offenders. This study examines the effect of the Boys Town Short-Term Residential Treatment Program on female juvenile offenders. The impact on six classes of outcomes was assessed using a quasi-experimental design with a nonequivalent comparison group. The principal outcome was recidivism; others were substance use, academic commitment, high-risk sexual behavior, employment attitude, and cognitive functioning. The process evaluation used both quantitative and qualitative methods to examine the context of the program treatment and structure. The comparison group was composed of girls on standard probation. The sample consisted of 365 (treatment=235;comparison=130) participants across three sites. Program impact was assessed through a series of sequential analyses: 1) exploring the differences in means between the two groups on pretreatment characteristics; 2) performing a series of difference-of-means analyses to test for the main effects of the intervention; 3) using regression models for factors other than the intervention that may affect the outcomes, and 4) using survival analysis to predict time until a new arrest. The process evaluation found the Boys Town Model was well documented and theoretically based. There were clearly delineated job responsibilities, a strong emphasis on staff training, and the number of daily interactions met or exceeded program guidelines. Despite frequent fidelity review, the sites’ fidelity clustered slightly below average. Program utilization was reduced by a national shift in juvenile justice philosophy away from out-of-home placement toward community-based interventions. The outcome results support the conclusion that the Boys Town girls may be expected to have superior delinquent and sexual behavior outcomes 1 year after enrollment compared with girls who received traditional probation. As the level of program exposure was increased — whether through increased staff interactions, length of stay, or both — the propensity of girls to engage in subsequent delinquency was reduced. No significant impact for substance abuse, academic commitment, and employment attitude was found. As one of the more rigorous evaluations on short-term care for female offenders, this study provides evidence that such programs can be effective in improving certain behaviors. The authors recommend altering expectations of short-term residential programs so that such placements are used to, first, stabilize the youth and their family, and, second, to conduct assessments for recommendations on future interventions and treatment. They also suggest using the Boys Town Model to develop a community-based day treatment program.

Details: Bethesda, MD: Development Services Group, Inc., 2010. 379p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 28, 2011 at: http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/234514.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: United States

URL: http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/234514.pdf

Shelf Number: 121877

Keywords:
Delinquency Prevention
Female Juvenile Offenders
Juvenile Aftercare
Juvenile Probation (U.S.)
Recidivism
Rehabilitation

Author: Great Britain. Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Prisons

Title: Resettlement Provision for Children and Young People: Accommodation and Education, Training and Employment

Summary: Resettlement is one of the main tests against which the Inspectorate judges the health of a prison. This thematic review, commissioned by the Youth Justice Board, examines accommodation and education, training and employment (ETE) resettlement provision for sentenced young men aged 15 to 18 in young offender institutions. It reports on the work carried out in custody to prepare young people for release, using survey data as well as indepth interviews with 61 sentenced young men, their case supervisors and follow-up information on what happened to them on release. The heads of resettlement and learning and skills in each institution provide an establishment perspective. Ensuring that young people have suitable and sustainable accommodation and ETE on release from custody is a vital first step to reduce reoffending and enable young people to successfully reintegrate into the community. This is no small task – in our sample of 61 young men more than eight out of 10 (84%) had an accommodation and/or ETE need identified. In our survey almost half of young men said they were under 14 when they were last at school and 86% said they had been excluded at some point. All establishments had a strategy to drive forward resettlement work but in most cases these did not involve external agencies and had not been informed by a recent needs analysis of the population. The training planning process should be central to coordinating work to address young people’s individual needs, with targets set for a young person’s time in custody and plans for their release. We found from our fieldwork that several establishment case supervisors, who oversaw the training plan, had a good knowledge of the young people in their caseload. Most young men reported that training plan targets had been discussed with them, although less than two-thirds in our case sample knew what their targets were and only half said they had had a say in the targets set for them – this then had a real impact on whether they tried to achieve them. In custody, the range and quality of education and training provision was generally satisfactory and it was clear that, where possible, a young person’s preferences had been taken into account when allocating them to ETE. Most, although not all, young men said they were involved in some form of ETE at the time of interview and three-quarters said they had received or were working towards a qualification – 62% thought that these would be useful on release. Although it could often have been better tied to resettlement planning, at several establishments the use of release on temporary licence (ROTL) was improving, with some good quality work placements on offer. Case supervisors realised the importance of accommodation and ETE in resettlement work and reported that these issues were considered from the point of a young person’s arrival in custody. However, training planning targets often placed the onus only on the young person and did not specify what resources would be put in place or how they would be helped to achieve them. The main focus was on how they spent their time in custody and there were few long-term targets aimed at those responsible for ensuring plans were in place for their release. Establishments reported that this was the responsibility of youth offending teams (or social workers for looked after children). At the Heron unit at Feltham young people also had a resettlement broker who was involved in resettlement planning while young people were in custody, but who also offered intensive support to them for at least six months following release. Despite their key role, the attendance of social workers at training planning meetings for looked after children was poor. In contrast, relationships with community-based youth offending teams (YOTs) were well developed and YOT case managers normally attended training planning meetings. However, plans were not always finalised in time for the pre-release meeting which, understandably, worried young people and frustrated case supervisors. Two of the 61 young men interviewed said that not having accommodation had prevented their early release, but no establishments monitored this. It was not evident that discussions were taking place about whether accommodation arrangements set up at the point of release were suitable and sustainable. In our case sample, 61% of young men said they would be living with family on release and the majority were optimistic about it as they felt their family’s support was the key to their successful resettlement. Although establishments realised the importance of young people maintaining contact with family where appropriate and encouraged it, more structured work needed to be done to rebuild or maintain relationships while young people were in custody. This left two-fifths of our sample who required accommodation to be arranged for their release, which was a vital step before other release plans could be put in place. Case supervisors reported a range of barriers to finding suitable accommodation, including a limited supply of local authority housing and issues around the young person’s behaviour or offence. They also reported a range of barriers to arranging ETE for release, including limited availability in the community. At the time of interview, only 14 of the 48 young men who said they wanted to continue education had a place arranged. Worryingly, of the 42 young men who said they wanted to work (either full-time or part-time alongside education), only nine reported that they had a job arranged on release – and for seven of these it had been arranged through family, without help from the establishment or the YOT. Follow-up information was requested from case supervisors on what happened to the young men in our case sample on release and a month later, with information received for 41 and 37 of the young men respectively. Only 13 young men (32%) had both suitable accommodation (as assessed by case supervisors) and ETE on release. Two, including a looked after child, were forced to report as homeless. One in five were placed in accommodation assessed as unsuitable by case supervisors; this included three young men who had had to go into bed and breakfast lodgings – one was still there a month later – and two who were living with family where this was a cause for concern. Only a third of young men had an ETE placement arranged on release, only half of these were still attending a month later and only a fifth of those who had not got a placement on release had one confirmed a month later. Where ETE placements had fallen through, case supervisors felt this was due to unstable accommodation, a lack of family support, the young person’s lack of motivation or problems due to the timing of course start dates. A month after release six of the young men were in custody and one was ‘on the run’ – three of the young people who had returned to custody were looked after children. This report raises a key question – how effective is the resettlement work conducted in custody in terms of the actual outcomes for young people? This was not monitored by establishments and our follow-up information highlights the need to look beyond the gate in order to evaluate the effectiveness of resettlement work. Overall the outcomes for our sample were very disappointing. The Heron unit, although we can make no conclusions based on our small sample, seemed a promising initiative, as did the resettlement consortia, although the young offender institutions involved were not visited for this report. These are being formally evaluated and we look forward to seeing the results. Although our recommendations are to the Ministry of Justice, Youth Justice Board and National Offender Management Service we recognise that, to ensure all young people have suitable accommodation and ETE on release from custody, a joint approach with other government departments and external agencies is required. The starting point should be an acceptance that vulnerable young people released from custody are children in need. This would go some way toward focusing the joint effort that is needed to prevent them from returning to custody and becoming entrenched at an early age in a life of crime.

Details: London: HM Inspectorate of Prisons, 2011. 118p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 28, 2011 at: http://www.justice.gov.uk/downloads/publications/inspectorate-reports/hmipris/Resettlement-thematic-june2011.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://www.justice.gov.uk/downloads/publications/inspectorate-reports/hmipris/Resettlement-thematic-june2011.pdf

Shelf Number: 121879

Keywords:
Correctional Education
Correctional Programs
Housing for Ex-Offenders
Juvenile Offenders (U.K.)
Reentry
Rehabilitation
Young Adult Offenders

Author: Richards, Kelly

Title: Technical and Background Paper: Measuring Juvenile Recidivism in Australia

Summary: This study is a step towards having national data on juvenile recidivism that are both meaningful and comparable across Australia's jurisdictions. Performance measurement (the use of empirical indicators to measure outcomes that government services are supposed to achieve) has emerged in recent years as a strategy to assist governments assess the impact of their operations, improve service provision and effectively target resources. In the criminal justice sector, recidivism is often used as a measure of the performance of government agencies, such as correctional services and juvenile justice agencies. Recidivism has, however, been identified as a limited and problematic measure of performance, for a range of reasons. It has been argued, for example, that many factors influence whether an offender recidivates, some of which are not within the control of government agencies. Recidivism is a particularly problematic measure of the performance of juvenile justice agencies, as offending peaks during adolescence. As such, juveniles might be expected to recidivate at a higher rate than adults, irrespective of interventions provided by juvenile justice agencies. Recidivism nonetheless remains one important measure of the performance of juvenile justice agencies, albeit one that should be cautiously interpreted. This report presents the findings of a literature review and consultations with key stakeholders in each of Australia’s jurisdictions on measuring juvenile recidivism. It outlines the limitations of using recidivism as a measure of performance for juvenile justice agencies and presents a range of options for better conceptualising and measuring juvenile recidivism. The report also provides four international examples of recent efforts to adopt more robust and meaningful measures of juvenile recidivism. Finally, 13 principles are proposed that could be used to inform and enhance the measurement of juvenile recidivism in Australia. Clearly, measuring juvenile recidivism is a challenging task. This study is an important step towards having national data on juvenile recidivism that are both meaningful and comparable across Australia’s jurisdictions, and that would contribute towards the development of more effective juvenile justice interventions across Australia.

Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2011. 44p.

Source: Internet Resource: Technical and Background Paper 44: Accessed June 30, 2011 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/1/B/1/%7B1B1FAF61-B45D-42A4-B93B-E655C4CA078E%7Dtbp044.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: Australia

URL: http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/1/B/1/%7B1B1FAF61-B45D-42A4-B93B-E655C4CA078E%7Dtbp044.pdf

Shelf Number: 121925

Keywords:
Juvenile Offenders (Australia)
Recidivism
Rehabilitation
Reoffending

Author: Peck, Mark

Title: Patterns of Reconviction Among Offenders Eligible for Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA)

Summary: Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) were established in 2001 under the Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000 and are considered an integral part of the Criminal Justice System in dealing with serious violent and sexual offenders. The Act charged the chief officer of police and the then local probation board for each area to assess and manage the risk posed by these offenders. Home Office guidance (2001) encouraged a widening of this partnership, so that a number of statutory and voluntary agencies would assist in this process. Later, the Prison Service joined the Police and Probation Service as the ‘responsible authority’ for MAPPA under the Criminal Justice Act 2003. The MAPPA process involves an assessment of risk posed by an offender, upon which a risk management plan is subsequently based. This can include, for example, setting appropriate licence conditions, applying for Sexual Offences Prevention Orders (SOPOs), or identifying accommodation within local authority housing. Offenders posing the highest risk are referred to a Multi-Agency Public Protection panel meeting, a forum in which the offender’s risk and management plan can be discussed in detail with the participating agencies. MAPPA evolved from professional practice during the 1990s in dealing with dangerous offenders. The emergence of Public Protection Panels (PPPs) and multi-agency work to manage registered sexual offenders (following the Sex Offenders Act 1997) was central to this evolution and, accordingly, much of the work focused on sexual offenders. The Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000 sought to standardise this existing multi-agency work and provided the opportunity to widen the scope to include non-sexual violent offenders. There have been three key process evaluations of MAPPA (Maguire et al, 2001 Kemshall et al, 2005; and Wood and Kemshall, 2007). These illustrated improving standards and greater consistency of MAPPA during its early implementation. Data on Serious Further Offences, breaches and recall are provided in the MAPPA annual reports (see Ministry of Justice 2010b) but are difficult to compare over time, and date back only to 2005/6. This piece of research aimed to address this knowledge gap. It has explored whether reconviction rates of ‘MAPPA-eligible’ offenders released from custody into the community changed in England and Wales since the introduction of MAPPA in 2001.

Details: London: Ministry of Justice, 2011. 39p.

Source: Internet Resource: Ministry of Justice Research Series 6/11: Accessed July 6, 2011 at: http://www.justice.gov.uk/downloads/publications/research-and-analysis/moj-research/patterns-reconviction-mappa.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://www.justice.gov.uk/downloads/publications/research-and-analysis/moj-research/patterns-reconviction-mappa.pdf

Shelf Number: 121980

Keywords:
Interagency Collaboration
Recidivism (U.K.)
Reconviction
Rehabilitation
Risk Assessment
Sex Offenders
Violent Offenders

Author: Bracken, Carolina

Title: Bars to Learning: Practical Challenges to the ‘Working Prison’

Summary: Without effective rehabilitative intervention, prison offers no long-term social remedy for reducing reoffending. A spell in prison can cost an individual their home, contact with their family, their job, and leave them entirely unable to break the pattern of offending behaviour. Nonetheless, custody can provide a stable, controlled environment, in which prisoners are empowered to take personal responsibility for their behaviour and its consequences. The question is not whether prison can work, but how we can make prison work more effectively. In light of strong evidence of the link between employment and reduced reoffending, the recent Ministry of Justice green paper ‘Breaking the Cycle: Effective Punishment, Rehabilitation and Sentencing of Offenders’ plans to create a new ‘working prison’, in which ‘hard work and industry’ are ‘central to the regime’. The paper promises a renewed and revitalised commitment to enhancing offenders’ employability, as part of its far-reaching ‘rehabilitation revolution’.

Details: London: Civitas: Institute for the Study of Civil Society, 2011. 42p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 18, 2011 at: http://www.civitas.org.uk/crime/barstolearning.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://www.civitas.org.uk/crime/barstolearning.pdf

Shelf Number: 122082

Keywords:
Correctional Programs
Job Training, Inmates
Prison Labor
Prisoners (U.K.)
Rehabilitation

Author: Carter, Madeline M.

Title: Twenty Strategies for Advancing Sex Offender Management in Your Jurisdiction

Summary: The goal of sex offender management is to promote public safety by reducing the risk of recidivism among sex offenders. Significant advancements have been made in the field of sex offender management in recent years. These include a clearer understanding of the adults and juveniles who commit these offenses, of the interventions and strategies that have been demonstrated through research to be effective and that appear to have great potential in reducing risk, and of methods and processes for engaging partners and equipping and supporting staff to manage these cases. This document was developed for policymakers interested in advancing adult and juvenile sex offender management in their jurisdictions. Based upon both research and practice, we offer 20 strategies that hold promise for reducing risk and promoting safe communities. Each strategy is illustrated by a case study representing one jurisdiction’s efforts to thoughtfully advance practice. These policy and practice initiatives, the underlying rationale and available evidence supporting them, and the accompanying jurisdictional case studies together represent the tremendous progress that has been achieved in our nation’s continued efforts to prevent further sexual victimization.

Details: Silver Spring, MD: Center for Sex Offender Management, 2008. 54p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 18, 2011 at: http://www.csom.org/pubs/twenty_strategies.pdf

Year: 2008

Country: United States

URL: http://www.csom.org/pubs/twenty_strategies.pdf

Shelf Number: 122094

Keywords:
Recidivism
Rehabilitation
Risk Assessment
Sex Offenders (U.S.)

Author: Hiller, Matthew L.

Title: Kentucky Reentry Courts: Evaluation of the Pilot Programs

Summary: As record numbers of offenders return from prison to the community each year, many policy makers and stakeholders are beginning to realize that “they all come back.” Not only do they come back, but many of them also return to the community having had little or no help for their drug and psychological problems while they were behind bars, and they are unlikely to get treatment services after they return to the community. Without treatment many of these individuals likely will return to prison. Reentry Courts represents an important step toward developing innovative programming for drug-involved offenders. In Kentucky, the Reentry Court model program that was developed combined 6-months of in-prison treatment with at least 1 year of treatment in an established Drug Court upon return to the community. A growing body of literature strongly suggests that these programs are effective independently, and that combining them might increase the effectiveness of each. Initial findings concerning the during-program performance of 6 clients admitted to the Kentucky Reentry Court pilot program were encouraging. As of November 21, 2001, 5 of the 6 clients were still active in treatment (1 had absconded). These individuals showed high levels of behavioral compliance with treatment expectations. Several were promoted to either phase 2 or phase 3 of the Drug Court, none had tested positive for and illicit drug on urine tests, none had received a new criminal charge, and most were employed; whereas, the majority were unemployed prior to entering Drug Court. Nevertheless, the Kentucky Reentry Court program was discontinued due to funding concerns, namely federal funding was not readily available to continue these efforts. For program like this to impact a large number of lives, federal funds need to be made available to expand the capacity of both corrections-based programming and Drug Courts. By doing so, it might be possible to begin to slow the revolving door that many drug-involved offenders to repeatedly recycle through the courts and corrections. In addition, to examining the preliminary outcomes of those who were admitted to the Kentucky Reentry Court program model, a substudy also was conducted for developing a Treatment Screening Questionnaire. This questionnaire was designed to facilitate criminal justice decision making regarding referrals to programs like Reentry Courts. The screener emphasized a number of offender attributes (like drug use severity, mental health history, motivation for treatment, criminal history, and treatment history), highlighted by Peters and Peyton (1998) as important characteristics for Drug Courts to consider when making decisions for placing individuals in rehabilitative programming. A standardized set of instruments were included in the Treatment Screening Questionnaire, including the Simple Screening Instrument, Texas Christian University Drug Screen II, Salient Factor Score, and the Desire for Help Scale from the Texas Christian University Treatment Motivation Assessment. Initial finding from pilot data collected from 39 residents of a corrections-based therapeutic community (a program that was used by some of the Reentry Court clients in this evaluation) were encouraging. Overall, residents were willing to provide detailed information on their drug use and drug use problems, mental health problems, criminal history, and treatment motivation. Their responses on the questionnaire were internally consistent, indicating high levels of reliability. Self-reported information also demonstrated a high level of agreement with information abstracted from official records, suggesting good validity. Therefore, it appears that the Treatment Screening Questionnaire may be a useful tool for helping correctional and Drug Court managers to determine who might warrant further assessment and entry into a treatment program. In conclusion, the Kentucky Reentry Court Pilot program was grounded in the literature that shows residential treatment and Drug Courts are effective for reducing recidivism and relapse among drug-involved offenders. Initial findings from analysis of during-program performance indicators showed that most of the clients admitted to the Reentry Court program were doing well in it. Therefore, additional federal monies should be made available to more thoroughly test innovative programs for helping offenders reenter and reintegrate into the community, like the one described in the current report.

Details: Lexington, KY: University of Kentucky, Center on Drug and Alcohol Research, 2002. 56p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 18, 2011 at: http://courts.ky.gov/NR/rdonlyres/D5F5A4FD-DA42-4E38-B204-B15593E2EA99/)/KentuckyReentryCourtEvaluationofthePilotProgramsJuly2002.pdf

Year: 2002

Country: United States

URL: http://courts.ky.gov/NR/rdonlyres/D5F5A4FD-DA42-4E38-B204-B15593E2EA99/)/KentuckyReentryCourtEvaluationofthePilotProgramsJuly2002.pdf

Shelf Number: 122097

Keywords:
Drug Courts (Kentucky)
Drug Offender Treatment
Drug Offenders
Prisoner Reentry
Recidivism
Rehabilitation

Author: Boyce, Isabella

Title: St. Giles Trust Peer Advice Project: An Evaluation

Summary: St Giles Trust’s Peer Advice Project is an innovative project focusing on the resettlement of offenders. It has three key elements. First the project aims to advance the skills and employability of prisoners by offering a recognised qualification (NVQ [National Vocational Qualification] Level 3 Advice and Guidance). Second, the Trust provides a housing advice service to a number of prisons in London and the South of England, training and supervising serving prisoners to deliver the housing advice. Third, as well as peer advice in prison, St Giles Trust offers employment experience for offenders on their release from custody via their involvement in mentoring schemes, including ‘Through the Gates’ project to support the resettlement of their peers. The Peer Advice Project tests out the concept that prisoners themselves can be an important resource in the rehabilitation and resettlement processes, and thus serves as a counterbalance to the widespread belief that programmes are something that are “done” to offenders by specialists. Consistent with desistance theory, the Project emphasises prisoners’ ‘agency’ – where giving up offending is an active choice made by offenders – as an important ingredient of success. An important feature of the St Giles Trust Project is that there is a ‘multiplier effect’ whereby benefits that accrue to individuals from their work as Peer Advisors are matched by benefits to the recipients of their advice. This report presents the results of a ‘process evaluation’. That is, it was conducted to help the St Giles Trust develop and fine-tune the prison Peer Advice Project and its community services by describing how the scheme was working in practice. It was not conceived of as an experiment to quantify the service’s impact in terms of crime reduction. Nevertheless, many of the findings point to the importance and value of the work of St Giles Trust. The evaluation of the service has included following a cohort of Peer Advisors over time, interviewing clients and volunteers in the community, collating project activity data and highlighting operational issues via observation and interviews with staff, Peer Advisors and key stakeholders.

Details: London: St. Giles Trust, 2009. 45p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 22, 2011 at: http://eprints.bbk.ac.uk/3794/

Year: 2009

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://eprints.bbk.ac.uk/3794/

Shelf Number: 122149

Keywords:
Mentoring
Prisoner Reentry (U.K.)
Rehabilitation

Author: Lindahl, Nicole

Title: Intimacy, Manipulation, and the Maintenance of Social Boundaries at San Quentin Prison

Summary: San Quentin is an infamous prison in US history, the subject of myths, cautionary tales, and cable network specials. And yet ask the men living inside its walls, and they will insist San Quentin is the best place to do time in California. Beginning in the mid-1990s, San Quentin’s gates were opened to volunteers from the San Francisco Bay Area interested in providing educational and therapeutic programs. The implementation of these programs disrupted the routines and norms governing social relations within San Quentin and provided a rich window into the daily operation of the prison as it responds to pressure. In this paper, I identify and analyze three narratives which surface in the official discourse used by institutional actors to describe the prison environment and compare these narratives with observations of daily life behind San Quentin’s walls. Ultimately, I argue that in contrast to popular portrayals of prisons, which depict prisoners and officers as locked in depraved and antagonistic relationship patterns, the very structure of San Quentin, and perhaps prisons more generally, is highly conducive to the development of intimate bonds between these groups.

Details: Berkeley, CA: Institute for the Study of Social Change, Unviersity of California Berkeley, 2011. 32p.

Source: Internet Resource: ISSC Fellows Working Papers: Accessed July 26, 2011 at: http://escholarship.org/uc/item/15w491vk?query=lindahl

Year: 2011

Country: United States

URL: http://escholarship.org/uc/item/15w491vk?query=lindahl

Shelf Number: 122155

Keywords:
Inmates
Prisoners
Prisons (California)
Rehabilitation
San Quentin

Author: City Policy Associates: United States Conference of Mayors

Title: Status of Ex-Offender Reentry Efforts In Cities: a 79-City Survey

Summary: The pressure to provide effective programs in America’s cities to ease the reentry of ex-offenders has grown along with the nation’s prisoner population, but the current economic recession is forcing local governments and public and private organizations and agencies to reduce spending on programs and services, and is limiting the employment and other opportunities essential to ex-offenders’ successful reentry to their communities. In an effort to provide all members of The U.S. Conference of Mayors with current information on the status of cities’ prisoner reentry efforts, including their “best practices,” the Conference’s Ex-Offender Task Force surveyed mayors for basic information on approaches being taken in their cities to ease the reentry of ex-offenders and for descriptions of both their greatest reentry challenges and their most successful reentry initiatives. Information was provided by 79 cities of all sizes in all regions of the country – from cities as large as Los Angeles and Chicago, to one as small as Desert Hot Springs, California.

Details: Washington, DC: United States Conference of Mayors, 2009. 28p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 28, 2011 at: http://www.usmayors.org/pressreleases/uploads/REENTRYREPORT09.pdf

Year: 2009

Country: United States

URL: http://www.usmayors.org/pressreleases/uploads/REENTRYREPORT09.pdf

Shelf Number: 122189

Keywords:
Prisoner Reentry (U.S.)
Recidivism
Rehabilitation

Author: Onyewu, Chinonyerem (Nonye) Chidozie

Title: The Relative Importance of Selected Variables on the Employment Consistency of Virginia Ex-Offenders

Summary: To decrease the steady rise in the prison population, we must deter ex-offenders from re-offending and recidivating, once they have been released. For exoffenders, finding employment is critical to successful post-release re-integration which can help reduce the chances of them recidivating. Ex-offenders who are consistent in their employment patterns are less likely to return to a life of crime. This study investigated the relative importance and significance of 11 selected variables on four separate levels of employment consistency. The selected variables were chosen based on what has been identified in the literature as effecting employment patterns of ex-offenders and the general population, and what data was reliable and available. The study group consisted of 2,314 male Virginia ex-offenders released in fiscal year 2001. The results revealed that the variables of time served, career and technical education program completions, educational level, age at release, race, and being convicted of a violent offense were positive predictors of employment consistency. On the other hand, having a record of minor infractions and being a repeat offender were associated with decreasing employment consistency in the analysis. The findings of the study suggest that it is important for offenders to make changes in the ways they think and their attitudes. This can be accomplished by taking advantage of opportunities in prison to participate in rehabilitative services and educational programs. In addition, as offenders get older they tend to abandon criminal ways of thinking, and once released they are more apt to stay employed. Furthermore, the influence of the race variable did not affect the study group of ex-offenders as anticipated.

Details: Blacksburg, VA: Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 2009. 148p.

Source: Internet Resource: Doctoral Thesis: Accessed July 29, 2011 at: http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-02202009-131738/unrestricted/Nonye_Onyewu_Dissertation_Final_version.pdf

Year: 2009

Country: United States

URL: http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-02202009-131738/unrestricted/Nonye_Onyewu_Dissertation_Final_version.pdf

Shelf Number: 122232

Keywords:
Correctional Programs
Ex-offenders (Employment) (Virgina)
Reentry
Rehabilitation

Author: Flacks, Chuck

Title: Prisoner Re-Entry Employment Program: Final Evaluation Report, 2006: Summary Recidivism Findings

Summary: Recent newspaper headlines decry the state of California’s prisons. Dubbing them “overcrowded,” Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has called for more prisons to be built. On July 1, the U.S. District Court ordered that a federal receiver be put in charge of the California State Prisons’ health care system due to the high number of inmate deaths and in response to independent evaluations. The receiver, Robert Sillen, promptly called the system, “at best ‘in a state of abject disrepair.’ Given this problematic climate, a program that promises to help former inmates stay out of jail or prison and to become employed, productive members of society ought to be a welcome addition to California’s correctional system. This summary report describes such a program, started by a San Diego nonprofit, Second Chance. This report was commissioned as part of an evaluation of the Prisoner Re-entry Employment Program (PREP) supported by a grant from the California Endowment.

Details: San Marcos, CA: The Social and Behavioral Research Institute, California State University San Marcos, 2006. 15p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 29, 2011 at: http://www.secondchanceprogram.org/pdf/CSUSM_Report-Summary_RecidivismFindings.pdf

Year: 2006

Country: United States

URL: http://www.secondchanceprogram.org/pdf/CSUSM_Report-Summary_RecidivismFindings.pdf

Shelf Number: 122225

Keywords:
Ex-Offenders, Employment
Prisoner Reentry (California)
Rehabilitation

Author: Lanning, Tess

Title: Redesigning Justice: Reducing Crime Through Justice Reinvestment

Summary: The Coalition government has initiated what it describes as a ‘rehabilitation revolution’, aimed at ‘breaking the cycle’ of offenders leaving prison, only to go back into the community and reoffend. ‘Justice reinvestment’ is one important way of achieving this goal of more effectively rehabilitating offenders. It is a process through which resources currently spent on incarcerating offenders in prison can be redirected into community-based alternatives that tackle the causes of crime at source. This report demonstrates how a process of justice reinvestment could be made to work in the context of England and Wales. The report comes in three parts: 1. The costs of prison Using the London Borough of Lewisham as a case study, chapter 1 examines who goes to prison, how effective it is and how much it costs the taxpayer, focusing on convicted adult offenders. We demonstrate both the cost of prison and, by implication, the sort of budgets that could be made available to local areas through justice reinvestment. We find that a total of 518 adult offenders were released into Lewisham over the course of 2009/10 having served less than 12 months. Using the figure of £45,000 a year, we calculate that their combined prison sentences cost the state £2.8 million in 2009/10, or an average of £5,386 per sentence. At odds, perhaps, with public perception, the majority of the crimes committed by these offenders were non-violent offences. It cost the taxpayer £2.5 million in 2009/10 to send non-violent and non-sexual offenders from Lewisham to prison for periods of less than a year. The funds that could be made available to local agencies to prevent reoffending through a process of justice reinvestment are therefore considerable. 2. Local alternatives to prison Chapter 2 explores how some of these offenders could be diverted from prison and managed locally in Lewisham. We describe reparative options in the borough and draw on wider evidence to explore effective alternatives to custody. We argue that the government should change the sentencing guidelines to enshrine a presumption against the use of short-term prison sentences, with community-based punishments used instead. We map existing rehabilitative services in Lewisham and examine their capacity to absorb more offenders. We find that local services are confident about their ability to manage offenders locally, but that widespread cuts to local agencies risk weakening the supportive infrastructure that effective rehabilitation requires. We argue that local alternatives are cheaper and more effective than custody, but that they must be properly resourced and better coordinated to deal effectively with offenders. 3. Making justice reinvestment work Chapter 3 outlines a commissioning structure to bring justice reinvestment into practice. Good local policymaking requires strong, democratically accountable local institutions to coordinate policy and practice on the ground. We argue that local authorities should be given a key role in the criminal justice system because they are best-placed to coordinate and manage correctional services in the community.

Details: London: Institute for Public Policy Research, 2011. 37p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 2, 2011 at: http://www.ippr.org/images/media/files/publication/2011/07/redesigning-justice-reinvestment_July2011_7786.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://www.ippr.org/images/media/files/publication/2011/07/redesigning-justice-reinvestment_July2011_7786.pdf

Shelf Number: 122248

Keywords:
Alternatives to Incarceration
Costs of Criminal Justice
Criminal Justice Reform (U.K.)
Rehabilitation

Author: Rhyne, Charlene

Title: Multnomah County Day Reporting Center Evaluation

Summary: In January 1994 Multnomah County Department of Community Justice celebrated the opening of the Day Reporting Center (DRC). The DRC is a highly structured programming opportunity for offenders that can be used as an alternative to incarceration. DRC staff work closely with Parole/Probation Officers to address public safety concerns by addressing high risk/high need behaviors such as drug abuse, impulsivity, anti-social thinking, lack of employment and education, mental health concerns and lack of positive peer supports. In 2005 the Day Reporting Center was evaluated by this author. Findings included evidence of DRC's impact on recidivism with completers having a statistically significant 39% decrease in arrests pre- and post-DRC as compared to a 19% increase in arrests for non-completers. This current evaluation was conducted as a part of DCJ continuous quality improvement efforts. This form of monitoring allows course corrections to be made that are data and outcome driven. This evaluation utilized a sample of 642 offender referral entries to the Day Reporting Center in fiscal year 2008. These referral outcomes will be compared to 162 offenders who were referred to the DRC and no-showed. No-show samples are often used as comparison groups given they are identical in characteristics of the participants yet had no treatment (DRC) experience. Findings: Half of the episodes with engaged offenders resulted in 50% successful completion and 50% unsuccessful completion. The successful completion rate is up 5% from the 2005 study. Statistically significant reductions in pre- and post-DRC arrests were seen across all three groups: Successful -- 60% reduction --Unsuccessful -- 31% reduction - No show -- 27% reduction - Statistically significant percent of each group with post-arrests were in the expected direction: - Successful -- 12.1% of group had at least one arrest post-DRC exit - Unsuccessful -- 25.2% of group had at least one arrest post-DRC exit - No show - 38.9% of group had at least one arrest post-DRC exit - On average, the time to failure for the successful group was observed to be 50 days greater than the no show group. - Statistically significant differences were found between the DRC dosage of the successful group as compared to the unsuccessful group.

Details: Portland, OR: Multnomah County Department of Community Justice, 2010. 12p.

Source: Internet Resource: accessed August 2, 2011 at: http://web.multco.us/sites/default/files/dcj/documents/drc_final_document.doc

Year: 2010

Country: United States

URL: http://web.multco.us/sites/default/files/dcj/documents/drc_final_document.doc

Shelf Number: 122256

Keywords:
Alternative to Incarceration
Community-based Corrections
Day Reporting Centers
Intensive Probation
Parole
Rehabilitation

Author: McCurley, Carl

Title: Process Evaluation of the Pennsylvania Bureau of Juvenile Justice Services’ Aftercare Program

Summary: The purpose of this report is to provide an evaluation of the design and implementation of the Pennsylvania Bureau of Juvenile Justice Services’ (BJJS) new model of aftercare. Understanding how aftercare services are delivered and how the program actually operates is essential for decisionmaking about program planning and for improvement. In January 2005, BJJS decided to shift from a treatment model of aftercare service delivery to a case management model of service delivery. BJJS provides aftercare services to about 2 out of every 3 youth released from placements with the State’s Youth Development Center/Youth Forestry Center (YDC/YFC) system. At current levels of use, the aftercare program enrolls over 500 youth per year. Based on screener results, the great majority of youth enrolled in the program are classified as high risk—they are also older, with greater needs, and more serious offending histories than the average adjudicated youth in Pennsylvania. The BJJS program is one of six major aftercare initiatives active in Pennsylvania, all of which are funded by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency. The other five programs, all associated with the MacArthur Foundation’s Models for Change initiative, are specific to the single county where they operate: Allegheny, Cambria, Lycoming, Philadelphia, and York counties. In contrast, the BJJS program operates in a group of counties that contain more than 70% of Pennsylvania’s population. Like the Philadelphia program, and like many other serious and violent offender re-entry programs in operation across the nation, the BJJS aftercare program employs a case management model that features extensive assessment, individualized planning, a focus on the transition from life in the placement facility to life in the community, and efforts to assist the youth in building durable, supportive relationships in the community (reintegration). The goals of the BJJS Aftercare Services Project are based on the Intensive Aftercare Program (IAP) model developed by David Altschuler and Troy Armstrong (1994). Instead of starting aftercare services after the youth is released, the planning, assessments, and client contact begins when the youth is placed in the facility. The new BJJS approach begins at disposition, continues while the youth is in placement and on probation in the community, and endures afterwards through connections with services in the community. BJJS contracted with a private provider, Cornell, to implement the community component of the aftercare services model. In the old model, the youth went through the program in phases (could not move to Phase 2 until successfully completing Phase 1). In the new model, the youth completes steps in their own individualized service plan rather than completing a “one size fits all” program. Each youth’s plan is developed based on his/her strengths and needs, family assessments, and resources that will be available in their home community when they are released.Changes in the program model required new resources be put into place both in the facilities and the communities. BJJS made many changes in the program infrastructure, including adding new staff, training staff on the new way of doing business, and using new assessment instruments. The goals of the BJJS aftercare program are to reduce delinquency and improve the life chances for high-risk youth released from state placements. To reach its goals, the program relies on effective collaboration across agencies that traditionally have been independent. The BJJS program requires collaboration among BJJS staff within the YDC/YFC system, contracted case managers active at the facility and in the communities, juvenile court and juvenile probation, families, and community-based service providers. In large measure, success of the aftercare program depends on BJJS success at achieving and sustaining collaboration in a set of state, local, public, private, and non-profit agencies and organizations.

Details: Pittsburgh, PA: National Center for Juvenile Justice, 2006. 137p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 2, 2011 at: www.portal.state.pa.us

Year: 2006

Country: United States

URL:

Shelf Number: 122258

Keywords:
Juvenile Aftercare (Pennsylvania)
Juvenile Offenders
Juvenile Probation
Recidivism
Reentry
Rehabilitation

Author: Watkins, Cheryl Graham

Title: A Study of the Transition of Youth from a Detention Center Education Program to a Standard School Education Program in Selected Southeastern States

Summary: The purpose of this study was to examine the factors which facilitate the successful transition of youth from a detention educational program to a mainstream educational program. The study investigated the following components: (a) informal or formalized transition programs, (b) the practices used to assist youth at the detention level transition to the educational mainstream, (c) program components used at the detention level to successfully transition youth to the educational mainstream, the importance of personnel in assisting youth in their transition, (d) factors which contribute to the successful transition from detention to the educational mainstream, (e) program components effective in moving youth from a detention education program to the educational mainstream, and (f) whether or not a detention education program with a formal or informal transition program makes a difference in recidivism rates. A survey questionnaire was sent to 143 detention center administrators in the Southeastern United States. Descriptive data were run on all items in the survey. Cronbach’s alpha test of reliability was used to assess internal consistency. Pearson correlation was used to compare consistency between independent and dependent variables. Finally, an independent sample t-test was conducted to examine if mean differences exist on Total Returned to a Detention Center by Transition Program. Transitioning from a detention facility to the community is a difficult process. By making available to youth a comprehensive program during periods of incarceration, and collaborating with the local educational agency, youth are often better able to make the adjustment. This study emphasized that in order for youth to be successful once they leave a correctional facility, a linkage must exist among all stakeholders.

Details: Blacksburg, VA: Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 2007. 131p.

Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed August 3, 2011 at: http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-12032007-154124/unrestricted/CWatkinETD12-4-07.pdf

Year: 2007

Country: United States

URL: http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-12032007-154124/unrestricted/CWatkinETD12-4-07.pdf

Shelf Number: 122291

Keywords:
Education Programs
Juvenile Detention
Juvenile Offenders (U.S.)
Juvenile Reentry
Rehabilitation

Author: Bryan, Jennifer L.

Title: CEO’s Rapid Rewards Program: Using Incentives to Promote Employment Retention for Formerly Incarcerated Individuals

Summary: Every year, over 650,000 Americans return home to their communities from prison. Close to 10 million return from jail. They need to find jobs. But the formerly incarcerated face significant barriers to employment, including a lack of education and occupational skills, limited or no work history, and minimal support systems (Petersilia 2003). They also face the burden of a felony conviction as they attempt to re-enter community life. Not surprisingly, most do not succeed. Failure occurs quickly, often within the first months after release. Fully two-thirds of all those released from prison on parole will be rearrested within three years. Over 50 percent will return to prison or jail (Langin and Levin 2002). There is little doubt that unemployment contributes to the cycle of incarceration. In New York State, 89 percent of those who violate the terms of their probation or parole are unemployed at the time of violation (Mukamal 2000). This strongly suggests that employment can play a crucial role in breaking the cycle of incarceration. CEO began as a demonstration project of the Vera Institute of Justice to test this very idea: what would happen if people coming home from prison or jail were offered paid transitional work? The project evolved into CEO’s signature work experience program, the Neighborhood Work Project (NWP), which provides paid, time-limited employment and serves as an "employment lab," preparing participants with essential skills to rejoin the workforce and restart their lives. At the same time, CEO works to place participants in full-time, unsubsidized employment and follows up through the first year of such employment, providing retention and advancement counseling and referrals. Within the field of reentry and workforce development, CEO is widely recognized as a leader for its proven ability to place the most “difficult to employ” individuals in full-time jobs. Since becoming an independent nonprofit in 1996, CEO has made over 10,000 full-time job placements for formerly incarcerated persons. CEO provides: (1) pre-employment job readiness training through one week of intensive classroom instruction; (2) meetings with a job coach; (3) paid transitional work at one of CEO’s supervised work sites throughout New York City; (4) vocational assessment and job development with a job developer; (5) unsubsidized job placement; and (6) job retention support. In the last few years, CEO has begun to focus more carefully on not only helping participants get placed in jobs, but ensuring that they remain employed for longer periods. Achieving lasting results requires following up with participants to track their employment retention, learn more about the issues they face, and encourage them to remain employed. CEO has a “follow up” unit that tracks and independently verifies participants’ employment. Once a participant is placed in a job by CEO, a staff member from the follow up unit contacts the employer or parole officer to verify the job start date, wages, title, hours, and other employment information. CEO also has a post-placement unit that provides support to help people stay in the workforce. An important part of post-placement services is CEO’s Rapid Rewards Program.

Details: New York: CEO Learning Institute, 2007. 12p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 5, 2011 at: http://www.alaskachd.org/justice/offender/documents/CEO%20Rapid%20Rewards%20Program.pdf

Year: 2007

Country: United States

URL: http://www.alaskachd.org/justice/offender/documents/CEO%20Rapid%20Rewards%20Program.pdf

Shelf Number: 122315

Keywords:
Ex-Offenders, Employment
Prisoner Reentry (New York)
Recidivism
Rehabilitation

Author: Wilkinson, Reginald A., ed.

Title: Reentry Best Practices: Directors' Perspectives

Summary: This compendium presents reentry best practices that were submitted by member agencies. The submissions are clustered into five substantive areas. They were: (1) Prison Programs; (2) Transitional Programs; (3) Mental Health/Substance Abuse Programs; (4) Community Supervision Strategies; and (5) Promising or Unique Services.

Details: Middleton, CT: Association of State Correctional Administrators, 2004.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 8, 2011 at: http://www.asca.net/system/assets/attachments/2075/Reentry_Best_Practices_Publication-1.pdf?1296149357

Year: 2004

Country: United States

URL: http://www.asca.net/system/assets/attachments/2075/Reentry_Best_Practices_Publication-1.pdf?1296149357

Shelf Number: 122320

Keywords:
Community-based Corrections
Correctional Programs
Drug Abuse Treatment
Mental Health Services
Prisoner Reentry (U.S.)
Rehabilitation

Author: Taxman, Faye S.

Title: Targeting for Reentry: Matching Needs and Services to Maximize Public Safety

Summary: One of the most vexing problems facing governors, legislators and corrections administrators across the United States is how to stop the inevitable movement of offenders from institution, to community, to institution, to community, ad infinitum (referred to as churners, see Lynch & Sabol, 2001; Hughes, Wilson, & Beck, 2001). For example, in 1997, there were 587,177 new prisoners admitted to state and federal institutions in this country. At the Same time, 528,848 prisoners were released from state and federal facilities across the country. Among new prison admissions, there were 189,765 offenders returned to prison as parole or other conditional release violators (approximately 40% of all new admissions in 1997). And among new prison releasees, it is estimated that about 40% (200,000) will be back in prison within three years for either new crimes or technical violations (Petersilia, 2000). Clearly, there is a subgroup of the federal and state prison population who appear to have integrated periods of incarceration into their lifestyle and life choices. What can and should the correction systems do to “target” these offenders for specialized services and controls to improve reintegration into the community? In the following report, we examine the offender targeting issue in detail, utilizing data gathered from our review of eight model Reentry Partnership Initiative Programs. We begin by discussing the range of target population criteria used in the eight model programs and then discuss the unique challenges presented by different types of offender typologies, such as repeat offenders, violent offenders, sex offenders, and drug offenders. Then we identify the relevant classification, treatment, and control issues that decision makers will have to address as they design and implement their own reentry processes that address the unique needs presented by different offender typologies. We conclude by highlighting the lessons learned from the current wave of WI models.

Details: College Park, MD: University of Maryland, College Park, Bureau of Governmental Research, 2002. 36p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 8, 2011 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/196491.pdf

Year: 2002

Country: United States

URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/196491.pdf

Shelf Number: 122323

Keywords:
Prisoner Reentry (U.S.)
Recidivism
Rehabilitation

Author: Martin, Ginger

Title: From Incarceration to Community: A Roadmap to Improving Prisoner Reentry and System Accountability in Massachusetts

Summary: With the tremendous growth in incarceration in Massachusetts, inmates are returning to communities in record numbers. More than 20,000 prison and jail inmates are released to Massachusetts’ towns and cities each year. Policymakers have become increasingly concerned with how the corrections system should manage the reentry process to best protect the public and how communities can absorb and reintegrate returning prisoners. The entire reentry process must be strengthened. This report provides a roadmap for prisoner reentry in Massachusetts, drawing from the national research literature of evidence-based practices and interviews with experts, officials, practitioners, and community-based service providers. It addresses areas of policy that have a significant effect on reentry, from sentencing through post-release follow-up, with particular focus on the roles of the state prison system, houses of corrections, and parole.

Details: Boston: Criminal and Justice Institute, 2004. 67p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 8, 2011 at: http://cjinstitute.org/files/reentryrpt_1.pdf

Year: 2004

Country: United States

URL: http://cjinstitute.org/files/reentryrpt_1.pdf

Shelf Number: 122326

Keywords:
Community-based Corrections
Parole
Prisoner Reentry (Massachusetts)
Recidivism
Rehabilitation

Author: Taxman, Faye S.

Title: Proactive Community Supervision in Maryland: Changing Offender Outcomes

Summary: With over 70,000 adult offenders under community supervision in the late 1990s, and more than 100 offenders assigned to each probation/parole agent, Maryland faced challenges similar to other states regarding the most effective strategy for supervising offenders in the community. In response to the 2000 Joint Chairmen’s Report, the Maryland Division of Parole and Probation (MDPP) developed a strategy to reengineer supervision by integrating research-based findings pertinent to protecting community safety and returning offenders to a more prosocial lifestyle. The strategy, called Proactive Community Supervision (PCS), has three goals: protect public safety; hold offenders accountable to victims and the community; and help offenders become responsible and productive (Sachwald, 2000). These goals are accomplished through the five major components of PCS: 1) identify criminogenic traits using a valid risk and need tool; 2) develop a supervision plan that addresses criminogenic traits employing effective external controls and treatment interventions; 3) hold the offender accountable for progress on the supervision plan; 4) use a place-based strategy wherein individual probation/parole office environments are engaged in implementing the strategy; and 5) develop partnerships with community organizations who will provide ancillary services to supervisees. Collectively, these five tenets are based on findings from research studies identifying crime reduction strategies over the last 30 years. Funds to implement the PCS strategy were appropriated for State Fiscal Year 2002. To allow MDPP to change the context of supervision, caseload sizes for intensive supervision by probation/parole agents were to be reduced from 100 to 55 in four areas: Mondawmin in Baltimore City, Hyattsville in Prince George’s County, Silver Spring in Montgomery County, and all of Caroline County. With PCS, probation/parole agents are armed with a research-based strategy regarding how to address the criminogenic traits that propel individuals to continue their involvement in criminal behavior. PCS offers a holistic approach for probation/parole agents to facilitate offender change while emphasizing accountability and public safety. This report presents an overview of the impact of the PCS strategy on key offender outcomes--rearrest rates, warrants for violation of probation, and adherence to offender supervision plans. To determine whether the PCS process achieves the intended goals, a team of researchers from the University of Maryland and Virginia Commonwealth University evaluated the impact of the PCS process on offender outcomes. The evaluation study used an individual match design that compares the outcomes of 548 offenders — 274 randomly selected offenders supervised in PCS areas with 274 matched offenders in areas that use the traditional supervision model. The researchers found that participation in PCS had a positive effect on offender outcomes. In particular, regardless of the criminal history of the offender or risk level, the rates of rearrest and warrants filed for technical violations were significantly lower for offenders that were supervised under the PCS strategy. The PCS model has shown to have statistically significant outcomes for offenders compared to traditional methods of supervision.

Details: College Park, MD: University of Maryland; Richmond, VA: Virginia Commonwealth University, 2006. 33p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 8, 2011 at: http://www.dpscs.state.md.us/publicinfo/publications/pdfs/PCS_Evaluation_Feb06.pdf

Year: 2006

Country: United States

URL: http://www.dpscs.state.md.us/publicinfo/publications/pdfs/PCS_Evaluation_Feb06.pdf

Shelf Number: 122327

Keywords:
Collaboration
Community-based Corrections
Offender Supervision (Maryland)
Parole
Probation
Recidivism
Rehabilitation

Author: Drake, Greg

Title: Gauging the Needs and Desires of those Reentering the Community: The Safer Monroe Area Reentry Team (SMART) Reentry Survey Report

Summary: One of the most important and misunderstood sub-populations in Rochester is that of those returning to the community from prisons and jails. In his 2005 book But they All Come Back’, Jeremy Travis argues that about half of all those released will convicted of a new crime within three years of their release. In light of this, the need for tools and information to help better understand and work with this sub-population is paramount to any criminal justice approach. The Safer Monroe Area Reentry Team, which will be referred to by the acronym SMART for the remainder of the report, works closely with this sub-population in Rochester. In an attempt to further understand the needs and desires of those reentering, SMART developed a six page survey for those whom they provide services. The survey used in this study (Appendix A) asked respondents 30 questions ranging from simple descriptive information, such as age or type of conviction, to broader open-ended questions, such as which services they felt were more important than others. The surveys were given to various services providers in Monroe County who then distributed those surveys to their reentry clients. These providers were Catholic Family Center, Volunteers of America, The Salvation Army, Evelyn Brandon Wellness Center, Rochester Rehabilitation, Altamont House, Grace House of Rochester, Recovery Houses of Rochester, YWCA, Sojourner House, and East House. The number of surveys returned differed by provider. This method resulted in a convenience sample of 222 surveys representing a multitude of demographics, some of which may be represented at rates that differ from those within the general population. Most notably there is a disproportionately high number of sex offenders within the sample. The combination of only sampling those receiving services and using a convenience sampling method limits the ability of this study to generalize its findings to all people reentering the community from prison and jails. However, this unique sample should provide valuable insight into how a group of people reentering the community think about particular issues. This study is also valuable in that it is one of the first of its kind in the Rochester area. Overall, this research is intended to generate discussion about reentry as a practice within Monroe County, as well as drive further research and policy implementation on the topic of reentry and reentry services in the future. The data in the report will be referenced in aggregate. However, general demographic information for the sample will be listed in this report so that disproportionately represented sub-groups can be easily identified by the reader.

Details: Rochester, NY: Center for Public Safety Initiatives, Rochester Institute of Technology, 2010. 27p.

Source: Internet Resource: Working Paper #2010-05: Accessed August 9, 2011 at: http://www.rit.edu/cla/cpsi/WorkingPapers/2010/2010-05.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: United States

URL: http://www.rit.edu/cla/cpsi/WorkingPapers/2010/2010-05.pdf

Shelf Number: 122330

Keywords:
Prisoner Reentry (Rochester, NY)
Rehabilitation

Author: Illinois Community Safety and Reentry Commission

Title: Inside Out: A Plan to Reduce Recidivism and Improve Public Safety

Summary: Communities in Illinois and nationwide are reeling from a revolving criminal justice door. The cycle of crime, punishment, and reoffending is a major public safety issue, and without intervention is bound to accelerate if recidivism rates remain at near record highs and record numbers continue to be released from state prison. Illinois’s prison population more than doubled from 1988 through 2001, largely due to incarceration rates among drug-involved offenders. Without positive intervention, more than one-half of the record nearly 40,000 inmates estimated to be released from state prisons this fiscal year will be back in prison within three years — after committing new crimes, finding new victims, or violating their parole. No one knows this better than the families in the hardest hit communities in Illinois. In 2005, the vast majority (82%) of the formerly incarcerated returned to just ten regions in the state. These communities also suffer some of the highest poverty and crime rates. Therefore, in addition to increased risk of becoming a crime victim, residents of these communities are losing family members to the vicious cycle of drugs, crime, and incarceration. The family, community, and statewide toll of crime is only compounded when a formerly incarcerated individual, lacking supports and jobs, commits another crime and returns to prison. When Governor Rod Blagojevich was first elected, he announced that his administration would spearhead a comprehensive public safety initiative to roll back the state’s recidivism rate, which had been climbing for more than a decade, standing in 2004 at over 54 percent, a historic high. In other words, for every two inmates released, one committed another crime and returned to prison, likely within a year of release. The costs of this revolving door of incarceration to the community and to the state — which spent $3 billion over 16 years, primarily in the 1990s, to build, operate, repair, and maintain new state prisons and expand their capacity — are simply too high to sustain. Funds are far better spent breaking this vicious cycle than supporting it. Under Governor Blagojevich’s leadership, the state has taken strong steps to stem this flood, including instituting several innovative programs, such as the Sheridan National Model Drug Prison and Reentry Program (which aims to be the largest state prison and comprehensive reentry program in the nation dedicated to inmates with substance abuse issues; the program focuses its efforts both in prison and during a highly supervised and supported return to the community) and Operation Spotlight Parole Reform Initiative (a long-term plan to dramatically increase the number of parole agents, improve case management, tighten parole supervision to emphasize risk reduction and expand community-based resources that help reduce crime). These efforts are seeing early, promising results. Among graduates of the Sheridan Program within its first two years, recidivism rates were nearly 40 percent lower than comparison groups. In addition, the Operation Spotlight Initiative has already helped to reduce new crimes among all of the state’s parolees to the lowest levels in state history. In part, thanks to these and other initiatives, the state’s overall three-year recidivism rate has declined to 51 percent. However, much more remains to be done to maintain the momentum.

Details: Springfield, IL: Community Safety and Reentry Commission, 2007. 204p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 9, 2011 at: http://www.idoc.state.il.us/subsections/reports/other/Governor's%20%20Reentry%20Commission%20Report%20FINAL.pdf

Year: 2007

Country: United States

URL: http://www.idoc.state.il.us/subsections/reports/other/Governor's%20%20Reentry%20Commission%20Report%20FINAL.pdf

Shelf Number: 122338

Keywords:
Correctional Programs
Prisoner Reentry (Illinois)
Recidivism
Rehabilitation

Author: Minnesota. Department of Corrections

Title: An Evaluation of the Prisoner Reentry Initiative: Final Report

Summary: In 2008, the Minnesota Department of Corrections (MNDOC) implemented the Prisoner Reentry Initiative (PRI), a pilot project serving offenders incarcerated at the Minnesota Correctional Facility (MCF)-Faribault who were released to regular supervision in Hennepin and Ramsey counties. PRI was developed on the premise that recidivism can be reduced by enhancing the delivery of critical services and programming to offenders as they make the transition from prison to the community. To improve service delivery, PRI used reentry coordinators who worked closely with institutional and community corrections staff to help connect offender participants to services and programming in both prison and the community that addressed their individual risks, strengths, and needs. In addition, to help participants find post-release employment — one of the main objectives of PRI — the MNDOC contracted with Goodwill/Easter Seals, which provided vocational services that included a work skills and career interest assessment, job search and placement assistance, transitional employment, and skills training. To evaluate whether the PRI pilot project was effective in reducing recidivism, the MNDOC used a quasi-experimental design with a historical comparison group. Offenders who participated in PRI were compared with a similar group of offenders who met the eligibility criteria and were released from MCF-Faribault during the 14 months preceding implementation of PRI to supervision in one of the two participating counties. Recidivism data were collected through the end of June 2010. As a result, the follow-up period ranged from 6 to 18 months, with an average of 12 months. Although this evaluation was unable to comprehensively track the provision of services and programming to offenders in both the PRI and comparison groups, data were collected on the extent to which offenders were able to obtain and maintain employment during the first year following release from prison.

Details: St. Paul, MN: Minnesota Department of Corrections, 2011. 32p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 11, 2011 at: http://www.doc.state.mn.us/publications/documents/PRIEvaluationReportFinal.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: United States

URL: http://www.doc.state.mn.us/publications/documents/PRIEvaluationReportFinal.pdf

Shelf Number: 122369

Keywords:
Ex-Offenders, Employment
Prisoner Reentry (Minnesota)
Recidivism
Rehabilitation
Vocational Education and Training

Author: Thalberg, Rebecca S.

Title: Family-Based Re-Entry Programming: A Promising Tool for Reducing Recidivism and Mitigating the Economic and Societal Costs of Incarceration in California

Summary: This paper explores the possibility of introducing family-based re-entry programming into California's correctional establishments as a means of facilitating an offender's successful transition from prison into society. Increasing the occurrence of successful reintegration will ultimately decrease the space constraints and costs associated with California's prison system and simultaneously work to mitigate the harmful collateral effects that imprisonment has on families and communities. After examining various models of family-based programming employed in other states, both short-term and long-term incorporation options are proposed, which are designed specifically to dovetail with California's existing structure. This proposal for gradual implementation incorporates the strongest components of the programs studied and is likely to result in higher success rates among offenders exiting prison.

Details: Stanford, CA: Stanford University, Criminal Justice Center, 2006. 48p.

Source: Internet Resource: Working Paper: Accessed August 11, 2011 at: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=976967

Year: 2006

Country: United States

URL: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=976967

Shelf Number: 122370

Keywords:
Costs of Criminal Justice
Families of Inmates
Prisoner Reentry (California)
Rehabilitation

Author: Officer, Kelly

Title: Offender Reentry Programs Preliminary Evaluation

Summary: Offender Reentry Programs in Oregon are funded through the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program to increase community-based services and resources to offenders transitioning from Oregon Department of Corrections (DOC) substance abuse and co-occurring residential treatment programs. The program was originally funded in four counties in Oregon over a two year period from April 1, 2009 to March 30, 2011. This preliminary evaluation of the Offender Reentry Programs includes program participants who were released from prison between May 2009 and September 2010. A comparable control group was composed of offenders who successfully completed substance abuse treatment while incarcerated at a DOC institution and were released to a program county before the Offender Reentry Program was implemented. Both arrest and charge outcomes were analyzed for this preliminary evaluation. The time from release for each offender is between four and 22 months, with an average of about 14 months. The analysis shows that offenders who participated in the Offender Reentry Program had a 33% drop in recidivism as measured by re-arrest compared to offenders who did not participate in the program. Participants in the program also show a 27% drop in recidivism as measured by overall charges and a 33% drop in recidivism as measured by felony charges. This preliminary evaluation shows that the Offender Reentry Program is effective at reducing recidivism and a follow-up evaluation with a longer time to recidivate and a larger sample size is planned.

Details: Salem, OR: Oregon Criminal Justice Commission, 2011. 11p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 16, 2011 at: http://www.oregon.gov/CJC/docs/Reentry_Eval_Final.pdf?ga=t

Year: 2011

Country: United States

URL: http://www.oregon.gov/CJC/docs/Reentry_Eval_Final.pdf?ga=t

Shelf Number: 122407

Keywords:
Prisoner Reentry (Oregon)
Recidivism
Rehabilitation

Author: Bellotti, Jeanne

Title: Examining a New Model for Prisoner Re-Entry Services: The Evaluation Of Beneficiary Choice

Summary: In July 2007, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), Employment and Training Administration created the Beneficiary Choice Program, a demonstration to help ex-offenders successfully enter and remain in the workforce and stay free of crime. DOL awarded five grantees a total of $10 million through two rounds of grants to serve approximately 450 participants each. To be eligible to receive services, ex-offenders had to be between the ages of 18 and 29, within 60 days after release of incarceration, and convicted of a federal or state crime. DOL contracted with Mathematica Policy Research to evaluate how the program unfolded over time. This report presents the findings of this evaluation. The evaluation was designed to describe the implementation of the program, the short-term outcomes of participants, and the costs of providing services. It 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., 2011. 138p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 16, 2011 at: http://www.dol.gov/asp/evaluation/reports/20110316.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: United States

URL: http://www.dol.gov/asp/evaluation/reports/20110316.pdf

Shelf Number: 122409

Keywords:
Ex-Offenders, Employment
Prisoner Reentry
Recidivism
Rehabilitation

Author: Rutgers University. Senator Walter Rand Institute for Public Affairs

Title: PRI-RE$PECT: 2006 Prisoner Re-Entry Project of NJ Department of Corrections: Final Evaluation Report

Summary: In 2006, The New Jersey Department of Corrections released approximately 14,000 prisoners. Release statistics show that the state’s poorer urban areas are burdened by a disproportionate amount of this population. Consequences of failure in reentry are of serious concern to policy-makers and all stakeholders determined to increase public safety and quality of life issues for residents. In the United States, two-thirds of the individuals released from prison are rearrested for the commission of a new crime within three years. Since 2002, the Senator Walter Rand Institute for Public Affairs has been working with the Camden Safer Cities Initiative to address issues of service delivery and offender accountability through increased communication and collaboration among city residents, law enforcement agencies, social service providers, and offender supervisory agencies. In 2007, WRI began work on evaluations of two prisoner reentry programs for the New Jersey Department of Corrections, Office of Transitional Services. The evaluations of these programs will measure impact in re-offense rates amongst a set of selected participants in the program.

Details: Camden, NJ: Senator Walter Rand Institute for Public Affairs, (no date). 91p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 16, 2011 at: http://wrand.rutgers.edu/pdf/publications/PRI-RE$PECT_FINAL_EVALUATION_REPORT.pdf

Year: 0

Country: United States

URL: http://wrand.rutgers.edu/pdf/publications/PRI-RE$PECT_FINAL_EVALUATION_REPORT.pdf

Shelf Number: 122410

Keywords:
Prisoner Reentry (New Jersey)
Recidivism
Rehabilitation

Author: Morissey, Michael E.

Title: A Description of the Employment Patterns of Persons Released from Virginia's Correctional Institutions Between July 1, 1998, and June 30, 2002

Summary: The 35,882 former offenders released by Virginia’s Department of Corrections during the period of July 1, 1998, through June 30, 2002, are profiled using data provided by Virginia’s Department of Corrections and Department of Correctional Education as well as the Virginia Employment Commission. Demographic characteristics of recidivating and non-recidivating former offenders released during this period, with subgroupings to include gender, race, age, employment status, earnings, employment stability, and educational completion, as defined in the operational definitions of the study, are detailed, and the researcher’s observations are noted.

Details: Blacksburg, VA: Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 2004. 110p.

Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed August 17, 2011 at: http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-09082004-155317/unrestricted/Morrissey_Dissertation.pdf

Year: 2004

Country: United States

URL: http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-09082004-155317/unrestricted/Morrissey_Dissertation.pdf

Shelf Number: 122421

Keywords:
Correctional Education
Ex-Offenders, Employment (Virginia)
Recidivism
Rehabilitation

Author: Van Stelle, Kit R.

Title: Evaluation of the Earned Release Program (ERP)

Summary: The Earned Release Program (ERP) is a residential substance abuse treatment program offering the incentive of early release to eligible non-violent offenders that complete the program. ERP is available to eligible male inmates at the Drug Abuse Correctional Center (DACC) located in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. ERP is available to eligible female inmates at the Robert E. Ellsworth Correctional Center (REECC) located in Union Grove, Wisconsin. The evaluation included documenting program implementation, analyses of program participant criminal recidivism after release, an examination of the effectiveness of the “reach-in” or re-entry component, and an examination of patterns in program termination and drop-out. A broad range of qualitative and quantitative methodologies were utilized to gather process and outcome data related to the implementation of ERP. Extensive assistance in collection of data for the evaluation was provided by DOC central office staff, ERP administrative and treatment staff, and Division of Community Corrections (DCC) agents and administrative staff. In addition, preliminary evaluation results and recommendations for improvement were provided to the Secretary of the Department of Corrections in a private briefing in August 2006.

Details: Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin, Population Health Institute, 2007. 62p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 22, 2011 at: http://uwphi.pophealth.wisc.edu/about/staff/vanstellek/erpFinalFullReport.pdf

Year: 2007

Country: United States

URL: http://uwphi.pophealth.wisc.edu/about/staff/vanstellek/erpFinalFullReport.pdf

Shelf Number: 122435

Keywords:
Drug Abuse Treatment (Wisconsin)
Drug Offenders
Early Release
Rehabilitation

Author: Van Stelle, Kit R.

Title: Progress Update on the Evaluation of the Earned Release Program (ERP)

Summary: The University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute was asked by the WI Department of Corrections to provide an evaluation of its Earned Release Program (ERP). The examination of ERP began on March 1, 2006 and will conclude on December 31, 2007. A comprehensive report detailing the findings of the process and outcome evaluation was submitted to the Department in January 2007 and finalized in February 2007. The report also contained numerous recommendations for program improvement. Former Secretary Matthew Frank ordered the creation of an ERP Action Plan to address each recommendation made in the report. The current report summarizes progress toward the development and implementation of the ERP Action Plan since February 2007.

Details: Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin, Population Health Institute, 2007. 34p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 22, 2011 at: http://uwphi.pophealth.wisc.edu/about/staff/vanstellek/erpProgressUpdateFullReport.pdf

Year: 2007

Country: United States

URL: http://uwphi.pophealth.wisc.edu/about/staff/vanstellek/erpProgressUpdateFullReport.pdf

Shelf Number: 122436

Keywords:
Drug Abuse Treatment (Wisconsin)
Drug Offenders
Early Release
Rehabilitation

Author: Gojkovic, Dina

Title: Scoping the Involvement of Third Sector Organisations in the Seven Resettlement Pathways for Offenders

Summary: The role of the third sector in the resettlement of offenders has become a prominent issue in recent years, and is increasingly recognised as being essential to efforts to reduce re-offending. A reasonable amount of knowledge already exists about public sector organisations which engage in work with offenders through the seven ‘pathways’ of resettlement: accommodation; education, employment and training; health; drugs and alcohol; finance, benefit and debt; children and families; and attitudes, thinking and behaviour. Determining the number and nature of third sector organisations involved in work with offenders is more complex. This paper aims to map out the landscape and extent of third sector involvement in the resettlement of offenders, with a specific focus on the seven pathways. Using existing datasets, it looks at the properties of third sector organisations working with offenders, more specifically their size, number, geographic area of operation and total income. It is estimated that nearly 20,000 third sector organisations work with offenders in England and Wales, and that they rely predominantly on public sector funding for survival. Compared to the figures for all third sector organisations there is over representation of organisations providing accommodation services, health care and family-support services to offenders. The implications of these and other findings are also discussed.

Details: Birmingham, UK: Third Sector Research Centre, University of Birmingham, 2011. 24p.

Source: Internet Resource: Working Paper 57: Accessed August 23, 2011 at: http://www.tsrc.ac.uk/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=JnJy2cVtYx0%3d&tabid=500

Year: 2011

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://www.tsrc.ac.uk/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=JnJy2cVtYx0%3d&tabid=500

Shelf Number: 122468

Keywords:
Collaboration
Offenders
Partnerships
Prisoner Reentry (U.K.)
Rehabilitation

Author: California State University, San Bernardino. Center for the Study of Correctional Education

Title: Service Provision for Inmate/Parolee Families: A Review of the Literature

Summary: This paper reviews research illustrating the need for working with children and families of incarcerated adults and provides a set of recommendations for best practices in addressing this population.

Details: San Bernadino, CA: Center for the Study of Correctional Education, 2009. 11p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 26, 2011 at: http://coe.csusb.edu/programs/correctionalEd/documents/Service_Provis.pdf

Year: 2009

Country: United States

URL: http://coe.csusb.edu/programs/correctionalEd/documents/Service_Provis.pdf

Shelf Number: 122553

Keywords:
Children of Prisoners
Families of Inmates
Prisoner Reentry
Rehabilitation

Author: Leicht, Christine

Title: Chattanooga Endeavors Building Bridges Program Evaluation: Outcomes Report

Summary: The primary purpose of the Building Bridges program was to increase the likelihood that offenders released into the Chattanooga/Hamilton County area of Tennessee would avoid re-arrest and re-incarceration by obtaining meaningful employment. The program was based on the idea that it takes time for ex-offenders to become reintegrated into their community and that they need support throughout the process. The program attempted to support clients by improving the community's capacity to accept ex-offenders while increasing client ability to contribute to society. This outcome evaluation focused on the following three research questions using a quasi-experimental design with a comparison group: Does the program have an effect on recidivism?; Does the program have an effect on employment?; and Does the program have an effect on successful supervision?

Details: Unpublished report to the U.S. National Institute of Justice, 2007. 255p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 3, 2011 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/235576.pdf

Year: 2007

Country: United States

URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/235576.pdf

Shelf Number: 122637

Keywords:
Ex-Offenders, Employment
Parolee Supervision
Prisoner Reentry (Kentucky)
Recidivism
Rehabilitation

Author: Lutze, Faith E.

Title: Washington State's Reentry Housing Pilot Program Evaluation: Year 1 Report

Summary: These preliminary findings suggest that Washington State has successfully implemented the Reentry Housing Pilot Program (RHPP). When compared to the characteristics identified by national evaluations of successful reentry programs, the RHPP providers have identified the key components necessary to enhance the likelihood of success for high risk offenders reentering the community from prison or jail. Each pilot site combines wrap around services, treatment, and offender accountability with the provision of affordable and safe housing. This report provides descriptive findings for the first year of RHPP operation and a summary of the ongoing research plan.

Details: Pullman, WA: Washington State University, Criminal Justice Program, 2009. 34p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 3, 2011 at: http://www.commerce.wa.gov/DesktopModules/CTEDPublications/CTEDPublicationsView.aspx?tabID=0&ItemID=7077&MId=870&wversion=Staging

Year: 2009

Country: United States

URL: http://www.commerce.wa.gov/DesktopModules/CTEDPublications/CTEDPublicationsView.aspx?tabID=0&ItemID=7077&MId=870&wversion=Staging

Shelf Number: 122642

Keywords:
Ex-Offenders, Housing
Prisoner Reentry (Washington State)
Rehabilitation

Author: Evans, Michael

Title: Tracking Washington State Offenders Pilot Study: Do Education Programs Affect Employment Outcomes?

Summary: Substantial barriers to legal employment exist for former prison offenders after their release, such as finding a job with a livable wage and keeping the job are also more difficult due to their previous criminal histories and lower education levels compared to the general population. However, offenders participating in academic degree programs from Walla Walla Community College were employed at 25.5 percent level one year after release in 2009 compared to 15.7 percent of offenders with similar demographic characteristics, and recidivated at a lower rate (19.6 percent compared to 36 percent, respectively). Holding a job is an important signal that the individual is moving toward a crime-free life. Not only are these individuals working and crime-free, they are also taxpayers and consumers who help the local economies grow.

Details: Olympia, WA: Washington State Department of Corrections, 2011. 13p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 16, 2011 at: http://www.doc.wa.gov/aboutdoc/measuresstatistics/docs/EmploymentEducation.docx

Year: 2011

Country: United States

URL: http://www.doc.wa.gov/aboutdoc/measuresstatistics/docs/EmploymentEducation.docx

Shelf Number: 122759

Keywords:
Correctional Education
Ex-Offenders, Employment
Prisoner Reentry (Washington State)
Recidivism
Rehabilitation

Author: Haas, Stephen M.

Title: The Impact of Correctional Orientation on Support for the Offender Reentry Initiative

Summary: Over 600,000 prisoners are released from prisons and jails each year in the US. Of these released prisoners, approximately two-thirds will be reincarcerated within three years of their release. The sheer number of offenders admitted and released from correctional institutions each year, coupled with statistics on recidivism among released offenders, has renewed interest in offender reentry and reintegration programming across the nation and here at home. As a result, West Virginia recently implemented a comprehensive strategy designed to better prepare offenders for release from prison and assist them as they reintegrate back into their communities. Implemented in July 2004, the West Virginia Offender Reentry Initiative (WVORI) is designed to provide a continuum of reentry services to offenders as they transition from prison to the community. To better prepare prisoners for release and reintegration into the community, the West Virginia Division of Corrections (WVDOC) worked to develop and implement a comprehensive, new prescriptive case management system. The newly developed case management system incorporates the use of empirically-based offender assessment and classification tools as well as innovative prisoner programs and services. This report is the first in a series of research publications designed to convey the results of an ongoing process evaluation of the WVORI. The central purpose of the process evaluation is to systematically evaluate the WVORI in terms of both coverage and delivery. That is, to determine the extent to which the offender reentry initiative is reaching its intended target population and to assess the degree of congruence between the reentry program plan and actual service delivery. In short, this research is designed to ascertain the degree to which the WVORI has been fully implemented in accordance with the WV Offender Reentry Program Plan developed by the WVDOC. This first report focuses on one key aspect of program implementation — the level of support for the WVORI among WVDOC correctional staff. More specific, the research examines the influence of various demographic and employment characteristics as well as the impact of correctional staff attitudes and orientation on support for the WVORI. As a result, this report underscores the degree to which those who are charged with implementing the WVORI actually support it and sheds light on the factors that may shape correctional staff's level of support.

Details: Charleston WV: Mountain State Criminal Justice Research Services, 2005. 30p.

Source: Internet Resource: West Virginia Offender Reentry Initiative: Report 1: Accessed November 23, 2011 at: http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA/evaluation/program-corrections/wv-impact.pdf

Year: 2005

Country: United States

URL: http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA/evaluation/program-corrections/wv-impact.pdf

Shelf Number: 123429

Keywords:
Prisoner Reentry (West Virginia)
Recidivism
Rehabilitation
Reintegration

Author: Haas, Stephen M.

Title: Implementation of the West Virginia Offender Reentry Initiative: An Examination of Staff Attitudes and the Application of the LSI-R

Summary: Preparing prisoners for release continues to be of utmost importance to many jurisdictions in the United States. This is partly due to a sustained increase in prison populations across the country. Over the past decade, the number of persons incarcerated in U.S. prisons and jails rose from 1.6 million in 1995 to over 2.1 million persons by midyear 2005 (Harris and Beck, 2006). A consequence to this growth has been a greater number of inmates being released from correctional facilities each year. Although admissions to state correctional facilities continue to outpace releases, there has been a sustained increase in the number of prisoners released over the past several decades. Moreover, according to figures released by the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), this trend has continued since 2000. In a recent BJS publication on incarceration, Harris and Beck (2006) report that 672,202 prisoners were released from state prisons in 2004, up from 604,858 in 2000. This translates into an increase of 11.1% in the number of inmates released from state prisons over this five year period. Moreover, it is estimated that roughly half of all these prisoners will be reincarcerated within three years of their release (Langan and Levin, 2002). West Virginia has contributed to the national trend in prison population growth over the past decade. In fact, WV had one of the fastest growing prison populations in the nation in recent years. According to a recent report published by the BJS, WV was ranked third in the nation with an average annual growth rate of 8.2% between 1995 and 2004 (Harrison and Beck, 2005; 2006). As a result, WV's state prison population reached 5,312 inmates at the end of 2005. Moreover, the state's prison population is forecasted to continue growing at a rate of 3.2% per a year on average, reaching 6,010 inmates in 2009. As the prison population in WV continues to grow, the need for effective reentry programming and postrelease supervision becomes even more salient. This is primarily due to the large number of serious, highrisk offenders being released into communities across the state every year. In 2005, the Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) estimated that 2,157 inmates were released from WVDOC custody, up from 1,278 in 2000. As a result, the state of WV experienced a 68.8% increase in the number of prisoners released from WVDOC custody between 2000 and 2005 (Lester and Haas, 2006). Such increases have led to a record number of offenders being released to parole supervision in the state. In a single year, the number of offenders released from WVDOC custody to parole services increased by 35.6%. Between 2004 and 2005, the number of inmates paroled in WV increased from 773 to 1,048 inmates. Thus, nearly one-half (48.6%) of the 2,157 inmates released from WVDOC custody in 2005 were released on parole (Lester and Haas, 2005). Additionally, with a recent increase in the number of parole board hearings as well as continued growth in the number of WVDOC commitments and admissions, these release trends are expected to continue for some time into the future. Against this backdrop, the WVDOC began implementing a new offender reentry program across the state in 2004. The West Virginia Offender Reentry Initiative (WVORI) provides a continuum of services to offenders as they transition from prison to the community. To provide a systematic mechanism for the delivery of transitional services, the WVDOC developed a new case management system that incorporates the use of empirically-based offender assessments as well as innovative prisoner programs and services. WVDOC's Prescriptive Case Management System (PCMS) is designed to enhance inmate readiness for release by prescribing institutional programming and transitional services based on the individual needs of offenders. WVDOC's approach to offender reentry is guided by a body of research that is generally known as the "what works" literature. This literature describes a series of evidence-based practices that have come to be known as the principles of effective correctional intervention. These principles identify various characteristics of effective treatment programs, including aspects of proper program implementation and service or treatment delivery. Moreover, this research views the assessment of offender risk and needs as the first step in identifying appropriate interventions and the development of effective treatment and supervision plans. As a result, the assessment of offender risk and needs serves as the foundation for the WVDOC's PCMS. However, the implementation of a new program is a complex endeavor — even if the new program is rooted in sound, evidence-based practices. Many barriers or impediments to implementation can come into play when an organization begins to launch a new initiative. In the implementation of any new program or approach, it is necessary to obtain agency-wide commitment. An organization must work to get staff buy-in and ensure that staff are adequately trained on the system and processes. In addition, it is critical that an agency ensure that staff can appropriately apply and implement the strategies or approaches that make up the new program (Street, 2004). Research has consistently shown that the proper implementation of programs is critical for achieving positive outcomes. For instance, those programs or interventions that depart substantially from the principles known to inform effective correctional programming are much less likely to observe reductions in recidivism (Hubbard and Latessa, 2004; Lowenkamp and Latessa, 2005; Wilson and Davis, 2006). As Rhine, Mawhorr, and Parks (2006: 348) point out, "If a program has been unable to adhere to the salient principles in a substantive meaningful way, the expectation of observing a significant decrease in reoffending is predictably diminished." Such departures include the failure to properly assess offenders using valid risk and needs assessments, the inability to maintain staff buyin or conformity to the new approach, and the inability to provide adequate training, monitoring and supervision of staff responsible for administering the program (Rhine et al., 2006). Given that staff such as case managers, counselors, and parole officers interact with prisoners on a daily basis, it is critical that they are supportive of new organizational initiatives and are adequately equipped to perform the tasks necessary for proper implementation. Research has consistently shown that staff have the capacity to influence the success or failure of any initiative undertaken by a correctional organization (Cameron and Wren, 1999; Flores, Russell, Latessa, and Travis, 2005; Cagan and Hewitt-Taylor, 2004; Moon and Swaffin-Smith, 1998). Thus, this process evaluation focuses on the impact of both staff attitudes and performance on the implementation of the WVORI. More specifically, this study examines two factors known to influence the successful implementation of programs — the attitudes of correctional staff and the reliable and valid application of offender risk and needs assessments to inform case planning and programming decisions.

Details: Charleston, WV: Mountain State Criminal Justice Research Services, 2006. 44p.

Source: Internet Resource: West Virginia Offender Reentry Initiative: Report II: Accessed November 23, 2011 at: http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA/evaluation/program-corrections/wv-implementation.pdf

Year: 2006

Country: United States

URL: http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA/evaluation/program-corrections/wv-implementation.pdf

Shelf Number: 123430

Keywords:
Corrections Officers
Prisoner Reentry
Rehabilitation
Reintegration

Author: Haas, Stephen M.

Title: The Use of Core Correctional Practices in Offender Reentry: The Delivery of Service Delivery and Prisoner Preparedness for Release

Summary: The substantial increase in incarceration in West Virginia and across the nation over the past two decades has turned the attention of policymakers toward the consequences of releasing large numbers of prisoners back into society. As prison populations continue to rise, more and more offenders are making the transition from prison to the community every day. The U.S. prison population continues to grow at startling rates each year. According to a recent publication released by the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), the number of persons incarcerated in U.S. prisons and jails reached a record high of 2,186,230 inmates by midyear 2005 (Harrison and Beck, 2006). This record number of persons in our nation’s prisons and jails has resulted in more prisoners than ever before being released from incarceration. In 2004, 672,202 sentenced inmates were released from state prisons in the U.S., resulting in an increase of 11.1% since 2000 (Harrison and Beck, 2006). WV has also experienced tremendous growth in the number of inmates confined in state correctional facilities. Between 1995 and 2005, WV had the second fastest growing prison population in the nation. As of December 2005, WV’s correctional population was over two and one-half times its size in 1993 (Lester and Haas, 2006). At the end of 2006, a record 5,312 prisoners comprised WV’s state correctional population. With the ever growing prison population, however, there is increased pressure on the part of prison administrators and parole board members to get offenders out of custody and into the community. As a consequence, this has led to a greater number of releases and has further highlighted the need to identify effective reentry strategies and services. Both parole grant rates and the number of prisoners being released from state prisons in WV have increased in recent years. Between 2004 and 2005, there was a 10.0% increase in the number of cases being granted parole, which was the largest percent increase in parole grant rates since 2000 (Lester and Haas, 2006). The growth in the prison population, coupled with the increase in parole grant rates, has resulted in many more prisoners being released into our communities. In fact, in the first half of this decade the number of prisoners released from WVDOC custody increased by 68.8%, from 1,336 inmates released in 2000 to 2,157 in 2005 (Lester and Haas, 2006). The sheer number of WV prisoners reentering society has further underscored the need for effective transitional services. Prior research has shown that upon release from prison, these ex-offenders will encounter many barriers to successful reintegration as they try to reenter society. These barriers to reentry can manifest themselves in seemingly basic or practical needs of offenders (e.g., having social security cards reissued, obtaining a driver’s license, securing social or veteran benefits, etc.) or more arduous problems associated with mental illness or substance abuse issues. Unfortunately, the extent to which offenders are successful in dealing with these known barriers to reintegration will ultimately determine whether or not they will return to the criminal justice system. As a result, the West Virginia Division of Corrections (WVDOC) developed a comprehensive offender reentry program with the anticipation that it would significantly reduce the number of barriers that offenders will have to face upon release and thereby increase their chances for successful reintegration. The West Virginia Offender Reentry Initiative (WVORI) is designed to provide a continuum of reentry services to offenders as they transition from prison to the community. Similar to other reentry programs, a key aspect of the WVORI is its focus on providing transitional services to inmates preparing for release. While offender reentry services begin as the inmate is admitted into the institution, this report centers on the community-based transition phase. During the transitional phase of the WVORI, correctional staff work closely with each other and the inmate to provide prerelease services in an effort to prepare the offender for release while identifying available community resources and programs to address the individual offender’s needs after release. Thus, a central purpose of the current study is to examine the extent to which these services are reaching a sample of prisoners nearing release. As part of a broader process evaluation, however, this report is equally interested in examining the quality of services that are being provided to inmates. While many researchers rush to examine whether reentry programs will lead to reductions in recidivism, there is also an enduring need to study whether these programs are being delivered in a manner that can be expected to work (i.e., reduce recidivism). Indeed, there is a growing body of research which illustrates that how things are done may be as important as what is done. In fact, emerging empirical evidence suggests that how correctional services are delivered can have a substantive effect on offender outcomes (Leschied, 2000). Accordingly, this report also examines how reentry services are being delivered to a sample of soon-to-be-released prisoners.

Details: Charleston, WV: Mountain State Criminal Justice Research Services, 2007. 46p.

Source: Internet Resource: West Virginia Offender Reentry Initiative: Report III: Accessed November 23, 2011 at:

Year: 2007

Country: United States

URL:

Shelf Number: 123431

Keywords:
Prisoner Reentry
Rehabilitation
Reintegration

Author: Neal, Rosemary A.

Title: URICA: Assessing Readiness to Change among Male Offenders at Intake

Summary: The University of Rhode Island Change Assessment (URICA) is a self-assessment tool designed to measure the level of an individual's motivation to modify their behavior as they progress through a process known as the stages of change. In the present study, the stages of change included precontemplation, contemplation, action, and maintenance phases. This research investigated the readiness to change behavior among male offenders at intake at the Oregon Department of Corrections based on the stages of change approach.

Details: Monmouth, OR: Western Oregon University, 2011. 54p.

Source: Internet Resource: Master's Essay: Accessed November 29, 2011 at: http://www.oregon.gov/DOC/RESRCH/docs/URICA.pdf?ga=t

Year: 2011

Country: United States

URL: http://www.oregon.gov/DOC/RESRCH/docs/URICA.pdf?ga=t

Shelf Number: 123459

Keywords:
Correctional Programs
Inmates
Offenders (Oregon)
Prisoners
Rehabilitation

Author: Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission

Title: Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission Youth Reentry Improvement Report

Summary: An essential measurement of any juvenile “reentry” system is whether youth returning from incarceration remain safely and successfully within their communities. By this fundamental measure, Illinois is failing. While precise data is difficult to come by (itself an indication of our current reentry shortcomings), it is clear that well over 50 percent of youth leaving Department of Juvenile Justice (“DJJ”) facilities will be reincarcerated in juvenile facilities; many others will be incarcerated in the adult Department of Corrections (“DOC”) in the future. The costs of failure are catastrophic for the young people in the state’s care, for their families, and for our communities. The financial costs of this failing system are staggering as well: The Illinois Auditor General estimates that incarceration in a DJJ “Youth Center” cost $86,861 per year, per youth in FY10.1 Worse, the juvenile justice system is, in many ways, the “feeder system” to the adult criminal justice system and a cycle of crime, victimization and incarceration. Today, nearly 50,000 people are incarcerated in Illinois prisons at an immediate annual cost to the state of well over $1 billion.2 The economic ripple effect of incarceration inflates taxpayer costs even more.3 In human terms, we must do better for our young people and our communities. In fiscal terms, we simply cannot afford to continue business as usual. There is good news: Young people are capable of tremendous positive change and growth and—with the right support, supervision and services—youth leaving DJJ facilities can become valued assets in our communities. In addition, there is burgeoning knowledge in Illinois and beyond about adolescent brain development, effective communitybased supervision and services, and “what works” with young offenders. Perhaps most importantly, there is growing leadership and commitment in Illinois to do what is necessary to ensure that young people leaving the state’s custody return home safely and successfully. This report provides the findings and recommendations of the Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission, as required by the Youth Reentry and Improvement Law of 2009, 20 ILCS 505/17a-5(5.1), to realize this vision of safe communities, positive outcomes for our youth, and responsible use of public resources.

Details: Springfield, IL: Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission, 2011. 80p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 17, 2012 at: http://www.dhs.state.il.us/OneNetLibrary/27896/documents/By_Division/DCHP/RFP/IJJC_YouthRentryImprovement.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: United States

URL: http://www.dhs.state.il.us/OneNetLibrary/27896/documents/By_Division/DCHP/RFP/IJJC_YouthRentryImprovement.pdf

Shelf Number: 123636

Keywords:
Juvenile Offenders (Illinois)
Recidivism, Juveniles
Reentry, Juvenile Offenders
Rehabilitation

Author: Jolliffe, Darrick

Title: Re-offending Analysis of Women Offenders Referred to Together Women (TW) and the Scope to Divert from Custody

Summary: Together Women was a community-based holistic intervention aimed at socially excluded women who were ‘offenders’ (with a recent or past criminal conviction) or ‘at risk’ of offending, although neither category was prescriptively defined. Issues about data monitoring, the definitions of needs and outcomes which were highlighted in previous reports continued to hamper a robust evaluation of TW meaning only a limited quantitative assessment of the impact of TW could be undertaken. The results suggested that there was no difference in the prevalence or frequency of proven re-offending among women referred to TW and comparable women who were supported by the Probation Service. These findings should be interpreted cautiously given the limited number of TW service users identified (as a proportion of those referred), the limited number of TW service users recorded as having received support from TW, and the reliance on criminal records data to equate the TW and comparison group. Interviews with sentencers, particularly magistrates, suggested that while most considered TW to be a useful supplement to the range of non-custodial options, its availability rarely influenced the decision to divert from custody. There was some evidence that this could change if TW was used as a specified activity on a community order. However, some sentencers thought this would undermine the essential TW ethos of empowering women to take control of their lives.

Details: London: Ministry of Justice, 2011. 54p.

Source: Internet Resource: Ministry of Justice Research Series 11/11: Accessed January 18, 2012 at: http://www.justice.gov.uk/downloads/publications/research-and-analysis/moj-research/women-offenders-referred-together-women.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://www.justice.gov.uk/downloads/publications/research-and-analysis/moj-research/women-offenders-referred-together-women.pdf

Shelf Number: 123655

Keywords:
Alternatives to Incarceration
Community Based Corrections
Diversion
Female Offenders (U.K.)
Recidivism
Rehabilitation

Author: Reichert, Jessica

Title: Community Re-entry After Prison Drug Treatment: Learning from Sheridan Therapeutic Community Program Participants

Summary: The Sheridan Correctional Center National Model Drug Prison and Reentry Program is a drug treatment program providing in-prison substance abuse treatment as well as substance abuse treatment upon release. Prior research has shown reductions in recidivism among Sheridan participants compared to other prisoners. This study examined a group of 50 re-incarcerated men who successfully completed the in-prison phase of the Sheridan program and what led to their re-incarceration. Among this sample, positive findings about the Sheridan program and its participants include: • Sixty-two percent stated they were Very engaged in the Sheridan program. • Slightly more than half (60 percent) felt Sheridan prepared them for success after release. • Over three-fourths (76 percent) indicated they had a job at some point after graduating Sheridan and before their re-incarceration. • A majority (84 percent) reported having little difficulty in finding housing. • Most (86 percent) said Sheridan helped them more than a traditional prison. Other notable findings include: • On average, Sheridan graduates in this study spent 738 days (about two years) in the community before returning to IDOC. The range was 40 to 2,096 days (over five-and-a-half years). • A majority of the men in our sample (90 percent) relapsed into drug or alcohol use after their release from Sheridan. • Slightly more than half (56 percent) of the sample reported they had illegal sources of income. • Sixty-eight 68 percent stated drug dealing was common in the neighborhood they lived in after release. This study found many factors associated with length of time to relapse to drug or alcohol use and recidivism (self-reported criminal activity or re-incarceration) including: • Younger participants engaged in criminal activity and relapsed sooner than older participants. Younger participants also reported being less engaged in the Sheridan program than older participants. • After prison, those who returned to their original neighborhood relapsed sooner than those who did not return to their original neighborhood. • Unemployed participants engaged in criminal activity sooner than employed participants. • Those living in neighborhoods that were perceived as unsafe and/or where drug dealing was common relapsed sooner than those living in safer, lower-risk neighborhoods. • Those who reported spending time with persons who engage in risky activities—substance use and/or criminal activity—relapsed sooner than those who did not spend time with persons engaging in risky activities. • Those with gang involvement engaged in criminal activity and relapsed sooner. • Those who did not complete aftercare engaged in criminal activity and relapsed sooner than those who did complete aftercare.

Details: Chicago: Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, 2012. 87p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 19, 2012 at: http://www.icjia.org/public/pdf/ResearchReports/Reentry_Sheridan_Report_012012.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: United States

URL: http://www.icjia.org/public/pdf/ResearchReports/Reentry_Sheridan_Report_012012.pdf

Shelf Number: 123667

Keywords:
Aftercare
Correctional Programs
Drug Offenders
Drug Treatment
Prisoner Reentry (Illinois)
Recidivism
Rehabilitation

Author: Iganski, Paul

Title: Rehabilitation of hate crime offenders

Summary: In October 2010 the Equality Act came into force which, among the new general duties it places on public bodies, requires public authorities to take action to “promote understanding” and “tackle prejudice”. The duty on a public body to reduce prejudice can be seen to include working with those people in the community whose prejudice has an impact both on them and the people around them and therefore applies to the area of criminal justice and ‘hate crime’ offenders. However, despite the growing attention and interest in hate crime, there is a clear need for a shared learning about how to effectively manage offenders. This report aims to provide a contribution to that learning by presenting a research review of some of the initiatives that have been established. The aims of the research were to: identify, from an international search, programmes designed for the rehabilitation of hate crime offenders; determine the transferability of programmes, or elements of them, for practice learning in the UK; make recommendations for the design and delivery of rehabilitative programmes for hate crime offenders in the UK. The research drew on international knowledge and expertise to look for relevant programmes in North America, Australia and New Zealand, and Europe, as well as in the UK, and, when programmes were identified, sought more information wherever possible by visits and telephone contacts with those responsible for the programmes. No programmes were found in Australia, New Zealand or Canada. The programmes identified in the United States, most of which were aimed at young offenders, had mostly ceased to function, usually because of problems of funding. Programmes were, however, identified in Germany and Sweden, which – unlike programmes identified in the United Kingdom – are intended specifically for offenders who have or have had some contact with far-right racist groups. The UK programmes identified share with those in Europe a commitment to the acceptance and understanding, rather than the rejection and condemnation, of racially motivated offenders, and have shown that it is possible to work with them constructively while firmly conveying that racist attitudes and behaviour are not acceptable. On the basis of the research findings, and in the context of the 2010 Equality Act, a number of recommendations are made for the design and delivery of programmes for the rehabilitation of hate crime offenders in the UK.

Details: Scotland: Equality and Human Rights Commission, 2011. 56p.

Source: Research Report. Internet Resource: Accessed on January 26, 2012 at http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/uploaded_files/Scotland/Research/rehabilitation_of_hate_crime_offenders_report_word_for_web_2_.doc

Year: 2011

Country: International

URL: http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/uploaded_files/Scotland/Research/rehabilitation_of_hate_crime_offenders_report_word_for_web_2_.doc

Shelf Number: 123773

Keywords:
Bias Crime
Hate Crime
Homophobia
Offender Management
Racism
Rehabilitation

Author: Hall, Maximilian J.B.

Title: The Economic Efficiency of Rehabilitative Management in Young Offender Institutions in England and Wales

Summary: This paper analyses the efficiency of English and Welsh Young Offender Institutions (YOIs) during the period 2007-08 to 2010-11 accounting for the fact that prisons can both promote good behaviour but also generate undesirable outcomes. With these problems in mind, a new non-parametric program is estimated that allows both good and undesirable outputs/outcomes to determine the ‘best practice’ YOIs, giving policy-makers a basis for implementing cost reductions within the Criminal Justice System by using the ‘best practice’ YOIs as a beacon for good management of public resources. Apart from identifying such ‘frontier’ institutions, we show that, although the smallest YOIs are typically the most efficient, the size-efficiency relationship is quite complicated. This calls into question the wisdom of building ‘titan’ prisons in England and Wales which, perversely, might decrease the efficiency of rehabilitating young offenders.

Details: Nottingham, UK: Nottingham University Business School, 2012. 40p.

Source: Internet Resource: NUBS Research Paper Series No. 2012-04: Accessed February 27, 2012 at: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1992468

Year: 2012

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1992468

Shelf Number: 124284

Keywords:
Costs of Criminal Justice
Juvenile Corrections
Juvenile Detention
Juvenile Justice
Juvenile Offenders (U.K.)
Rehabilitation

Author: Ryan, Meghan J.

Title: Breakthrough Science and the New Rehabilitation

Summary: Breakthroughs in pharmacology, genetics, and neuroscience are transforming how society views criminals and thus how society should respond to criminal behavior. Although the criminal law has long been based on notions of culpability, science is undercutting the assumption that offenders are actually responsible for their criminal actions. Further, scientific advances have suggested that criminals can be changed at the biochemical level. The public has become well aware of these advances largely due to pervasive media reporting on these issues and also as a result of the pharmaceutical industry’s incessant advertising of products designed to transform individuals by treating everything from depression to sexual dysfunction. This public familiarity with and expectation of scientific advances has set into motion the resurrection of the penological theory of rehabilitation that has lain dormant since the mid-1970s. The New Rehabilitation that is surfacing, however, differs in form from the rehabilitation of the earlier era by effecting change through biochemical interventions rather than through attempting to change an offender’s character. This raises novel concerns about this New Rehabilitation that must be examined in light of the science that has sparked its revival.

Details: Unpublished, 2010. 51p. Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2019368 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2019368

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 20, 2012 at http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2019368

Year: 9368

Country: United States

URL: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2019368

Shelf Number: 124608

Keywords:
Criminal Psychology
Drugs and Crime
Rehabilitation
Sentencing
Sentencing Reform

Author: California State Auditor. Bureau of State Audits

Title: California Prison Industry Authority: It Can More Effectively Meet Its Goals of Maximizing Inmate Employment, Reducing Recidivism, and Remaining Self-Sufficient

Summary: This review of the California Prison Industry Authority (CALPIA) revealed the following: * It cannot determine its impact on post‑release inmate employability because it lacks reliable data. * It is unable to match parolees’ social security numbers from the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s (Corrections) information system to employment data from the Employment Development Department. * In attempting to use another of Corrections’ databases to track employment data, we noted it contained numerous errors— we found more than 33,000 instances of erroneous parolee employer information. »»Although CALPIA created a set of comprehensive performance indicators, several of these indicators are either vague or not measurable. * Since 2004 it has introduced only a modest number of new revenue‑generating enterprises while it has closed, deactivated, or reduced the capacity of six enterprises at 10 locations throughout the State. * Although CALPIA prepared pricing analyses to support its product-pricing decisions, it did not document the basis for how it determines profit margins and in some instances, we found no analysis of market considerations.

Details: Sacramento: California State Auditor, 2011. 66p.

Source: Internet Resource: Report 2010-118: Accessed April 2, 2012 at: http://www.bsa.ca.gov/pdfs/reports/2010-118.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: United States

URL: http://www.bsa.ca.gov/pdfs/reports/2010-118.pdf

Shelf Number: 124791

Keywords:
Inmate Labor
Prison Industries (California)
Prison Labor
Recidivism
Rehabilitation

Author: Minnesota. Department of Corrections

Title: An Outcome Evaluation of the InnerChange Freedom Initiative in Minnesota

Summary: This study evaluated the effectiveness of the InnerChange Freedom Initiative (InnerChange), a faith-based prisoner reentry program, by examining recidivism outcomes among 732 offenders released from Minnesota prisons between 2003 and 2009. Results from the Cox regression analyses revealed that participating in InnerChange significantly reduced reoffending (rearrest, reconviction, and new offense reincarceration), although it did not have a significant impact on reincarceration for a technical violation revocation. The findings further suggest that the beneficial recidivism outcomes for InnerChange participants may have been due, in part, to the continuum of mentoring support some offenders received in both the institution and the community. The results imply that faith-based correctional programs can reduce recidivism, but only if they apply evidence-based practices that focus on providing a behavioral intervention within a therapeutic community, addressing the criminogenic needs of participants, and delivering a continuum of care from the institution to the community. Given that InnerChange relies heavily on volunteers and program costs are privately funded, the program exacts no additional costs from the State of Minnesota. Yet, because InnerChange lowers recidivism, which includes reduced reincarceration and victimization costs, the program may be especially advantageous from a cost-benefit perspective.

Details: St. Paul, MN: Minnesota Department of Corrections, 2012. 43p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 3, 2012 at: http://www.doc.state.mn.us/publications/documents/2-12-DOC_IFI_Evaluation.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: United States

URL: http://www.doc.state.mn.us/publications/documents/2-12-DOC_IFI_Evaluation.pdf

Shelf Number: 125859

Keywords:
Cost-Benefit Analysis
Faith-Based Correctional Programs
Mentoring
Prisoner Reentry
Recidivism
Rehabilitation
Religion

Author: Ipsos MORI

Title: Evaluation of the London Youth Reducing Re-offending Programme (Daedalus). Interim report – process evaluation

Summary: There has been a long history of studies within the UK highlighting the impact of custodial regimes on the resettlement needs of young people. For example, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons and the Youth Justice Board’s (YJB) joint report, ‘Children and Young People in Custody 2008-2009’ (2010), examined young people’s views on what would help them once released from custody. The report found that there were a number of issues surrounding the extent to which young people felt prepared for release. Only 37% of young people felt they had done anything while in custody that would make them less likely to offend in the future, compared with 42% in the previous reporting period. In terms of being prepared for their release, only 45% believed they had done something useful during their time in custody that would help them get a job, while even fewer said they had spoken to someone about going back into education or had received help in finding accommodation (37% and 23% respectively). The report highlighted the need for more resettlement work around finding employment for young people once leaving custody: 73% felt that getting a job would be the experience most likely to prevent them from re-offending in the future, yet only a quarter (23%) had a job to go to on release. However, studies have also shown that when additional focus is placed on care, treatment and through-care, the outcomes for young offenders can be notably improved. For example, in 1992, Ditchfield and Catan compared the regimes of Young Offender Institutions (YOIs) and Local Authority Secure Units (LASUs) and found that young people in LASUs had lower rates of reconviction. They attributed this directly to the focus of LASUs on care and treatment, compared with the security or control ethos in YOIs. In 1991 and 1996, Professor Gwyneth Boswell also conducted research which compared the experiences of Section 53 offenders in two high-quality Youth Treatment Centres (which have subsequently closed) with those in YOIs, and reached similar conclusions to Ditchfield and Catan. In 2003, she also carried out an evaluation of the effectiveness of the regimes for Section 90/91 young people at Feltham YOI and at the enhanced Carlford Unit at Warren YOI. The Carlford Unit was found to address the criminogenic needs of the young offenders, due primarily to the injection of extra resources which were used in part to develop a wide range of activities and educational opportunities for those in custody. However, much of the resettlement research to date lacks sufficient information on statistical effectiveness. Additionally, studies have tended to examine the experiences of those aged 18 years or older, and not the youth justice population. Where information is available about young people, it is limited and relates to very small numbers. In light of the impact that focused resettlement work has been shown to have on young offenders, there are several projects currently being under-taken in London. The London Criminal Justice Partnership (CJP) is carrying out a Criminal Justice System (CJS) youth review with support from the Mayor’s office and the YJB. This is a review of the Criminal Justice System relating to young people across London. The review looks at the end-to-end ‘journey’ for young people within the criminal justice system, identifying key points of interaction within the system and the process improvements that are most likely to contribute to public safety, reducing re-offending, and helping young people realise a positive future. The review commenced in June 2010 and a final report was produced in February 2011, with the aim of making practical recommendations on how to shape and inform the future direction of CJS youth strategies in London and how to deliver better co-ordination of activity.

Details: London: Ipsos MORI, Social Research Institute, 2011. 100p.

Source: Internet Resource: accessed August 10, 2012 at: http://www.londoncjp.gov.uk/publications/ipsos_MORI_Interim_Report_Final_Version_20_04_2011_internal_use_only.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://www.londoncjp.gov.uk/publications/ipsos_MORI_Interim_Report_Final_Version_20_04_2011_internal_use_only.pdf

Shelf Number: 125949

Keywords:
Juvenile Justice System
Juvenile Offenders, Reentry (U.K.)
Re-Offending
Recidivism
Rehabilitation

Author: Vien, Anh

Title: An Investigation Into the Risk and Protective Factors Associated with Youth Offending

Summary: This thesis examines risk and protective factors associated with youth offending and how these have been applied to legislation, prevention and intervention. The first chapter provides an introduction to the thesis and reviews current trends in youth offending and approaches to treatment and interventions with young offenders. The second chapter provides a thematic review of the current literature on risk and protective factors to youth offending and how this has radically changed the Youth Justice System. The risk and protective factors paradigm is then applied to an empirical research study in the third chapter. The aim of which is to establish whether risk and protective factors are associated with young offenders completion or non-completion of a community based sentence. Findings from the empirical research study suggest that completers and non-completers of a community based programme differ in terms of their anger levels and their current educational status. The fourth chapter applies the risk and protective factors paradigm to a qualitative case study in order to demonstrate the intrinsic relationship between risk and protective factors and the applicability of the paradigm to interventions. Chapter five presents a critique of the Children’s Nowicki-Strickland Internal External (CNSIE) locus of control scale, as internal locus of control has been identified as protective factor to youth offending. However, findings from the empirical study and case study suggests that locus of control is not a protective factor for the current sample. Chapter six provides an in depth discussion of all the work completed in the thesis. The main conclusion derived from the thesis is identification of risk and protective factors associated with youth offending is relatively simple. However applying and implementing protective factors in intervention is much more difficult in reality. This has implications for future initiatives aimed at preventing youth offending.

Details: Birmingham, UK: Centre for Forensic and Family Psychology, School of Psychology, The University of Birmingham, 2009. 159p.

Source: Internet Resource: Thesis: Accessed September 1, 2012 at: http://etheses.bham.ac.uk/852/1/Vien10ForenPsyD.pdf

Year: 2009

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://etheses.bham.ac.uk/852/1/Vien10ForenPsyD.pdf

Shelf Number: 126219

Keywords:
At-risk Youth
Delinquency Prevention
Juvenile Offenders (U.K.)
Rehabilitation

Author: Lloyd, Cheryl

Title: Monitoring and Evaluation of Intensive Intervention Projects for Young People

Summary: A total of 20 Intensive intervention projects (IIPs) were set up in 2008 to work with young people aged 8 to 19 with the most complex needs. These projects applied the intensive family support model (formerly Family Intervention Projects) to address the behaviour and other problems of the young people. The key difference between an IIP and an intensive family intervention being that the primary focus was on the young person (rather than the whole family). Other family members, however, are included in an IIP where it is appropriate to address the inter-connectedness between the young person and other family members’ problems. This report presents the monitoring evidence of young people referred to an IIP between April 2009 and 21 January 2011. Key findings • As of 21 January 2011, 1,836 young people had been referred to an IIP. Of these, 61 per cent were accepted for an IIP and had a Contract in place; six per cent were put on a waiting list; and 33 per cent were turned down for an IIP. • Just under a half (49 per cent) of young people who had left an IIP were recorded by IIP staff as having successfully completed their intervention and achieved a positive outcome. A further 21 per cent of young people left the intervention because their circumstances had changed and they were no longer eligible for an IIP. Thirty per cent of young people either refused to continue working with an IIP themselves or their carer refused to allow them to continue. • Results for the 790 young people who had exited an IIP or been working with an IIP for at least eight months included in the outcomes analysis provide positive evidence of the success IIPs are having: 􀂾 60 per cent of young people had fewer crime and ASB issues between starting and leaving the IIP. 􀂾 65 per cent of young people and their families were reported by IIP staff to have improved the way their family functioned (by reducing disengagement between the young person and their family, addressing parenting issues or domestic violence) between the Contract and Exit stage. 􀂾 63 per cent of young people had reduced the number of their health risks recorded between the start and end of their IIP intervention. This included addressing mental health issues, drug or alcohol misuse as well as reducing the risk of becoming a teenage parent. 􀂾 Young people were least likely to address their education and employment issues. A total of 46 per cent of young people had reduced their education and employment issues between the Contract being put in place and leaving the intervention.

Details: London: Department for Education, 2011. 87p.

Source: Internet Resource: Research Report DFE-RR112: Accessed September 1, 2012 at: http://dera.ioe.ac.uk/3592/1/3592_DFE-RR112.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://dera.ioe.ac.uk/3592/1/3592_DFE-RR112.pdf

Shelf Number: 126224

Keywords:
At-Risk Youth (U.K.)
Delinquency Prevention
Intervention Programs
Rehabilitation

Author: James, Nalita

Title: Theatre As A Site for Learning: The Impact of Drama on the Development of Oracy Among Young Adult Offenders

Summary: This report documents the development of, and findings from, a nine month pilot project joint funded by the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) and Arts Council England. The project explored and evaluated the use of theatre as a site for learning, and the methods and processes of drama as ‘learning tools.’ Of particular interest was the impact of theatre and drama in supporting the personal and social development of young offenders, with particular emphasis on the development of oracy. The project was developed in response to the research gap in exploring the impact that drama and its creative processes can have on young adults at risk of offending, particularly in relation to oracy. Further, this project will explore the under-researched area of the role drama plays in young offenders’ resettlement. The project is situated within the current policy context, which seeks to reduce young adults’ exposure to risks of offending and re-offending, and simultaneously increase their social inclusion. A key strand of this policy development is the recognition of the potential of the arts to engage young adults and positively contribute to their personal and social development. Simultaneously, skills development particularly around literacy, language and numeracy is also seen as an effective response to (re)engaging young offenders with learning and education, and in contributing to a reduction in re-offending. Many art forms such as drama offer excellent opportunities for promoting expression and communication, and are increasingly being used as an explicit means of skills development among young offenders. The project team worked with two groups of young male offenders held in a prison estate in the East Midlands. The young men were aged between 16-25 and were either on remand or had been sentenced to custody at Glen Parva YOI, Leicester. A central element of the research project was engaging the young men in a dedicated ten-week drama programme run once a week in the custodial estate. A grid was created that enabled a shared comprehension and context within which the research team could reflect upon the demonstration and situational appearance of elements drawn from the speaking and listening framework within the Adult Literacy Core Curriculum. The findings demonstrated that:  Theatre provided the young men with an informal site for learning. It offered them an environment for learning that involved creativity, and enabled them to challenge preexisting behaviours, beliefs and experiences within a supported, inclusive and managed context.  The skills required to access the theatre making process are absolutely concerned with effective communication. The activities the young men were involved in during the drama sessions involved a rich diversity of opportunities to speak and listen.  The informality of theatre gave the young men an opportunity to invest themselves in a creative process of discovery; to identify with real situations and draw on their own personalities and experiences in shaping the drama scenes. The creative processes involved in drama provided an opportunity for the young men to shape their identity and skills by reinventing or drawing upon existing personal identities and life experiences.  The young men recognised that they were not just learning ‘how to be actors’, but also developing a range of other transferable skills and qualities.  The young men’s ‘journeys’ through the drama programme, and following the development of oracy, were never linear. Critically, the drama programme allowed them the time and space to reflect upon their own speaking and listening, as well as explore issues and experiences relevant to their own lives. This had introduced new perspectives and knowledge about themselves specifically in terms of what was achievable for them in employment and/or education, and also in attitudes and behaviour towards other people. In other words, the drama programme had acted as a ‘structural enabler’ in the young men’s learning transitions.  The artists’ role to facilitate and support the learning process as a ‘creative facilitator’ as opposed to being a ‘teacher’ was an important approach to learning that underpinned the drama programme, and one which the artists continually reflected upon, and evaluated as part of their practice.  The effectiveness of theatre as a site for learning, and the methods and processes of drama in developing the young men’s oracy and personal and social development, contributed to developing an understanding of the processes of their identity formation, and the transition pathways the young men took. This is evident in the (re)engagement of the young men in both the learning taking place throughout the drama programme and the future learning the young men could imagine for themselves.

Details: London: Arts Council and the Department for Education and Skills, 2006. 74p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 1, 2012 at: http://shop.niace.org.uk/media/catalog/product/d/r/drama-final-report.pdf

Year: 2006

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://shop.niace.org.uk/media/catalog/product/d/r/drama-final-report.pdf

Shelf Number: 126230

Keywords:
Arts in Prisons
Arts Programs (U.K.)
At-risk Youth
Rehabilitation
Theatre Programs
Young Adult Offenders

Author: Adams, Christine M. Shea

Title: Colorado Division of Criminal Justice Evaluation of the Colorado Short Term Intensive Residential Remediation Treatment (STIRRT) Programs

Summary: The Short Term Intensive Residential (STIRRT) program is intended to provide 14 days of residential substance abuse treatment designed to stabilize an individual and then provide outpatient, community-based services for six to nine months following discharge from the residential component. The program is offered at one of four Colorado locations: Arapahoe House (Denver), Crossroads Turning Point (Pueblo), Mesa County Community Corrections (Grand Junction), and Larimer County Community Corrections (Fort Collins). The program is considered a “last chance” for offenders who would otherwise go to prison. Those eligible include those referred by probation, parole, Treatment Alternatives to Street Crime (TASC), Denver Drug Court, and community corrections. This evaluation includes 1,324 individuals who participated in the STIRRT program between January 1, 2008 and June 30, 2009. FINDINGS • Most participants (91%) successfully completed the 14-day residential component of STIRRT. • Less than half (42.3%) of successful STIRRT discharges participated in the continuing care component of the program. • Recidivism, measured as new county or district court filing within 12 months of discharge from residential treatment, was approximately 25% regardless of participation in continuing care. This analysis included 296 individuals who participated in continuing care and were at risk of recidivating for 12 months. o In comparison, in FY 2008, 63.7% of community corrections clients (diversion and transition combine) successfully completed the program and 14.6% recidivated within 12 months.

Details: Denver, CO: Office of Research and Statistics, Division of Criminal Justice, Colorado Department of Public Safety, 2010. 41p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 4, 2012 at: http://cospl.coalliance.org/fedora/repository/co:8588/ps722r312010internet.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: United States

URL: http://cospl.coalliance.org/fedora/repository/co:8588/ps722r312010internet.pdf

Shelf Number: 126232

Keywords:
Alternatives to Incarceration
Drug Offenders
Rehabilitation
Residential Treatment Programs
Substance Abuse (Colorado)
Substance Abuse Treatment

Author: Roca

Title: Intervention Work with High-Risk Young People: Foundational Elements, Guiding Principles, Ideas, and Questions for Discussion A Report by Police Officers, Roca Youth Workers, and DYS Officials

Summary: The goal of this document is to provide a framework for intervention work with young people ages 14-24 who are currently involved in violence, delinquency, substance abuse, and other harmful behaviors. It is a collaborative effort of various individuals who currently work in the intervention field. This document is not meant to be completely comprehensive; rather, it is meant to initiate important dialogue regarding strategies for improving our work with high-risk young people. After reviewing the research and discussing intervention in depth, we believe that there are five core elements to intervention work. We believe that each of these core elements must be targeted and based on data, intentional and outcome focused, and long term. They also must be implemented by organizations that care about young people and believe they can change. The core elements are: a. Outreach and Youth Work: Young people need positive, constructive, purposeful, long-term relationships with caring and mature adults to help them change. b. Programming: Programming helps to develop necessary skills for the young person. Examples of programming include educational, employment, counseling, substance abuse treatment, parenting, and family support. The purpose of programming is to build competency that will drive the young person to reach his outcomes. c. Organizational Partnerships: Partnerships among community, police and criminal/juvenile justice are vital. Organizations, agencies, and departments that work with young people must do so in a coordinated manner. In order to be most effective, they must share information and responsibility. An “us versus them” mentality simply will not work. One organization/agency cannot provide all the necessary services to a young person. In order to have a coordinated and intentional response, partnerships are vital. d. Suppression: The formal criminal justice/juvenile justice system must be part of the intervention strategy in order to maintain community safety. e. Family and Community Involvement: When developing strategies, we must keep in mind the realities of the family and community structures within which young people live. Programs that involve families can be more effective than individualfocused strategies alone. When possible and sensible, families should be involved. Additionally, reducing the risk factors in the community as a whole is a desirable outcome in any large-scale intervention work.

Details: Chelsea, MA: Roca, 2009. 61p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 4, 2012 at: http://www.rocainc.org/doclibrary.php?doc_file=InterventionManual.pdf

Year: 2009

Country: United States

URL: http://www.rocainc.org/doclibrary.php?doc_file=InterventionManual.pdf

Shelf Number: 126235

Keywords:
At-Risk Youth (U.S.)
Delinquency Prevention
Juvenile Offenders
Rehabilitation

Author: Briggs, Sarah

Title: Offender Literacy and Attrition from the Enhanced Thinking Skills Programme

Summary: A sample of 39 offenders identified as having literacy problems was compared with a sample of 50 offenders for whom no literacy problems were identified. · The samples were broadly similar with respect to gender, ethnicity, history of breach, broad categories of index offence, and OGRS risk of reconviction scores. · Offenders with identified literacy problems were more likely to drop out at every stage between sentence and final completion of post programme psychometric tests · We can be at least 90% confident that there is a significant difference in programme retention between the literacy problems group and the control group. Confidence in the finding is enhanced by repeated observation of an apparent literacy problem effect at each of the stages observed. · There was also an effect of age on attrition, with younger offenders more likely to be retained. This enhances confidence in the finding of an effect of literacy problems, since the literacy problems group tended to be younger on average. · Psychometric test papers examined in the course of this research showed a consistent low level of literacy. This raises the question of whether systematic identification of literacy problems takes place, and whether the number of offenders with these problems is higher than we are currently aware.

Details: West Yorkshire, UK: West Yorkshire Probation, 2003. 10p.

Source: Internet Resource

Year: 2003

Country: United Kingdom

URL:

Shelf Number: 126243

Keywords:
Cognitive Skills
Education
Juvenile Offenders (U.K.)
Literacy
Probationers
Rehabilitation
Young Adult Offenders

Author: Mortimer, Rhian

Title: Risk Factors for Offending: A Developmental Approach

Summary: A plethora of research has been conducted to identify the risk and protective factors for offending in low-risk samples, particularly juveniles. However, to date this research has not extended to high security adult offenders who engage in serious offending behaviour, represent the most significant risk to society and are detained in conditions of high security. This thesis utilised previously researched risk factor models to identify how risk and protective factors develop throughout an individual’s lifespan, to increase the likelihood of following an offending pathway in adulthood. This thesis includes a systematic review and review of a psychometric tool, in addition to both an individual case study and a research paper, which identify specific factors relevant to types of high security offenders. The findings demonstrated that aggression and substance misuse were among the most common risk factors, which began in adolescence and continued into adulthood. Therefore, adult high security offenders could be partially retrospectively mapped onto established juvenile risk factor models, thus suggesting that the factors identified in high risk samples are primarily developmental in nature. Further qualitative and quantitative research is recommended to develop these findings; however tentative results demonstrate that interventions with at-risk adolescents may be beneficial in reducing the risk of future high security offenders. In conclusion, the findings support previous research, which suggests that experiences of increased risk factors in conjunction with few protective factors increases the likelihood of individuals being involved in offending behaviour. Therefore, pro-active and reactive measures should be targeted towards such at-risk individuals.

Details: Birmingham, UK: Centre for Forensic and Criminological Psychology, University of Birmingham, 2010. 228p.

Source: Internet Resource: Thesis: Accessed September 10, 2012 at: http://etheses.bham.ac.uk/415/1/Mortimer10ForenPsyD.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://etheses.bham.ac.uk/415/1/Mortimer10ForenPsyD.pdf

Shelf Number: 126279

Keywords:
Adult Offenders (U.K.)
At-risk Youth
Juvenile to Adult Criminal Careers
Recidivism
Rehabilitation
Risk Assessment

Author: Carpenter, Craig

Title: Young People and Desistance from Crime: Perspectives from New Zealand

Summary: This thesis examines the process by which young people stop, or „desist‟ from, criminal offending in New Zealand. It does so by presenting insights on desistance gained from observations and interviews with young ex-offenders and those who work closely with them. In doing so, it avoids the exaggerated responses to youth crime expressed in political rhetoric and the popular media, and instead focuses on factors that are deemed most valuable in desistance by those most involved. This primary research is presented in the context of the existing literature that establishes desistance as a process influenced by the interaction of multiple variables including individual, social, and structural factors. Analysis of structural factors highlights the need for young people, especially those who experience economic marginalisation or racial discrimination, to be provided with opportunities to change. While the current New Zealand youth justice system generally does well to limit the negative impact of formal system contact for young people, it is noted that the focus on individual plans and strategies fails to adequately address social relations and structural conditions that are integral to desistance processes. The results of this study show that young desisters have mainstream aspirations for stable employment and relationships. Key factors of desistance identified in this study include the influence of „growing up‟, family support and positive relationships. In other words, desistance from crime was the result of moving towards something positive in life. It is therefore argued that desistance is also more likely to be sustained with ongoing personal and social support. Rather than being passive victims of structural inequalities, or completely rational actors, this study found young desisters to be influenced by a combination of structural, social and individual factors. The ultimate recommendation is to enhance existing policy through wider strategies that address structural issues, such as poverty and unemployment, together with the development of social and cultural capital, so that desistance processes can be further encouraged in New Zealand‟s young offenders.

Details: Wellington, NC: Victoria University of Wellington, 2012. 122p.

Source: Internet Resource: Thesis: Accessed September 11, 2012 at: http://researcharchive.vuw.ac.nz/bitstream/handle/10063/2047/thesis.pdf?sequence=2

Year: 2012

Country: New Zealand

URL: http://researcharchive.vuw.ac.nz/bitstream/handle/10063/2047/thesis.pdf?sequence=2

Shelf Number: 126293

Keywords:
Desistance
Juvenile Offenders (New Zealand)
Rehabilitation
Young Adult Offenders

Author: Meadows, Linda

Title: Evaluation of the South Yorkshire Restorative Justice Programme

Summary: This is the final report of the evaluation of South Yorkshire Restorative Justice Programme (SYRJP), undertaken by the Hallam Centre for Community Justice at Sheffield Hallam University. The SYRJP was developed in partnership between South Yorkshire Police and the Local Criminal Justice Board (LCJB) with the aim of implementing a county wide model of Restorative Justice (RJ) for use in neighbourhood policing and other community applications. It is aimed at tackling low level crime and anti-social behaviour in neighbourhoods and gives police officers the discretion to use Youth and Adult Restorative disposals as an alternative to prosecution for low level offending behaviour where offenders have no previous convictions, make an admission of guilt and where both offender and victim consent to the RJ process. The first phase of implementation involved training 1700 front line police officers in the use of RJ disposals and the second phase delivered enhanced training in Restorative conferencing to 160 officers. The third phase is ongoing and has extended RJ into Hate Crime and Integrated Offender Management. Since the inception of the Programme in March 2010 until February 2012 a total of 3,357 RJ interventions have been undertaken across the County. The evaluation was primarily qualitative and involved: interviews with eight magistrates, 34 victims and 29 offenders and 10 police officers; observation/focus group activities in five community meetings; a survey of police staff, a community survey and two victim surveys. A quantitative element was added during the course of the evaluation and involved analysing the reconviction rates for a cohort of offenders who had received an RJ disposal and a comparator cohort. Findings from these activities are organised around three key themes: The RJ Model; the RJ Process and the Impact of RJ. The RJ Model currently in operation has changed from the model originally envisaged at the outset of the program. What has emerged is a continuum of approaches which incorporates Street/Instant RJ and RJ conferencing but also includes hybrid approaches which fall somewhere between the two. While there may be advantages to a more flexible and wider application of RJ, this is not without risk, including consistency and clarity of understanding amongst police officers. Overall, the concept of RJ is well embedded across the force and there were high levels of satisfaction with the relevance of the training and the level of skills it provided. Police officers were generally confident in the use of RJ and the empowering opportunity it provided for professional discretion. Senior level support was strong though issues were raised about levels of understanding amongst custody sergeants/inspectors who are involved in the decisions to use RJ. Use of conferencing is less well embedded and police officers identified a range of structural and cultural barriers which had impeded its use. Victims are positive about the processes surrounding RJ which were seen as straightforward. Victims felt that communication prior to becoming involved was clear and effective and they were positive about the support they received both during and after the event. Occasions were identified where the RJ process broke down which provide potential pointers for the future development of the programme.Victims were generally satisfied with the outcome of their involvement with RJ. They reported feeling empowered by their experience of RJ and indicated that it gave them a greater sense of control. Many also indicated that RJ had increased their confidence in the police force and that they felt that RJ had had a positive effect on the offender. There were some encouraging indications that offenders who had received an RJ disposal were less likely to be reconvicted than offenders who had received an alternative disposal. Though the results of the reconviction analysis were not statistically significant, they were close to the 0.1 level that is traditionally used as a guide. The qualitative fieldwork also supported these findings and indicated that RJ had had a significant impact on many of the offenders involved. The following key recommendations were indicated by the findings of the evaluation: - Communicating and embedding changes in the model to ensure greater consistency in the application of RJ- Additional training for inspectors/custody sergeants who make decisions about whether or not to proceed with RJ- Clarifying and potentially extending the role of PCSOs- for example in the administration of RJ processes, especially relating to RJ conferencing - Clarifying the role of RJ conferencing and addressing the structural and cultural inhibitors to its use - Developing a community communications strategy to increase awareness - Ensuring victims and offender understanding of the RJ process and effective communication throughout. - Developing guidance for police officers on appropriate compensation for victims - Clarifying processes relating to follow up and non-compliance. Redesigning guidance/processes/ paperwork to support the use of RJ with non-crimes - Refreshing guidance for police officers on the status of RJ disposals in enhanced CRB checks. - Conducting further reconviction analysis - Conducting further research into the costs/time taken for restorative conferencing.

Details: Sheffield, UK: Hallam Centre for Community Justice, Sheffield Hallam University, 2012 63p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 12, 2012 at: http://www.cjp.org.uk/publications/ngo/evaluation-of-the-south-yorkshire-restorative-justice-programme-17-08-2012/

Year: 2012

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://www.cjp.org.uk/publications/ngo/evaluation-of-the-south-yorkshire-restorative-justice-programme-17-08-2012/

Shelf Number: 126302

Keywords:
Alternatives to Incarceration
Antisocial Behavior
At-risk Youth
Juvenile Offenders
Rehabilitation
Restorative Justice (U.K.)

Author: Makwana, Bea

Title: Heretaunga Tiaki Tamariki Project: Outcome Evaluation

Summary: In 2002 Heretaunga Tiaki Tamariki project (HTT), based in Hastings was one of 14 community youth programmes selected nationally to reduce youth offending. The programme received $510,000 over three years. HTT is a community youth programme aimed at reducing repeat offending of high-risk young people aged between 11 and 17 years, and is located in the Flaxmere Police Station. The entry criteria required clients to have already offended; or to have come to police attention; to have truancy issues; and/or care and protection issues; and may experience substance abuse problems. There was a maximum of 5 families per caseworker, with an anticipated throughput of 15-20 clients per year. This outcome evaluation considers the effectiveness of HTT over three years, 2003-2005. During this time 26 clients aged between 11 and 16 years were accepted onto the programme; all but two identified as Mäori. This evaluation found: • the success of the case plans was dependant on both the level of engagement by the client and the types of goals that were set. • social and family environments are complex and the provision of holistic interventions is difficult. • there is a need to clarify the client’s responsibility within case plans, particularly in relation to educational outcomes and the reduction of offending and seriousness of offending. • overtime interagency collaboration improved and HTT had more visibility in the community. • the programme was not able to demonstrate a reduction in offending and seriousness of offending. A strength of HTT was being located in a local police station and the consequent relationships that were established. The programme also had qualified staff and comprehensive filing and review systems. However, there was room for HTT to promote greater client responsibility, and awareness of HTT as a programme within the community. More generally, the evaluation has noted that both Police and Ministry of Justice can improve their ongoing monitoring and support of community youth programmes, particularly in the initial implementation and training stages.

Details: Wellington, NZ: New Zealand Police, 2007. 79p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 12, 2012 at: http://www.police.govt.nz/resources/2007/heretaunga-tiaki-tamariki/heretaunga-tiaki-tamariki-project-outcome-evaluation.pdf

Year: 2007

Country: New Zealand

URL: http://www.police.govt.nz/resources/2007/heretaunga-tiaki-tamariki/heretaunga-tiaki-tamariki-project-outcome-evaluation.pdf

Shelf Number: 126304

Keywords:
At-risk Youth
Community Programs
Delinquency Prevention
Families
Interventions
Juvenile Offenders (New Zealand)
Rehabilitation
Truants

Author: Phillips, Liz

Title: Evaluation of the YJB Pilot Resettlement Support Panel Scheme

Summary: The Youth Justice Board (YJB) made funding available in July 2009 to enable six selected Youth Offending Teams (YOTs) in Wales to expand resettlement for young people aged 12 to 17 who are leaving custody. The funding is also aimed at preventing young people from entering custody in the first place. The pilot resettlement schemes are a new approach to addressing the issues faced by young people in custody. They fit in with the priorities of the All- Wales Youth Offending Strategy (AWYOS) Delivery Plan, in particular, reducing reoffending and the use of custodial sentences, and increasing effective resettlement. The pilot resettlement schemes are a new approach to addressing the issues faced by young people in custody. They fit in with the priorities of the All- Wales Youth Offending Strategy (AWYOS) Delivery Plan, in particular, reducing reoffending and the use of custodial sentences, and increasing effective resettlement. The RSPs’ main objective is to coordinate multi-agency support for the resettlement of young people through addressing substance misuse, accommodation problems, mental health and education issues. The Panels also assist young people in accessing education, employment and training opportunities, mediate with families and peers, and encourage more appropriate use of leisure time. Developing young people’s life skills, budget management, healthy living, and raising their self-esteem and confidence to facilitate positive decision-making are also RSP objectives. RSPs typically have membership from social services, education, health (particularly Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), the police, local authority housing department, housing providers, careers advisers, YOT personnel, Young Offenders’ Institutions (YOIs), and Youth Services. The six Welsh LAs who took part in the evaluation were Bridgend, Caerphilly and Blaenau Gwent, Conwy and Denbighshire, Gwynedd and Ynys Mon, Merthyr Tydfil and Wrexham. All RSPs are required to review the delivery of resettlement support plans and outcomes for participating children and young people. Bridgend and Wrexham, however, have an enhanced review function. This means that they are required to scrutinise individual cases to ascertain whether resettlement support could have been delivered differently to offer a more effective community-based alternative to custody. The aims of the evaluation are to conduct a: Process evaluation which examines: • the setting up and functioning of the RSPs particularly with regard to ‘buy in’ from member agencies, and working together • the role and impact of the resettlement support worker and the supervision support worker • the role and effectiveness of the review body, and an: Outcome evaluation to determine: • the effectiveness of the scheme in improving outcomes for young offenders • the extent to which partners commit resources to resettlement support plans. Recommendations for more effective implementation of the scheme based on the conclusions are also included.

Details: Cardiff, Wales: Welsh Government Social Research, 2012. 149p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 12, 2012 at: http://www.nfer.ac.uk/nfer/publications/WYJT01/WYJT01.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://www.nfer.ac.uk/nfer/publications/WYJT01/WYJT01.pdf

Shelf Number: 126318

Keywords:
At-risk Youth
Juvenile Offenders (Wales, UK)
Juvenile Reentry
Rehabilitation
Reoffending
Resettlement
Young Adult Offenders

Author: Edgar, Kimmett

Title: Out For Good: Taking Responsibility for Resettlement

Summary: Enabling prisoners to take responsibility for their own resettlement is key to helping them address the challenges they will face on release and reduce their risk of reoffending, according to a new report by the Prison Reform Trust. Effective resettlement - the successful re-integration of people after prison - is a linchpin for reducing reoffending and a key element of the Coalition Government’s rehabilitation revolution. However, while prisoners hope to be out for good, almost half of adults released from prison are reconvicted within one year of release; the rate is 57% for those serving sentences of less than 12 months. Factors linked to re-offending help to explain these high rates: •79% of offenders who are homeless at the time they go to prison are reconvicted, compared to 47% who have accommodation •Over half of prisoners report that their drug-taking is a factor in acquisitive offences such as shoplifting, vehicle crime and theft •Only 36% of people leaving prison go into a job, educational course or training •48% of prisoners are at, or below, the level expected of an 11 year old in reading, 65% in numeracy and 82% in writing Drawing on the views and experiences of prisoners, along with prison governors and staff and voluntary sector providers, the Prison Reform Trust, supported by the Pilgrim Trust, conducted applied research to determine what makes for effective resettlement. The reports’ authors visited nine prisons, held discussion groups with about 40 prisoners and 30 staff, and interviewed 34 individual prisoners, and a wide range of staff from the prison service and the voluntary sector. Out for Good: taking responsibility for resettlement, also draws on data provided by the Prisoners Education Trust, from its Inside Time survey of 532 prisoners on their plans for resettlement. Key to effective resettlement was a commitment by prison staff to work closely with the prisoner not just to do things to, or for them. Alongside controlling risk and managing cases, prison staff and support services needed to share responsibility with the person preparing for his or her resettlement. Prison staff should enable offenders to make choices about the practical challenges they will face on release, and support those choices with appropriate help and advice. The prisoners interviewed as part of the study advocated a new set of priorities for resettlement work while in prison. These include: • An individual approach to each prisoner • Provision of information prisoners need to make reasoned decisions • Enhanced communication with the outside • Extended use of Release on Temporary Licence • Training focused on employable skills • Improved contact with family and involvement of families in preparation for release Most of the solutions to effective resettlement do not lie behind bars. The report recommends that the Ministry of Justice should work across government departments and local authorities to put in place housing, employment, health and social care and family support which are pivotal to successful rehabilitation. The report also recommends that prison managers should place the concept of sharing responsibility for resettlement between staff members and individual prisoners at the heart of their resettlement strategy. Every resettlement team should develop links to community-based organisations with the expertise prisoners need, including housing, finance and debt, family support and employment.

Details: London: Prison Reform Trust, 2012. 99p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 13, 2012 at: http://www.prisonreformtrust.org.uk/Portals/0/Documents/OutforGood.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://www.prisonreformtrust.org.uk/Portals/0/Documents/OutforGood.pdf

Shelf Number: 126332

Keywords:
Ex-Offenders
Prisoner Reentry (U.K.)
Rehabilitation
Resettlement

Author: Burman, Michele

Title: Time for Change: An Evaluation of an Intensive Support Service for Young Women at High Risk of Secure Care or Custody

Summary: The Time for Change Young Women’s Project (TfC) provides dedicated and gender-specific services for vulnerable girls and young women aged 15 to 17 years at referral (18 only if exceptionally vulnerable on account of care listing) who are at high risk of secure care or custody, and for whom other mainstream options have proved unsuitable. TfC was set up to include those who were chaotic and extremely vulnerable in transition from secure accommodation and prison and in response to concerns regarding the very limited service provision for girls and young women who either offend or are at risk of offending in Scotland, and against a backdrop of an increasing female prison population (McIvor and Burman 2011). Scottish Government turned down the initial bid but changed their view after the SOPHIE report on Secure Accommodation and the number of 15-17 year olds in prison. In reality, by the time TfC started there were no 15 year olds and most girls were 17 years of age. A key change to Scottish youth justice policy and practice which also serves as important background context for TfC has been the implementation of the ‘whole system approach’ to dealing with under 18 year olds who offend. This is founded on the principles of early intervention and is designed to seek opportunities to engage young people more productively in education, skills and positive activity, by putting in place a more streamlined and consistent response that works across all systems and agencies to achieve better outcomes (Scottish Government 2011). The principles of early, and effective intervention that is timely, supportive and appropriate, and the linking of risk taking behaviour to the expression of unmet need, together with the aim of the prevention of custody and secure accommodation, were encapsulated in the development of TfC. The key aims of TfC are to: provide dedicated intensive, relationship-based, support of young women and girls in order to minimise the escalation their offending and /or involvement with the youth and adult criminal justice systems; to assist them resolve current or past conflicts or trauma, familial difficulties and emotional issues associated with their offending behaviours, and to: enhance their positive social relationships, interests and access to suitable education, in line with research findings on resilience and desistance and with an asset-focused, strengths-based approaches to practice. The TfC service is delivered on an outreach basis and includes elements of practical support, partnership, one to one focused work and an on-call help-line. TfC also has access to facilities for residential placements, through the Up-2-Us parent organisation resource team which provides respite to vulnerable young people in times of crisis. TfC key workers respond to all calls for service provision, with managerial support, via a duty on-call system. TfC also offers consultation and advice to other agencies. The evaluation of TfC was conducted by researchers from the Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice Research (SCCJR) between 2009 and 2011. The evaluation utilised a mixed method approach, and included data from semi-structured interviews with: TfC key workers and manager, criminal justice social workers, children’s and families social workers, and other stakeholders, and with young women service users. It also included analysis of case file information and the TfC data-base which records information on referral source, reasons for referral, key presenting issues (e.g. health, addiction), familial circumstances, legal status, history of anti-social or offending behaviour, and current accommodation, as well as any history of statutory involvement. The evaluation sought the views and experiences of TfC staff, stakeholders and service users, in order to: · gain understanding of the complexities of the client group, both in regard to levels of need and risk, and the practice challenges encountered by TfC; · obtain feedback from service users and stakeholders on key elements of the TfC service and its collaboration with other agencies, including the model of service delivery and principal practice approaches; · examine the impact of TfC on the young women using the service, and; · ascertain how the work of TfC and its model of service delivery could be improved.

Details: Glasgow: Scottish Centre for Crime & Justice Research, 2012. 93p.

Source: Internet Resource: Reprot No. 02/2012: Accessed September 18, 2012 at: http://www.sccjr.ac.uk/documents/FINAL%20Time%20for%20Change%20Report%2003%2004%202012%20kh.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://www.sccjr.ac.uk/documents/FINAL%20Time%20for%20Change%20Report%2003%2004%202012%20kh.pdf

Shelf Number: 126367

Keywords:
At-Risk Youth (Scotland)
Delinquency Prevention
Female Offenders
Juvenile Justice Policy
Rehabilitation
Social Services
Young Adult Offenders

Author: Osher, Fred

Title: Adults with Behavioral Health Needs under Correctional Supervision: A Shared Framework for Reducing Recidivism and Promoting Recovery

Summary: The large numbers of adults with behavioral health disorders (mental illnesses, substance use disorders, or both) who are arrested and convicted of criminal offenses pose a special challenge for correctional and health administrators responsible for their confinement, rehabilitation, treatment, and supervision. As corrections populations have grown, the requirements for correctional facilities to provide health care to these inmates has stretched the limits of their budgets and available program personnel. They often lack the resources to provide the kinds of services many of these individuals need for recovery and to avoid reincarceration. Addressing the needs of individuals on probation or returning from prisons and jails to the community also raises difficult issues for the behavioral health administrators and service providers who have come to be relied on for treatment. Individuals with behavioral health issues who have criminal histories often have complex problems, some of which are difficult to address in traditional treatment settings. The reality is, however, that public healthcare professionals are already struggling to serve them. A significant number of individuals who receive services through the publicly funded mental health and substance abuse systems are involved in the criminal justice system. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the criminal justice system is the single largest source of referral to the public substance abuse treatment system, with probation and parole treatment admissions representing the highest proportion of these referrals.1 Overlapping populations similarly exist for corrections administrators and mental healthcare providers.2 With state and local agencies enduring dramatic budget cuts, resources are already scarce for serving and supervising individuals with substance abuse and mental health needs who are, or have been, involved in the criminal justice system. The question that many policymakers and practitioners are asking is whether those resources are being put to the best use in advancing public safety and health, as well as personal recovery. They are examining whether allocations of behavioral health resources are increasing diversion from the criminal justice system when appropriate and reducing ongoing criminal justice involvement for individuals under correctional control and supervision.3 The answer, frankly, is we do not think that the scale of the investments in these efforts has come close to addressing the extent of the problem or that resources are always properly focused. The dedication of resources made behind the bars and in the community does not appear to stop the individuals with substance abuse and mental health disorders from cycling through the criminal justice system—in many cases, they are simply insufficient to effect a systemwide change or do not focus narrowly enough on the people who would most benefit from the interventions. These investments in treatment and supervision have traditionally not been coordinated and sometimes even work at cross-purposes. Just as the substance abuse and mental health systems used to operate in silos—but now frequently come together to provide integrated co-occurring treatment options—a similar challenge is now before the corrections and behavioral health systems. The vast majority of inmates eventually return to their home communities from prisons and jails (650,000 or more individuals each year from state prisons alone,4 and more than 9 million individuals from jail).5 This influx of returning inmates has sparked an urgent need for corrections and behavioral healthcare administrators to reconsider the best means to facilitate reentry and service delivery to the many individuals with substance abuse and mental health problems. Despite the overlap in the populations they serve, little consensus exists among behavioral healthcare and community corrections administrators and providers on who should be prioritized for treatment, what services they should receive, and how those interventions should be coordinated with supervision. Too often, corrections administrators hear that “those aren’t my people” from behavioral healthcare administrators and providers. And just as often, the behavioral health community feels they are asked to assume a public safety role that is not in synch with their primary mission. Misunderstandings about each system’s capacity, abilities, and roles, as well as what types of referrals are appropriate, have contributed to the problem. This white paper presents a shared framework for reducing recidivism and behavioral health problems among individuals under correctional control or supervision—that is, for individuals in correctional facilities or who are on probation or parole. The paper is written for policymakers, administrators, and practitioners committed to making the most effective use of scarce resources to improve outcomes for individuals with behavioral health problems who are involved in the corrections system. It is meant to provide a common structure for corrections and treatment system professionals to begin building truly collaborative responses to their overlapping service population. These responses include both behind-the-bars and community-based interventions. This framework is designed to achieve each system’s goals and ultimately to help millions of individuals rebuild their lives while on probation or after leaving prison or jail.

Details: New York: Council of State Governments, Justice Center, 2012. 82p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 29, 2012 at: http://consensusproject.org/jc_publications/adults-with-behavioral-health-needs

Year: 2012

Country: United States

URL: http://consensusproject.org/jc_publications/adults-with-behavioral-health-needs

Shelf Number: 126500

Keywords:
Health Care
Mental Health Services
Mentally Ill Inmates
Prisoners (U.S.)
Recidivism
Rehabilitation
Treatment Programs

Author: Barrow Cadbury Commission on Young Adults and the Criminal Justice System

Title: Lost in Transition: A Report of the Barrow Cadbury Commission on Young Adults and the Criminal Justice System

Summary: The gap in meeting the needs of young people who are making the transition to adulthood emerged as a central concern for the groups we support. In particular the criminal justice system which chooses to demarcate a young person from an adult at the arbitrary age of 18 has emerged as one of the starkest examples of where vulnerable young people are being failed. Given that almost 10 per cent of young people aged between 18 and 24 have been cautioned or arrested by the police, this is a key omission in policy. To the many communities that Barrow Cadbury supports the links between growing up in poverty and the routes into crime are clear. Critically for Barrow Cadbury and for many of our communities the over-representation of African Caribbean young men, and increasingly Muslim young men in the criminal justice system signifies the need for an overhaul of a system which so clearly puts criminal justice before social justice in the pathway to adulthood. Forming a Commission was an appropriate way to highlight and develop innovative and workable solutions to the problems that young adults face in growing up in the criminal justice system. The report which has emerged from our distinguished group of Commissioners emphasises the devastating impact that imprisonment has on a young person’s life chances and the futility of a criminal justice system that sees nearly three quarters of 18 – 20 year olds reconvicted after release from the prison system. The role of the Commission was to develop a way in which the criminal justice system can recognise the importance of the transition between adolescence and adulthood, to develop ideas about how the system can promote natural desistance from offending in young adults in transition, and to find a way in which the criminal justice system could better promote the life chances of young adults. The Commission began its work in summer 2004. A wide range of stakeholders were invited to submit written evidence or were consulted through one-to-one or roundtable discussions about the issues facing young adults in transition and what the solutions could be. Commissioners also made a number of study visits to projects aimed at helping young adults in transition, in the UK, in Europe and in North America. The recommendations contained in the report have been informed by the consultations and the visits.

Details: London: Barrow Cadbury Trust, 2005. 35p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 5, 2012 at: http://www.iprt.ie/files/barrow_cadbury_trust_youth_report.pdf

Year: 2005

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://www.iprt.ie/files/barrow_cadbury_trust_youth_report.pdf

Shelf Number: 126566

Keywords:
At-risk Youth
Rehabilitation
Young Adult Offenders (U.K.)

Author: Scussel, David E.

Title: Analysis of the Impact of Juvenile Justice Programming in Nine New Mexico Counties

Summary: The purpose of this particular research task is to analyze the impact of juvenile justice programming in the nine selected New Mexico counties have on the juvenile justice system, and to study and report on how these programs contribute to the understanding of law enforcement and juvenile justice system factors, which perpetuate Disproportionate Minority Contact in New Mexico. Sites Targeted for Interviews were: Day Reporting Center (Colfax, Lea, Sandoval, Santa Fe & Taos); DMC Reduction (Dona Ana, Santa Fe & Taos); Girls Circle (Chaves & Taos); Intensive Community Monitoring (Rio Arriba, Santa Fe & Taos); Reception and Assessment Centers (Bernalillo, Dona Ana, Sandoval & Santa Fe); and Restorative Justice Panel (Chaves, Grant, Sandoval & Santa Fe).

Details: Albuquerque, NM: New Mexico Sentencing Commission, 2012. 48p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 2, 2012 at: http://nmsc.unm.edu/nmsc_reports/

Year: 2012

Country: United States

URL: http://nmsc.unm.edu/nmsc_reports/

Shelf Number: 126818

Keywords:
Disproportionate Minority Contact
Juvenile Detention
Juvenile Justice (New Mexico)
Juvenile Offenders
Rehabilitation

Author: California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Office of Research

Title: 2012 Outcome Evaluation Report

Summary: To comport with national best practices, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) measures recidivism by tracking arrests, convictions and returns to State custody. CDCR uses the latter measure, returns to State custody, as the primary measure of recidivism for the purpose of this report. We chose this measure because it is the most reliable measure available and is well understood and commonly used by most correctional stakeholders.

Details: Sacramento: California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, 2012. 109p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 9, 2012 at: http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/Adult_Research_Branch/Research_Documents/ARB_FY_0708_Recidivism_Report_10.23.12.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: United States

URL: http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/Adult_Research_Branch/Research_Documents/ARB_FY_0708_Recidivism_Report_10.23.12.pdf

Shelf Number: 126894

Keywords:
Prisoners (California)
Recidivism
Rehabilitation

Author: Scotland. Auditor General

Title: Reducing Reoffending in Scotland

Summary: This audit looked specifically at reducing reoffending. The overall aim was to assess the efficiency and effectiveness of approaches taken to reduce reoffending. The audit focused on what happens to adult offenders sentenced in court. We did not look at preventative work designed to stop people offending in the first place or measures to prevent low-level offenders going to court, such as police warnings or fines imposed by a procurator fiscal. We identified the scale and nature of reoffending, the range of options for sentencing and the amount of money spent on reducing reoffending. We also assessed the effectiveness of partnership working, including the role of CJAs. We did not include young people referred back to the children’s hearing system by a sheriff. Evidence for this audit is based on an analysis of national and local data; information from SPS, the Scottish Government, CJAs and criminal justice social work services; and interviews with a wide range of people who work with offenders. In addition, we commissioned a series of focus groups to gather views of people currently serving a community or prison sentence; and a review of evidence on levels of reoffending in other countries. This work is published in two supplementary reports available on our website www.audit-scotland.gov.uk. A detailed description of our methodology is provided in Appendix 2 and details of our advisory group in Appendix 3. We have developed a series of questions for CJA board members to use to help them improve the effectiveness of the CJA in reducing reoffending. These are included in Appendix 4. Our report is in four parts: • Reoffending in Scotland (Part 1). • Expenditure on reducing reoffending (Part 2). • Services to reduce reoffending (Part 3). • Effectiveness of current arrangements (Part 4).

Details: Edinburgh: Audit Scotland, 2012. 46p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 23, 2012 at: http://www.audit-scotland.gov.uk/docs/central/2012/nr_121107_reducing_reoffending.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://www.audit-scotland.gov.uk/docs/central/2012/nr_121107_reducing_reoffending.pdf

Shelf Number: 126952

Keywords:
Recidivism
Rehabilitation
Reoffending (Scotland)

Author: Sapouna, Maria

Title: What Works to Reduce Reoffending: A Summary of the Evidence

Summary: This paper has been prepared to support the next stage in the development of the Reducing Reoffending Programme led by the Justice Directorate in the Scottish Government. Its aim is to review the evidence on the effectiveness of different approaches to reduce reoffending or, in other words, promote desistance from crime among young people and adults. The term “desistance” is used extensively in the paper and refers to an extended period of refraining from further offending. However, there is considerable disagreement among researchers about how long an offender must be crime-free before being considered a “desister”, with some researchers claiming that “true desistance” can be determined with certainty only after offenders die. In most evaluations, a two-year follow-up period is used to differentiate desisters from recidivists. The review did not consider studies that assessed the effectiveness of criminal justice interventions in achieving outcomes other than reduced reoffending such as increased public confidence in the criminal justice system and justice to victims. Where available, information on value for money of interventions is provided. The timescales for completing this piece of work were very tight and precluded a comprehensive search of the literature. The review draws heavily upon some key sources of evidence from within Scotland, the rest of the UK and other countries that were easily accessible, mainly systematic reviews of “what works” to reduce reoffending and qualitative studies investigating offenders’ own perceptions of the desistance process and the factors that facilitated or hindered a sustained abstinence from offending. It is hoped, however, that this paper will remain a work in progress that will be updated as additional evidence becomes available. The paper was subject to peer review from analytical and policy officials in the Scottish Government, academics and other experts whose contributions greatly enhanced its quality. This paper also includes a review of ‘what works’ with women offenders. Despite a wealth of studies of male offenders there is a paucity of research which can provide answers to ‘what works’ to reduce reoffending in women. Only three studies in a review by Harper and Chitty (2005) of ‘what works’ with offenders included women, while for their meta-analysis of interventions with female offenders, Dowden and Andrews (1999) were only able to identify 26 studies solely (16) or predominantly (10) involving women. Although there are very few robust outcome studies in the UK that disaggregated by gender, the search of the literature did find a small number of international studies which did measure differences in recidivism. The review also draws evidence from qualitative research which elicits the views of women offenders to gain insights into their perceptions of the offending and desistance pathway. It is important to note that this review does not claim to provide a “gold-standard” solution to the problem of reoffending that can successfully fit all offenders as desistance from offending is a complex, subjective process and what may work for some may not work for others. However, it is hoped that the review will provide some direction to policy makers on the type of interventions that have, overall, proven more effective in reducing reoffending.

Details: Edinburgh: Justice Analytical Services Scottish Government, 2011. 45p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 23, 2012 at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/0038/00385880.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/0038/00385880.pdf

Shelf Number: 126953

Keywords:
Desistance from Crime
Recidivism
Rehabilitation
Reoffending (Scotland)

Author: Armstrong, Sarah

Title: Reducing Reoffending: Review of Selected Countries

Summary: Audit Scotland commissioned this research by the Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice on international experiences of reoffending. An international perspective of reoffending can inform understanding of the Scottish experience and suggest where efforts might be targeted to improve efficiency and effectiveness. The specific aims of this review are to: · Provide a sense over time of reoffending patterns and experiences of other, potentially comparable, jurisdictions; and, · Identify valid predictors and explanations of reoffending patterns. In addition, we try to build on this knowledge to comment in general terms on what might help reduce reoffending. Through discussion with Audit Scotland we selected five jurisdictions in addition to Scotland to focus the research. and Wales, Northern Ireland, Ireland, Norway and New Zealand. These countries were selected on the basis of size, proximity and shared or relevant penal practices which might put Scotland’s experience in context. Making direct international comparisons in an area like criminal justice is difficult, if not impossible, but considering the differing experiences of countries may nevertheless shed light on explanations for particular trajectories for reoffending within them.

Details: Edinburgh: Scottish Centre for Crime & Justice Research, 2012. 55p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 29, 2012 at: http://www.sccjr.ac.uk/documents/Reducing%20Reoffending%20FINAL%20Sept%202012.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: Europe

URL: http://www.sccjr.ac.uk/documents/Reducing%20Reoffending%20FINAL%20Sept%202012.pdf

Shelf Number: 127038

Keywords:
Recidivism
Rehabilitation
Reoffending (Europe)

Author: Matrix Evidence

Title: Break-Even Analysis of T2A Intervention for Young Adults

Summary: Young adults, aged between 18 and 24, account for a disproportionate amount of offending, providing a prima facie case for providing services aimed specifically at reducing the level of reoffending by these young people. However, the Criminal Justice System (CJS) does not distinguish between the needs of young adults and older adults when implementing interventions aimed at reducing reoffending. The youth justice system applies to young people up to age 17, but once young people reach 18 years old they are considered adults and essentially treated the same as older adults. The Barrow Cadbury Trust’s ‘Transition to Adulthood’ (T2A) programme funds several pilot schemes that provide services to young adult offenders with the ultimate aim of reducing the likelihood of reoffending. We undertook a ‘break-even’ analysis of the T2A programme. In other words, we identified the impact that the programme would need to have on reducing reoffending in order to pay for itself. The key findings are • If set-up costs of the programme pilot are excluded, the programme would have to reduce of reoffending of 6.1% to pay for itself. This equates to between one and two offences per average young adult (specifically a reduction of 1.4 offences from approximately 39 offences over the future lifetime to 37 after the intervention). • If set-up costs are included, the required reduction in reoffending would need to be to 7.3% (or a reduction of 1.7 offences per average young adult). • A comparison of these reductions with those found in a previous study we conducted suggests that such impacts (6.1% and 7.3%) are feasible. These levels are equivalent to 1,540 (excluding set-up costs) and 1,828 (including set-up costs) offences being prevented over the lifetime of the 1,071 young adults benefiting from the pilot. These result in an average saving per young adult over their future lifetime due to the T2A programme of £1,416 and £1,680 respectively. The actual break-even point required might actually be different to that estimated in our model for several reasons, such as: • where the young adult is in the CJS, if at all; • the level of risk of the young people who participate in the T2A programme; and • whether costs of volunteer time in would need to be paid for.

Details: London: Barrow Cadbury Trust, 2009. 21p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 1, 2012 at:

Year: 2009

Country: United Kingdom

URL:

Shelf Number: 127085

Keywords:
Cost-Benefit Analysis
Intervention Programs
Rehabilitation
Transition to Adulthood Program
Young Adult Offenders (U.K.)

Author: Jones, Megan

Title: Recidivism After Release from Prison

Summary: For this report, recidivism is defined as a new offense resulting in a conviction and sentence to the Wisconsin Department of Corrections (WI DOC). The follow-up periods (one, two, and three years) are calculated beginning at the time the offender is released from prison. Recidivism rates represent the number of persons who have recidivated divided by the total number of persons in a defined population. All recidivism rates are based on only Wisconsin offenses that have resulted in court dispositions that include custody or supervision under the WI DOC. For this report, recidivism is defined as a new offense resulting in a conviction and sentence to the Wisconsin Department of Corrections (WI DOC). The follow-up periods (one, two, and three years) are calculated beginning at the time the offender is released from prison. Recidivism rates represent the number of persons who have recidivated divided by the total number of persons in a defined population. All recidivism rates are based on only Wisconsin offenses that have resulted in court dispositions that include custody or supervision under the WI DOC. Overall, analyses show that recidivism rates have steadily decreased since 1993. The three-year follow-up recidivism rate decreased by 28.5% (or 12.9 percentage points) from 1993, when the recidivism rate was the highest at 45.3%, to 2007, when it was 32.4%. Furthermore, as recidivism rates decreased, the number of releases from prison dramatically increased, tripling between 1990 and 2009. An offender released in 1993 was 1.4 times more likely to recidivate within three years than an offender released in 2007. Overall, recidivism rates for a total of 124,661 offenders released from prison between 1990 and 2009 are reported in this paper. Recidivism Trends from 2000–2009: Gender. Males had consistently higher recidivism rates than females for every release year and every followup period. Age at Release. Recidivism rates decreased as age increased. The largest group of recidivists was found among offenders between the ages of 20 and 24. Time to Recidivism Event. Fifty percent (50%) of offenders who recidivated within three years did so within the first year following release from prison. This report is the first in a series of recidivism reports that will be regularly published by the WI DOC. The next report will include release from incarceration recidivism rates broken down by a number of additional factors not included in this report. In the near future the Department intends to publish reports including recidivism rates for offenders admitted to supervision and those discharged from supervision.

Details: Madison, WI: Wisconsin Department of Corrections, 2012. 21p.

Source: Internet Resource: Performance Measurement Series: Accessed December 1, 2012 at: http://www.wi-doc.com/PDF_Files/Recidivism%20After%20Release%20from%20Prison_FINAL.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: United States

URL: http://www.wi-doc.com/PDF_Files/Recidivism%20After%20Release%20from%20Prison_FINAL.pdf

Shelf Number: 127096

Keywords:
Recidivism Rates (Wisconsin, U.S.)
Recidivists
Rehabilitation

Author: Nacro

Title: Reducing Offending by Looked After Children

Summary: Nacro, the largest crime reduction charity in the UK, has published a new guide for practitioners working with looked after children. This essential guide examines some of the key issues in relation to looked after children and the prevention of offending. Highlighting the principal legislative provisions relating to looked after children, it also addresses the main strategic and operational issues for youth offending teams and children’s services arising from this area. It then considers key decision making points in the criminal justice system which can influence outcomes for looked after children and the importance of using diversionary approaches where appropriate. Examining the particular problems that looked after children can face when remanded or sentenced to custody, the guide also sets out the arrangements for professional support from children’s services, independent reviewing officers and youth offending teams before finally considering the importance of good leaving care services in preventing offending. Equipped with useful checklists for practitioners, this guide to reducing offending by looked after children will be of interest to local authorities, youth offending teams and those working with looked after children in foster care and children's homes.

Details: London: Nacro, 2012. 52p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 7, 2012 at: http://www.nacro.org.uk/data/files/reducing-reoffending-by-looked-after-children-998.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://www.nacro.org.uk/data/files/reducing-reoffending-by-looked-after-children-998.pdf

Shelf Number: 127145

Keywords:
Juvenile Corrections
Juvenile Detention
Juvenile Offenders (U.K.)
Juvenile Reentry
Recidivism
Rehabilitation

Author: Great Britain. HM Inspectorate of Probation

Title: Core Case Inspection of Youth Offending Work in England and Wales: Report on Youth Offending Work in Lewisham

Summary: This Core Case Inspection of youth offending work in Lewisham took place as part of the Inspection of Youth Offending programme. We have examined a representative sample of youth offending cases from the area, and have judged how often the Public Protection and the Safeguarding aspects of the work were done to a sufficiently high level of quality. We judged that the Safeguarding aspects of the work were done well enough 75% of the time. With the Public Protection aspects, work to keep to a minimum each individual’s Risk of Harm to others was done well enough 68% of the time, and the work to make each individual less likely to reoffend was done well enough 80% of the time. A more detailed analysis of our findings is provided in the main body of this report, and summarised in a table in Appendix 1. These figures can be viewed in the context of our findings from Wales and the regions of England inspected so far. We also found against a difficult backdrop that included gang rivalry, drugs and knife crime, the staff in Lewisham worked constructively with children and young people. Improvements were needed, however, to improve the quality of work related to the Risk of Harm to others and to some aspects of how the vulnerability of those children and young people known to the service could be reduced. Overall, we consider this a creditable set of findings.

Details: London: HM Inspectorate of Probation, 2012. 30p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 20, 2012 at http://www.justice.gov.uk/downloads/publications/inspectorate-reports/hmiprobation/youth-inspection-reports/core-case/lewisham-cci-2012.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://www.justice.gov.uk/downloads/publications/inspectorate-reports/hmiprobation/youth-inspection-reports/core-case/lewisham-cci-2012.pdf

Shelf Number: 127241

Keywords:
Disability
Diversity
Juvenile Offenders (U.K.)
Juvenile Probation
Offender Supervision
Recidivism
Rehabilitation

Author: Great Britain. Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Probation

Title: Looked After Children: An inspection of the work of Youth Offending Teams with children and young people who are looked after and placed away from home

Summary: The inspection of children and young people who are looked after, placed away from home and supervised by YOTs was agreed by the Criminal Justice Chief Inspectors’ Group, as part of the Joint Inspection Business Plan 2010-2012. It was led by HM Inspectorate of Probation, with support from Ofsted and Estyn. Its purpose was to assess the effectiveness of YOT work with this group of children and young people in promoting their rehabilitation and maintaining their links with their family and home area (where appropriate) and to identify barriers to effective YOT work. We visited six areas where we asked the YOT to identify, where possible, ten cases, five of which they were supervising on behalf of other local authorities and five of their own cases being supervised by other YOTs. We then assessed the quality of joint work carried out by the agencies involved. The data was supplemented by information gathered from a number of YOTs which were not part of the main fieldwork. Overall findings This inspection looked at a very specific group of children and young people, who are looked after, who were placed away from home and also subject to supervision by YOTs. This group is extremely vulnerable. Some also pose a high risk of causing harm to others, not least the children and young people with whom they are placed. Concerns had been raised about these children and young people by many of the YOTs we visited during our regular inspection programme of YOT work, particularly those located in areas with a high number of children’s homes. From them we heard about lack of contact by home areas, delays in receipt of information about vulnerability and risk posed to others and difficulties in communication between agencies. This significantly impacted on the work by the host YOT to help children and young people to stop offending. This thematic inspection clearly revealed the fragmentation of these children’s lives and how the fact of being looked after could escalate a child or young person into the criminal justice system. It also showed how the two factors - being in care and offending – exacerbated each other. Many of the children and young people whose cases we examined during the course of our inspection had been placed in a succession of children’s homes. It was difficult to track them precisely, but we saw one young person with 31 placements and one placement that lasted less than 24 hours. Nearly one-third had had more than three placements outside their home area and 18% had had more than five (that were recorded); 63% were living more than 50 miles from their home and 24% more than 100 miles. (Regulations stipulate that, where reasonably practicable, placement should be within the home local authority area and as near to the child or young person’s home as possible). Four-fifths of those in the sample had been moved during the period of YOT supervision and one-quarter being moved more than three times. It was evident that the children and young people in our sample were amongst the most damaged and difficult to place. All had experienced considerable family difficulties, and they continued to struggle with the consequences. We found a significant number had been subjected to abuse - sexual, physical and emotional and/or neglect. Many had witnessed, or been the victims of domestic violence. A high number had emotional or mental health problems. Nevertheless, it was not apparent in many cases, from our inspection of YOT work, how the needs of the child were being promoted or safeguarded by a placement so far away from their home area. A significant number were still in contact with their families and continued to drift back to them, whether or not children’s social care services promoted or even allowed contact. In 55% of cases YOTs worked actively with the child or young person’s parent/carer to maintain contact. In most cases, the breakdown in family relationships was further exacerbated by the frequency of changes in the professional relationships the child or young person was required to make, through social workers moving on, placements changing, disrupted education and different specialist agencies being called in.

Details:

Source: London: Criminal Justice Joint Inspection, 2012. 44p.

Year: 2012

Country: United Kingdom

URL:

Shelf Number: 127281

Keywords:
Juvenile Corrections
Juvenile Detention
Juvenile Offenders (U.K.)
Recidivism
Rehabilitation

Author: SpearIt

Title: Facts and Fictions About Islam in Prison: Assessing Prisoner Radicalization in Post-9/11 America

Summary: This report assesses the radicalization of Muslim prisoners in post-9/11 America. In the last decade, Muslim prisoners have been scrutinized for ties to terrorist and other extremist organizations, not to mention characterized as both a “threat” and a “danger” to national security, due to the influence of foreign jihadist movements. However, closer scrutiny shows that these fears have failed to materialize — indeed, despite the existence of an estimated 350,000 Muslim prisoners, there is little evidence of widespread radicalization or successful foreign recruitment, and only one documented case of prison-based terrorist activity. Nonetheless, some prison systems have implemented an aggressive posture toward these inmates and have made suppressive tactics their bedrock policy. This approach unfortunately overlooks Islam’s long history of positive influence on prisoners, including supporting inmate rehabilitation for decades. Moreover, Muslim inmates have a long history of using the court system to establish and expand their rights to worship and improve their conditions of confinement. Hence, a closer look at “life on the ground” turns the prevailing discourse on its head by demonstrating that Islam generally brings peace to inmates and that the greatest “threat” posed by Muslim inmates is not violence, but lawsuits.

Details: Saint, Louis, MO: Institute for Social Policy and Understanding, 2013. 57p.

Source: Internet Resource: Institute for Social Policy and Understanding, January 2013
Saint Louis U. Legal Studies Research Paper No. 2013-5: Accessed February 11, 2013 at: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2206583


Year: 2013

Country: United States

URL: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2206583


Shelf Number: 127565

Keywords:
Islam
Prisons
Radical Groups
Radicalization
Re-entry
Rehabilitation

Author: Adler, Robin

Title: Vermont Department of Corrections Work Camp Outcome Evaluation

Summary: In Act 41, this body tasked the Vermont Center for Justice Research (VCJR) with evaluating the recidivism rates of defendants assigned to the Northeast and Southeast Work Camps as compared to defendants sentenced to prison/jail without the benefit of work camp. The principal findings of the evaluation include: • The overall recidivism rate for work camp participants was 35%, compared to a 46% recidivism rate for those who went to prison. • Work camp participants with an LSI risk assessment score of “Medium” had a 35% recidivism rate compared to a 53% recidivism rate for prison inmates with an LSI score of “Medium.” • The work camp that a defendant is assigned to is significant in reducing recidivism. Participation at the Northeast Work Camp is more statistically significant in reducing the likelihood of recidivism than is participation at the Southeast Work Camp. • The re-offense patterns for the Work Camp Group and the Prison Group were generally the same. Recidivists from both groups were reconvicted of a wide variety of crimes. Over 70% of the reconvictions for both groups were misdemeanors. During the study period the median number of reconvictions for the Work Camp Group was two as opposed to three reconvictions for the Prison Group. • Recidivists from both groups were reconvicted soon after release from DOC custody. Approximately 45% of the recidivists from the Work Camp Group were reconvicted within one year and 92% were reconvicted within three years. Forty-nine percent of the Prison Group recidivists were reconvicted within one year and 88.4% were reconvicted within three years. • Sixty-nine percent of recidivists in both the Work Camp Group and the Prison Group earned their new offense in the county in which they lived at the time of entry into custody.

Details: Northfield Falls, VT: Vermont Department of Corrections, 2012. 23p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 12, 2013 at: http://www.vcjr.org/reports/reportscrimjust/reports/workcamp_files/Work%20Camp%20Final.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: United States

URL: http://www.vcjr.org/reports/reportscrimjust/reports/workcamp_files/Work%20Camp%20Final.pdf

Shelf Number: 127587

Keywords:
Alternatives to Incarceration
Correctional Programs
Recidivism
Rehabilitation
Work Camps (Vermont)

Author: Trotter, Chris

Title: Evaluation of Programs for Support of Prisoners and Ex-Prisoners

Summary: In 2006 representatives from four community sector organisations, Melbourne Citymission, Whitelion, Prison Network Ministries and Prison Fellowship Victoria - Australia commissioned researchers from the Monash University Criminal Justice Research Consortium, to undertake an evaluation of prison transition programs conducted by each of the four agencies. The purpose of the research was to evaluate the effectiveness of transitional support programs and develop an evidence base that would assist the agencies to advocate for transitional support for people exiting prison. The report highlights the most effective approaches in delivery of pre and post release programs and interventions. It underlines the importance of programs that provide holistic support to people exiting prison, pro-social modelling, and assistance to develop problem solving with a focus on goals settings. The report also acknowledges the significance on the worker client relationship in achieving positive outcomes. Partnerships between services are also recognised as critical to the success of these pre and post release programs. The authors also argue that these programs should be offered to medium to high risk clients.

Details: Clayton, VIC: Monash University, Criminal Justice Research Consortium, 2009. 42p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 5, 2013 at: http://www.whitelion.asn.au/files/publications/Transition_Evaluation_final_revised_7_July_2009.pdf

Year: 2009

Country: Australia

URL: http://www.whitelion.asn.au/files/publications/Transition_Evaluation_final_revised_7_July_2009.pdf

Shelf Number: 127831

Keywords:
Ex-Offenders
Partnerships
Prisoner Reentry (Australia)
Rehabilitation

Author: King, Samuel Joshua

Title: Going Straight On Probation: Desistance Transitions and the Impact of Probation

Summary: This thesis explores primary desistance as a transitional phase between offending and crime cessation. Recent work has explored desistance within an integrated theoretical framework, combining elements of both structure and agency theories, and this thesis builds upon this by exploring the initial transitions towards desistance, and the prospective strategies to sustain it, among a group of adult male offenders under Probation supervision. Where agency has been employed in such accounts its conceptualisation has tended to be vague, and this thesis seeks to address this by examining agency as the temporally located reflexive deliberations of adult offenders upon their future goals and present social environment. This allows for the identification of individuals’ future goals in relation to desistance and the strategies that they intend to pursue to achieve them, in relation to their personal and social contexts. The thesis finds that recent Probation policy has delimited the role of supervising officer towards that of Offender Manager, which inhibits the relationship between officer and offender such that would-be desisters tend to revert to past repertoires of thought and action in their strategies. This is likely to sustain the social contexts that led to offending in the past, and is likely to hinder desistance in the future.

Details: Birmingham, UK: School of Social Policy, College of Social Sciences, The University of Birmingham, 2010. 353p.

Source: Internet Resource: Thesis: Accessed March 14, 2013 at: http://etheses.bham.ac.uk/3172/5/King_11_PhD.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://etheses.bham.ac.uk/3172/5/King_11_PhD.pdf

Shelf Number: 127936

Keywords:
Desistance (U.K.)
Probationers
Recidivism
Rehabilitation

Author: King, Lucy

Title: Tai Aroha – The First Two Years: A formative evaluation of a residential community based programme for offenders

Summary: Since October 2007, the number of community-based sentencing options available to the judiciary increased. This led to an increase in the number of offenders in the community requiring rehabilitative interventions. Although the range of rehabilitative options increased, very few programmes focused on the highest risk offender group. Community Residential Centres (CRCs), such as Montgomery House, were originally established to deliver services for high risk offenders in the community but rarely did so, leaving a service gap. In addition, offenders attending the CRCs were on temporary release from prison rather than being permanently in the community. To address these issues, the Psychological Services of the Department developed and tested an intensive residential rehabilitation programme for male offenders serving community sentences. In November 2008, the Executive Management Team (EMT) agreed that this programme would be an open rolling programme with content based on the 300- hour programme delivered in the Special Treatment Units in prison (particularly the Violence Prevention Unit) and the Medium Intensity Rehabilitation Programme. It included a specific focus on the needs of Māori offenders. The Tai Aroha therapeutic community was based on the hierarchical model described by De Leon (20001). The format involved full residence (24 hours, 7 days per week) with an expected stay of 14 to 16 weeks. Offenders transitioned through 4 phases from orientation to full community living over the course of the programme. The core programme (including skills training) was based on best practice principles in offender rehabilitation and adhered to risk, needs and responsivity principles. Cognitive behavioural and relapse prevention informed treatment. Elements of the Good Lives Model were incorporated to enhance programme responsivity. Targets for treatment included: antisocial attitudes and offence-related thinking, antisocial and criminal associates, emotion and behaviour self-regulation difficulties, relationship problems (marital and family), impaired self-management and/ or problem solving skills, and alcohol and drug abuse. The programme was based on open group membership where new residents joined as former residents exited. To graduate residents had to complete assignments associated with each core module and achieve programme learning objectives. The design phase produced a complete group treatment programme containing 10 modules and related assignments. The modules were. 1. Assessment 2. Orientation (includes mindfulness and distress tolerance) 3. Aspirations 4. Life history and self-evaluation 5. Acceptance of responsibility/restructuring problem and offence-related thinking 6. Offence pathways 7. Emotional management 8. Substance abuse management 9. Relationship management 10. Relapse prevention.

Details: Wellington, NZ: Psychological Services, Department of Corrections, 2012. 48p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 15, 2013 at: http://www.corrections.govt.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/641218/COR_Tai_Aroha_WEB.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: New Zealand

URL: http://www.corrections.govt.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/641218/COR_Tai_Aroha_WEB.pdf

Shelf Number: 127965

Keywords:
Alternatives to Incarceration
Community Based Corrections
Psychological Services
Rehabilitation
Therapeutic Communities

Author: Duwe, Grant

Title: The Effects of Private Prison Confinement in Minnesota on Offender Recidivism

Summary: Evidence has been mixed as to whether private prisons are more effective than state-operated facilities in reducing recidivism. This study analyzes whether private prison confinement in Minnesota has had an impact on recidivism by examining 3,532 offenders released from prison between 2007 and 2009. Propensity score matching was used to individually match a comparison group of 1,766 inmates who had only been confined in state-run facilities with 1,766 offenders who had served time in a private prison facility. Using multiple measures of recidivism and private prison confinement, 20 Cox regression models were estimated. The results showed that offenders who had been incarcerated in a private prison had a greater hazard of recidivism in all 20 models, and the recidivism risk was significantly greater in eight of the models. The evidence presented in this study suggests that private prisons are not more effective in reducing recidivism, which may be attributable to fewer visitation and rehabilitative programming opportunities for offenders incarcerated at private facilities.

Details: St. Paul: Minnesota Department of Corrections, 2013. 37p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 30, 2013 at: http://www.doc.state.mn.us/publications/documents/MNPrivatePrisonEvaluation_WebsiteFinal.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: United States

URL: http://www.doc.state.mn.us/publications/documents/MNPrivatePrisonEvaluation_WebsiteFinal.pdf

Shelf Number: 128882

Keywords:
Private Prisons (Minnesota, U.S.)
Privatization
Recidivism
Rehabilitation

Author: Reichert, Jessica

Title: Community Reentry after Prison Drug Treatment: Learning from Sheridan Therapeutic Community Program participants

Summary: The Sheridan Correctional Center National Model Drug Prison and Reentry Program is a drug treatment program providing in-prison substance abuse treatment as well as substance abuse treatment upon release. Prior research has shown reductions in recidivism among Sheridan participants compared to other prisoners. This study examined a group of 50 re-incarcerated men who successfully completed the in-prison phase of the Sheridan program and what led to their re-incarceration. Among this sample, positive findings about the Sheridan program and its participants include: • Sixty-two percent stated they were Very engaged in the Sheridan program. • Slightly more than half (60 percent) felt Sheridan prepared them for success after release. • Over three-fourths (76 percent) indicated they had a job at some point after graduating Sheridan and before their re-incarceration. • A majority (84 percent) reported having little difficulty in finding housing. • Most (86 percent) said Sheridan helped them more than a traditional prison. Other notable findings include: • On average, Sheridan graduates in this study spent 738 days (about two years) in the community before returning to IDOC. The range was 40 to 2,096 days (over five-and-a-half years). • A majority of the men in our sample (90 percent) relapsed into drug or alcohol use after their release from Sheridan. • Slightly more than half (56 percent) of the sample reported they had illegal sources of income. • Sixty-eight 68 percent stated drug dealing was common in the neighborhood they lived in after release. This study found many factors associated with length of time to relapse to drug or alcohol use and recidivism (self-reported criminal activity or re-incarceration) including: • Younger participants engaged in criminal activity and relapsed sooner than older participants. Younger participants also reported being less engaged in the Sheridan program than older participants. • After prison, those who returned to their original neighborhood relapsed sooner than those who did not return to their original neighborhood. • Unemployed participants engaged in criminal activity sooner than employed participants. • Those living in neighborhoods that were perceived as unsafe and/or where drug dealing was common relapsed sooner than those living in safer, lower-risk neighborhoods. • Those who reported spending time with persons who engage in risky activities—substance use and/or criminal activity—relapsed sooner than those who did not spend time with persons engaging in risky activities. • Those with gang involvement engaged in criminal activity and relapsed sooner. • Those who did not complete aftercare engaged in criminal activity and relapsed sooner than those who did complete aftercare.

Details: Chicago: Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, 2013. 88p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 4, 2013 at: http://www.icjia.state.il.us/public/pdf/researchreports/reentry_sheridan_report_012012.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: United States

URL: http://www.icjia.state.il.us/public/pdf/researchreports/reentry_sheridan_report_012012.pdf

Shelf Number: 128958

Keywords:
Drug Abuse Treatment
Drug Offenders
Prisoner Reentry (Illinois, U.S.)
Recidivism
Rehabilitation
Substance Abuse Treatment

Author: Roguski, Michael

Title: He Pūrongo Arotake 2: Hard to Reach Youth (CART) Evaluation Report 2: Hard to Reach Youth (CART)

Summary: In 2006 the government launched its Effective Interventions (EI) policy package. The package was established to identify and support options for reducing offending and the prison population, thereby reducing the costs and impacts of crime on New Zealand society. An important component of the EI package was the need to enhance justice sector responsiveness to Māori. As such, Te Puni Kōkiri (TPK) and the Ministry of Justice developed and Programme of Action for Māori (later known as the Justice Policy Project with the change of government) which comprised the following three elements:  ongoing engagement with Māori communities;  supporting learning from promising and innovative providers; and  enhancing information gathering and analysis across the sector about effectiveness for Māori. Under the Justice Policy Project, Te Puni Kōkiri invested in a small number of interventions (up to June 2008) that were designed, developed and delivered by Māori providers and test facilitators of success for Māori in the justice sector. This work has contributed to an initial platform for developing an empirical evidence base about „what works‟ for Māori, while agencies develop options for sustainable funding streams. At the direction of the Minister of Māori Affairs, several providers were selected as candidates whose programmes have potential to impact on Māori rates of offending, re-offending and imprisonment. This project aims to gather detailed information on two of the six initiatives. The objectives of this evaluation are to:  gather quantitative information to augment the process evaluations undertaken after one year of operation;  document in narrative form, at least two of the six intervention initiatives, providing at least two examples of successful transition from involvement in crime and the criminal justice sector into pro-social living and a life without offending, utilising networks gained through the first evaluations; and  to go beyond documenting problems and gaps, towards providing examples of Māori succeeding as Māori. The key questions that this evaluation aimed to answer were:  What has Te Puni Kōkiri learnt from Māori designed, developed and delivered initiatives within the criminal justice sector?  What are the facilitators of success for Māori in the justice sector?

Details: Wellington, NZ: Te Puni Kökiri, 2011. 20p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 3, 2013 at: http://www.tpk.govt.nz/en/in-print/our-publications/publications/addressing-the-drivers-of-crime-for-maori/download/tpk-evaluation-report-2-hard-to-reach-youth.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: New Zealand

URL: http://www.tpk.govt.nz/en/in-print/our-publications/publications/addressing-the-drivers-of-crime-for-maori/download/tpk-evaluation-report-2-hard-to-reach-youth.pdf

Shelf Number: 129257

Keywords:
Alternatives to Incarceration
Evidence-Based Practices
Juvenile Offenders (New Zealand)
Prisoner Reentry
Recidivism
Rehabilitation
Treatment Programs

Author: Irish Prison Service

Title: Irish Prison Service Recidivism Study

Summary: This report is a study of recidivism among all prisoners released by the Irish Prison Service on completion of a sentence in 2007, based on reoffending and reconviction data up to the end of 2010. The study focuses on recidivism where the new offence does not necessarily lead to a period of imprisonment and gives a clearer picture of the offending behaviour of ex-prisoners. Previously, the only information available to the Service related to re-imprisonment rates. This research project was undertaken in partnership with the Central Statistics Office, specifically the Crime Statistics Section, who facilitated the linking of Irish Prison Service data, Garda Síochána records and Courts Service records. This type of cross-agency analysis of released prisoners has not been possible in the past and this is the first study of its kind in theRepublicofIreland. The findings mark an important contribution to criminological research inIrelandand highlight the need for a greater emphasis on a structured multi-agency approach to preparing prisoners for their release. It will also enable yearly monitoring of recidivism trends and the evaluation of rehabilitation interventions. Main Findings •A recidivism rate of 62.3% within three years. •Over 80% of those who re-offended did so within 12 months of release. •The recidivism rate decreased as the offender age increased. •Male offenders represented 92.5% of the total population studied and had a higher recidivism rate than female offenders (63% for males and 57% among females). •The most common offences for which offenders were reconvicted was Public Order Offences. •Burglary offenders, while a relatively small group within the study, had the highest rate of reconviction at 79.5%.

Details: Longford, Ireland: Irish Prison Services, 2013. 25p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 11, 2013 at: http://www.irishprisons.ie/images/pdf/recidivismstudyss2.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: Ireland

URL: http://www.irishprisons.ie/images/pdf/recidivismstudyss2.pdf

Shelf Number: 129368

Keywords:
Prisoners
Recidivism (Ireland)
Reconviction
Rehabilitation
Reoffending

Author: Howard League for Penal Reform

Title: Life Outside: Collective Identity, Collection Exclusion

Summary: Much of the subsequent debate has singled out the involvement of children and young people in the looting and violence, although in reality the age range and backgrounds of those convicted in the courts have been considerably more diverse than was initially suspected. The debate has split in part over an emphasis on the criminal justice response to be made, and partly over an emphasis on causes. While not developed with these terrible events in mind, Life Outside makes a contribution to both aspects of this debate. Life Outside is the second substantive policy report to be produced from participation with children and young people in the criminal justice system as part of U R Boss, a five year project supported by the Big Lottery Fund. The first report, Life Inside, explored the experience of teenage boys in prison. This report picks up the story after children and young people leave custody. Taken together, the two reports spell out the failures of our current approach to youth justice. The youth justice system, dealing with children under the age of 18, has received a great deal of investment and the last Labour government introduced a network of youth offending teams up and down the country, as well as sentencing innovations such as the Detention and Training Order. Child custody numbers duly exploded and interventions previously rooted in the welfare system became increasingly punitive and linked to a culture of compliance and control that pays little heed to the chaotic nature of these young people’s lives, and which has little or no purchase over the deep and complex social problems which form the underlying causes of youth crime. Unsurprisingly, reoffending rates among children remain the highest of any age group in the penal system. The young people we spoke to make clear why the various stages of life after custody are all too often opportunities to fail, rather than a sure pathway to success. Much of what they told us confirmed the Howard League’s longstanding view that the funding directed into the youth justice system would be better directed into a welfare approach, and that downward pressure should be exerted on the system through measures such as raising the minimum age of criminal responsibility. What the young people we spoke to particularly emphasised, however, was the issue of identity and the way in which the current system sets out to reinforce the feelings of disenfranchisement and detachment from society that erodes these children’s hopes of a positive future. At its very foundation, the youth justice system is predicated on mistaken assumptions that doom those within its ambit from the very start. And the relevance of this to the public debate now raging? The collective exclusion that young people feel may well have played its part in why disorder flared on the streets of London and elsewhere this summer. But we would be wise to think twice before perpetuating responses that simply serve to exacerbate that exclusion and which fail to unpick the reasons why young people commit crime in the first place.

Details: London: Howard League for Penal Reform, 2011. 28p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 19, 2013 at: http://www.urboss.org.uk/downloads/publications/HL_Life_outside.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://www.urboss.org.uk/downloads/publications/HL_Life_outside.pdf

Shelf Number: 129464

Keywords:
Juvenile Aftercare
Juvenile Justice Systems
Juvenile Offenders (U.K.)
Juvenile Reentry
Recidivism
Rehabilitation
Reintegration
Resettlement

Author: Penal Reform International

Title: The Probation and Parole System in Pakistan: Assessment and Recommendations for Reform

Summary: Alternatives to imprisonment in Pakistan have their legal basis at the pre-trial stage in the form of bail; at the sentencing stage with fines and probation; and at the post-sentencing stage with parole. Probation and parole are, however, underused, despite significant overcrowding in the country's prisons and widely accepted evidence globally that alternatives to imprisonment such as community-based rehabilitation programmes and restorative justice are more effective at reducing re-offending.

Details: London: Penal Reform International, 2013. 24p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 28, 2013 at:

Year: 2012

Country: Pakistan

URL: http://www.penalreform.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Pakistan_English-v3.pdf

Shelf Number: 131490

Keywords:
Alternatives to Incarceration
Parole
Probation (Pakistan)
Rehabilitation

Author: Rowe, Sophie

Title: New Bridge Befriending Service: Evaluation Report

Summary: The New Bridge Foundation has been supporting offenders for over 50 years. The charity connects prisoners with the community via a national network of volunteers, with the intention of improving well-being and ultimately contributing to a reduction in reoffending. This report is the culmination of an exercise to formally evaluate the Befriending Service, its impact upon the wellbeing of prisoners and to highlight any changes in attitude and behaviour that may make a contribution to reducing reoffending. This review of New Bridge's Befriending Service comes at a time when the government is attempting to balance high levels of imprisonment with a "rehabilitation revolution". The Prime Minister's recent speech from the Centre for Social Justice reiterated the need for rehabilitation and integration in the community to begin in prison. The move to further introduce a system of payment by results means evidence of impact is crucial for voluntary sector contributors. Through a questionnaire administered to prisoners and volunteers, this report documents the importance of creating links between the offender and the community for successful rehabilitation and provides an evaluation of the impact on those involved. Based on responses from 153 prisoners and 67 volunteers, this report is able to conclude that the befriending scheme has promoted a number of positives outcomes. In relation to offenders the dominant ones are:  Increased motivation to re-establish contacts with those in the community, including family, friends and those working within support organisations  Improved self-esteem and confidence  The opportunity to challenge their thinking about criminal behaviour  More positive thinking about their current and future lives  A move towards a more positive sense of personal identity These outcomes indicate that long-term befriending of prisoners helps them to work towards successful re-integration into the community and reduce the likelihood of reoffending.

Details: London: New Bridge Foundations, 2012. 24p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 13, 2013 at: http://www.newbridgefoundation.org.uk/assets/files/NB-EvaluationReport.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://www.newbridgefoundation.org.uk/assets/files/NB-EvaluationReport.pdf

Shelf Number: 131645

Keywords:
Mentoring (U.K.)
Rehabilitation
Volunteers

Author: Zampese, Linda

Title: When the Bough Breaks; A literature based intervention strategy for young offenders

Summary: The aim of this literature review was to determine which types of treatment are effective in reducing recidivism among young offenders. Young offenders are defined as that proportion of the New Zealand Department of Corrections offender population aged 17- 20 years. The review focused on young offenders because they are widely acknowledged as being unresponsive to treatment. The review included studies of treatment that had some effect on recidivism or had some other notable characteristic. Because there have been few well-controlled evaluations of treatment programmes for young offenders in New Zealand, most of the material refers to overseas programmes. Offenders in the 17-20 year age group have the highest officially recorded rate of offending of all age groups in New Zealand. The type of offences they commit parallel the pattern of offending by adult offenders. Crimes of property damage and violence are increasing which suggests that more young people entering the Department of Corrections system may have a background in violent crime. Maori have the highest rate of offending followed by Pacific people and other ethnic groups. Reconviction rates are also the highest of all offender age groups, with rates being particularly high among 14-17 year olds. Young offenders tend to be generalists in that they do not show any patterns of offence type specialisation. This means that programmes targeted to particular "types" of young offender are not likely to be useful. Three principles have been developed for classifying offenders to ensure effective rehabilitation and targeting of treatment resources. According to these principles, offenders should be classified according to risk level, criminogenic need and response to different types of treatment. Research shows that only small proportions of youth, less than 10%, are at risk of becoming persistent offenders. The risk profile of young offenders is remarkably similar to that of adults. The key characteristics of high-risk youth appear to be: - a history of antisocial behaviour beginning at an early age - antisocial attitudes, values and beliefs - antisocial associates - problems with interpersonal relationships including indifference, poor social skills and weak affective ties - a difficult temperament which may be aggressive, callous, impulsive or egocentric - problems at school, work or leisure and low levels of achievement in these areas - early and current family conditions, including low levels of affection, cohesiveness and/or monitoring and problems at home. Risk level is generally assessed through risk assessment instruments rather than through unstructured clinical judgement. The study reviews a number of instruments and refers to the risk assessment instrument developed by the Department of Corrections Psychological Service, which will be implemented as part of the Integrated Offender Management Plan. Criminogenic needs are those characteristics of offenders and their circumstances that will reduce recidivism if changed. The most likely targets for change include: - antisocial attitudes and feelings - aggressive/violent behaviours - antisocial peer associations and behaviours - familial affection and communication and familial monitoring and supervision - substance abuse and dependency Changes can be made in different ways including by: - promoting identification with anti-criminal role models and increasing association with pro-social others  developing non-criminal activities which provide personal, interpersonal and other rewards - increasing academic and work skills - attending to relapse prevention issues - increasing self-control, self-management and problem-solving skills - changing antisocial attitudes and beliefs - teaching anger management and conflict resolution skills - increasing familial cohesiveness/levels of affection within the home - treating substance abuse - improving motivation for change. The report reviews a number of risk/needs classification systems and concludes that no adequate instruments have yet been developed for assessing young offenders in the New Zealand context. Assessing offenders' likely response to different styles and modes of service involves assessing their personality characteristics, conceptual levels, neuro-psychological deficits and levels of psychopathy, anxiety and motivation as well as addressing cultural issues. The study concludes that priority should be given to developing a treatment classification system that would enable resources to be targeted to moderate and high-risk offenders.

Details: Christchurch, NZ: New Zealand Department of Corrections, Psychological Service, 2003. 87p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 23, 2013 at: http://www.corrections.govt.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/665634/bough.pdf

Year: 2003

Country: New Zealand

URL: http://www.corrections.govt.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/665634/bough.pdf

Shelf Number: 131672

Keywords:
Community Based Corrections
Juvenile Corrections
Juvenile Offenders (New Zealand)
Rehabilitation
Treatment Programs
Wilderness Programs

Author: Damooei, Jamshid

Title: The Evaluation Report For Targeted ReEntry Program of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Oxnard and Port Hueneme

Summary: Crime devastates victims, communities, and even perpetrators. Over the last several decades, the United States has faced serious problems with its criminal justice system. The population of incarcerated Americans has grown tenfold since 1970 and those who have been released from prison are more likely than not to return to prison. The vicious cycle of imprisonment, release, and imprisonment need to be reduced and if possible stopped. In the last decade, there has been renewed interest in programs that are intended to reduce the recidivism rate of released prisoners. The Targeted Reentry Program of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Oxnard and Port Hueneme is one such program that focuses on the needs of at‐risk juvenile offenders. The program provides services to youth offenders from the time the time they are detained in juvenile facilities through their release and reintegration with the community. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Oxnard and Port Hueneme rely on several collaborators to provide specialized services that are beyond their purview. These collaborators include: - Palmer Drug Abuse Program - Ventura County Public Health - The Ventura County Probation Agency - The Coalition to End Family Violence This study has worked to collect data both from the management of and participants in the Targeted Reentry Program in order to determine the effectiveness of the services provided. Based on these findings, the program proves to be an effective resource in the lives of these young people. Participants perceive the services to be effective and they consistently utilize everything that the program has to offer. Moreover, the rates of recidivism are relatively low and they seem to be gainfully engaged in the community upon release. Data collected through studying the records of program management indicate the following: - Significant proportions (36%) of youths who have received the program services are currently employed. - 84% of those who have participated in the Targeted Reentry Program are either currently in school or they have earned academic credentials that could help them become employed. Most encouragingly, 10% are currently pursuing secondary education beyond high school. - 36% of program participants received counseling services while they were inside the juvenile facility. - 86% of those who received counseling while they were in detention continued to receive counseling after they left the facility and began reintegrating into their communities. - The vast majority of respondents (70%) received substance abuse treatment inside the juvenile facility. This is a significant finding. First, it speaks to the success and ability of the Targeted Reentry Program to provide a service to a large number of program participants. Second, it indicates just how many of the youths entering the program is in need of substance abuse treatment. The majority of participants (52%) who received substance abuse treatment within the Juvenile Facility indicate that they continued to receive such treatment after they released into the community. - 85% of those who participated in the Targeted Reentry Program were not returned to the juvenile facility after their release only for a new offense. In addition to consulting the records of program management, the research team prepared a survey that was administered to program participants. The results of the survey are as follows: - At the time respondents filled out the questionnaire, a majority (53.5%) were legal adults over the age of eighteen. - When entering the program, juvenile offenders were between the ages of 14 and 17. The largest share of respondents (46.7%) was 17 when beginning the program. - Nearly three‐fourths of respondents (73.3%) are males. - 53.3% of respondents indicate that they are full‐time high school students not currently employed. An additional 13.4% are also studying; 6.7% are attending community college fulltime while another 6.7% are attending college while working. An additional third of respondents are no longer pursuing an education. 20% are working full‐time while 13.3% are working parttime jobs. - All respondents to the survey are either working or studying. This means that all these individuals are on the path to having a more stable life. - The findings of the program participant survey are quite promising. Only 13.3% of survey respondents indicate that they have had new charges filed against them after exiting the Targeted Reentry Program for the first time. This level of recidivism is significantly less than national levels that are generally in excess of 60%. - All survey respondents believed that the Targeted Reentry Program helped them to "find [the] real sources of my [their] problems." Specifically, 60% believed the program was very successful while 40% believed it to be only successful in this regard. - All survey respondents indicated that the program changed the way they deal with their problems for the better. This is further evidence that the services of the program are helping to develop pro‐social behavior among participants. - All survey respondents indicated that the program was successful in making them more hopeful about their lives. This is the third question in which program participants indicate unanimously that the program has encouraged pro‐social behavior. - 93.3% of respondents indicate that the program successfully gave them the opportunity to meet people who care about them and their wellbeing. - All survey respondents believe that the program taught them the value of an education for a better life in the future. Such motivation may help them become more likely to take their education seriously. - 86.7% of respondents believe that the program was successful in teaching them useful skills that will help them succeed in the job market. Once again, this finding touches on the issue of employability and the need for helping these youth offenders find stable livelihoods that will encourage them to avoid criminal activity. - Another area in which the program seems to help participants is in allowing them to appreciate the importance of health living. Respondents unanimously believed that the program was successful in teaching them the importance of healthy living.

Details: Oxnard, CA: Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Oxnard and Port Hueneme, 2010. 30p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 23, 2013 at: http://www.bgcop.org/aboutus/impact/tre_report.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: United States

URL: http://www.bgcop.org/aboutus/impact/tre_report.pdf

Shelf Number: 131696

Keywords:
At-Risk Youth
Boys and Girls Clubs
Juvenile Offenders
Juvenile Reentry
Reentry (California)
Rehabilitation
Reintegration
Voluntary and Community Organizations

Author: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare

Title: Using the Juvenile Justice National Minimum Data Set to measure youth recidivism

Summary: This report reviewed results and recommendations of a project exploring youth recidivism, including determining whether youth recidivism could be analysed using data from the Juvenile Justice National Minimum Data Set (JJ NMDS). There are substantial benefits in using a longitudinal data collection such as the JJ NMDS, but also some limitations. Preliminary data analysed showed that nationally, over two-fifths (43%) of young people with sentenced supervision in 2010-11 had returned to sentenced supervision within 1 year, while over three-fifths (63%) of those with sentenced supervision in 2009-10 had returned to sentenced supervision within 2 years.

Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2013. 43p.

Source: Internet Resource: Juvenile Justice Series No. 14: Accessed December 4, 2013 at: http://apo.org.au/files/Research/AIHW_UsingTheJuvenileJusticeNationalMinimumDataSetToMeasureJuvenileRecidivism_Dec_2013.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: Australia

URL: http://apo.org.au/files/Research/AIHW_UsingTheJuvenileJusticeNationalMinimumDataSetToMeasureJuvenileRecidivism_Dec_2013.pdf

Shelf Number: 131733

Keywords:
Juvenile Justice (Australia)
Juvenile Offenders
Recidivism
Rehabilitation

Author: Anderson, Victoria

Title: Second Chances for All. Why Orange County Probation Should Stop Choosing Deportation Over Rehabilitation for Immigrant youth

Summary: In recent years, the Orange County Probation Department (OCPD) has adopted a policy of referring immigrant children in its care to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). In so doing, OCPD has violated confidentiality laws, undermined the rehabilitative goals of the juvenile justice system, impeded community policing efforts, unlawfully entangled its officers in federal immigration enforcement, and diverted county resources. This report was undertaken by the UC Irvine School of Law Immigrant Rights Clinic to analyze OCPD's referral policy, document some of these harms, and recommend possible solutions to address those harms. As a result of OCPD's referral policy, Orange County has led the state in juvenile immigration referrals. From December 2010 to November 2012, the OCPD Procedure Manual instructed probation officers to proactively investigate the immigration status of youth and granted OCPD's ICE Liaison Officer discretion to refer practically any child with "questionable immigration status" to ICE. Pursuant to this policy, OCPD referred approximately 170 youth to immigration authorities in the year 2011 alone. Between October 1, 2009 and February 10, 2013, ICE issued immigration detainer requests for numerous youth detained in Orange County Juvenile Hall; Orange County accounted for approximately 43% of all ICE detainer requests issued to juvenile facilities in the state. In November 2012, OCPD revised its referral policy; however, key problematic aspects of the policy were left unchanged. In the months following the policy change, OCPD has made a steady, if reduced, number of referrals. Approximately 24 youth were referred between December 2012 and September 2013. OCPD's referral policy violates state confidentiality law and undermines OCPD's mission to rehabilitate juveniles. The policy violates California Welfare and Institutions Code Section 827, which strictly limits access to juvenile case files, by requiring employees to provide ICE with "all pertinent information" to assist ICE's investigation of referred juveniles. Juvenile referrals also cause both children and their families to distrust the probation department, hindering cooperation necessary for rehabilitation. Furthermore, many juveniles referred to ICE are detained in federal custody for an indefinite period awaiting immigration court proceedings, separating them from their families and subjecting them to physical and mental hardships that increase their risk of recidivism. In cases where children are deported, they experience long-term separation from family and friends, and may be left to fend for themselves in countries where they have no support system. Juvenile referrals do not benefit public safety, and may even hinder policing efforts. Studies have repeatedly found that immigration status does not shape future delinquency. Also, OCPD's own studies indicate that as few as 8% of youth who come into contact with OCPD qualify as "chronic recidivists." Thus, targeting immigrant youth for deportation is unlikely to make Orange County safer. In fact, juvenile referrals can harm public safety because they foster distrust between immigrant communities and local police generally. Surveys show that approximately 44% of Latinos are less likely to contact police officers when they fear police officers will investigate their immigration status or that of their loved ones. OCPD's involvement in federal immigration enforcement exceeds its authority under the Constitution and can lead to illegal detention, deportation, and profiling. Under the Constitution, immigration status may only be determined by federal officers and classified according to federal standards, but OCPD's referral policy directs county officers to independently ascertain juveniles' immigration status, according to a local scheme inconsistent with federal standards. The Constitution also guarantees juveniles the right to be free from unlawful detention, but the referral policy violates that right with its blanket directive to detain juveniles subject to ICE detainers for up to five days past their scheduled release dates. Furthermore, officers untrained in the complexities of immigration status are likely to rely on apparent race and ethnicity in selecting juveniles for immigration investigations, exacerbating risks of illegal racial profiling. Finally, OCPD officers may erroneously refer U.S. citizens or other lawfully present youth to ICE, potentially leading to their unlawful detention and deportation. OCPD's referral policy involves the unnecessary expenditure of county resources to subsidize federal immigration enforcement. OCPD employees - including a dedicated ICE Liaison - spend time on the county payroll investigating juveniles' immigration status and communicating with ICE, and the county incurs additional detention costs when OCPD denies out-of-home placement to juveniles subject to ICE detainers and detains such juveniles past their release dates. Further costs may result from lawsuits filed by those affected by OCPD's referral policy or by civil rights organizations, challenging violations of confidentiality laws, the detention of juveniles on the basis of ICE detainers, racial profiling by OCPD officers, or the erroneous referral and resulting detention or deportation of lawfully present juveniles.

Details: Irvine, CA: University of California Irvine, School of Law, immigrant Rights Clinic, 2013. 50p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 12, 2014 at: http://www.law.uci.edu/academics/real-life-learning/clinics/UCILaw_SecondChances_dec2013.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: United States

URL: http://www.law.uci.edu/academics/real-life-learning/clinics/UCILaw_SecondChances_dec2013.pdf

Shelf Number: 131887

Keywords:
Deportation
Illegal Immigrants
Immigrant Detention
Immigrant Enforcement
Immigration
Juvenile Detention
Juvenile Offenders
Juvenile Probation
Rehabilitation

Author: Kilmer, Beau

Title: Offender Reentry: Correctional Statistics, Reintegration into the Community, and Recidivism

Summary: The prison population in the United States has been growing steadily for more than 30 years. The Bureau of Justice Statistics reports that since 1990 an average of 590,400 inmates have been released annually from state and federal prisons and almost 5 million ex-offenders are under some form of community-based supervision. Offender reentry can include all the activities and programming conducted to prepare ex-convicts to return safely to the community and to live as law-abiding citizens. Some ex-offenders, however, eventually end up back in prison. The most recent national-level recidivism study is 10 years old; this study showed that two-thirds of ex-offenders released in 1994 came back into contact with the criminal justice system within three years of their release. Compared with the average American, ex-offenders are less educated, less likely to be gainfully employed, and more likely to have a history of mental illness or substance abuse - all of which have been shown to be risk factors for recidivism. Three phases are associated with offender reentry programs: programs that take place during incarceration, which aim to prepare offenders for their eventual release; programs that take place during offenders' release period, which seek to connect ex-offenders with the various services they may require; and long-term programs that take place as ex-offenders permanently reintegrate into their communities, which attempt to provide offenders with support and supervision. There is a wide array of offender reentry program designs, and these programs can differ significantly in range, scope, and methodology. Researchers in the offender reentry field have suggested that the best programs begin during incarceration and extend throughout the release and reintegration process. Despite the relative lack of research in the field of offender reentry, an emerging "what works" literature suggests that programs focusing on work training and placement, drug and mental health treatment, and housing assistance have proven to be effective. The federal government's involvement in offender reentry programs typically occurs through grant funding, which is available through a wide array of federal programs at the Departments of Justice, Labor, Education, and Health and Human Services. However, only a handful of grant programs in the federal government are designed explicitly for offender reentry purposes. The Second Chance Act (P.L. 110-199) was enacted on April 9, 2008. The act expanded the existing offender reentry grant program at the Department of Justice and created a wide array of targeted grant-funded pilot programs.

Details: Washington, DC: Congressional Research Service, 2014, 34p.

Source: Internet Resource: RL34287: Accessed March 14, 2014 at: http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/RL34287.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: United States

URL: http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/RL34287.pdf

Shelf Number: 131911

Keywords:
Ex-Offenders
Prisoner Reentry
Prisoners
Recidivism
Rehabilitation
Second Chance Act

Author: Johnson, Byron R.

Title: Objective Hope: Assessing the Effectiveness of Faith-Based Organizations: A Review of the Literature

Summary: Faith-based organizations (FBOs) have been part of public life for decades, but the dialogue has recently taken on a new and higher public profile. By some estimates, FBOs provide $20 billion of privately contributed funds to social service delivery for over 70 million Americans annually. While there is an impressive and mounting body of evidence that higher levels of religious practices or involvement (organic religion) are linked to reductions in various harmful outcomes, there is little published research evaluating the effectiveness of faith-based organizations (intentional religion). Faith-based organizations (fFBO) have been part of public life for decades, but the dialogue has recently taken on a new and higher public profile. By some estimates, FBOs provide $20 billion of privately contributed funds to social service delivery for over 70 million Americans annually. While there is an impressive and mounting body of evidence that higher levels of religious practices or involvement (organic religion) are linked to reductions in various harmful outcomes, there is little published research evaluating the effectiveness of faith-based organizations (intentional religion). bring some clarity to this area, we first review and assess in summary fashion, 669 studies of organic religion, and discuss how the conclusions from this body of research are relevant and directly related to the research on faith-based interventions. In sum, there are two broad conclusions from this review of research on organic religion: (1.) research on religious practices and health outcomes indicates that higher levels of religious involvement are associated with: reduced hypertension, longer survival, less depression, lower levels of drug and alcohol use and abuse, less promiscuous sexual behaviors, reduced likelihood of suicide, lower rates of delinquency among youth, and reduced criminal activity among adults. This review provides overwhelming evidence that higher levels of religious involvement and practices make for an important protective factor that buffers or insulates individuals from deleterious outcomes. (2.) research on religious practices and various measures of well-being reveal that higher levels of religious involvement are associated with increased levels of: well-being, hope, purpose, meaning in life, and educational attainment. This review of studies on organic religion documents that religious commitment or practices make for an important factor promoting an array of prosocial behaviors and thus enhancing various beneficial outcomes. This study also reviewed research on intentional religion and uncovered a total of 97 studies that examine the diverse interventions of religious groups, congregations, or faith-based organizations. Twenty-five of these 97 studies specifically examined some efficacy aspect of faith-based organizations, programs, or initiatives. The current study critically assesses these studies and documents that research on faith-based organizations: (1.) is much less common than research on organic religion. (2.) relies too heavily upon research utilizing qualitative approaches such as case studies and too little upon quantitative methodologies that emphasize rigorous and outcome-based research designs. (3.) often reflects a general naivete with regard to measuring the "faith" in faith-based. (4.) yields basic, preliminary, but almost uniformly positive evidence supporting the notion that faith-based organizations are more effective in providing various services. (5.) is long overdue and funding from both public and private sources should be allocated immediately for rigorous research and evaluations of faith-based organizations, interventions, and initiatives.

Details: Waco, TX: Baylor University, Institute for Studies of Religion, 2008. 76p. (Originally published: 2002)

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 14, 2014 at: http://www.baylor.edu/content/services/document.php/24809.pdf

Year: 2008

Country: United States

URL: http://www.baylor.edu/content/services/document.php/24809.pdf

Shelf Number: 131916

Keywords:
Faith-Based Groups
Rehabilitation
Religion
Religion and Crime

Author: National Justice Chief Executive Officers Group

Title: Staying Strong on the Outside: Indigenous Young Adults: Final Report

Summary: The Staying Strong on the Outside project, an initiative of the National Justice Chief Executive Officers (NJCEOs) Group, sought to identify factors that contribute to positive outcomes for Indigenous young adults aged 18 to 25 years released from custody and to highlight programs and initiatives that offer promise in this area. - The Project was undertaken in 2008 to 2009 and had three components: a review of research; a practice survey distributed throughout Australia and New Zealand; and a Forum attended by more than 80 policy-makers and practitioners from both countries. - The over-representation of Indigenous persons in custody has been well documented. The Australian Bureau of Statistics National Prisoner Census indicates that on 30 June 2008, 24% of the adult prisoner population were Indigenous, despite this group making up only 2% of the Australian population. There were 1,795 Indigenous persons aged 18 to 24 years in custody, which equates to 6.5% of the total prison population. Around one third of these young adults were imprisoned in New South Wales. Māori, particularly young adults, are also over-represented within the New Zealand prison population. - Stakeholders engaged through this project supported the decision by the NJCEOs to focus on Indigenous young adults, given this is a pivotal point marked by the transition to adulthood and in light of the intergenerational effects of Indigenous incarceration. They also highlighted the importance of considering the needs of particular sub-groups within this population, including young women and persons from rural and remote locations. - The practice survey identified 36 programs in Australia or New Zealand that offer re-entry services to Indigenous young adults. Of the 36 programs, only two were aimed exclusively at the 18 - 25 year age group. Both programs were in New South Wales. Nevertheless, most of the programs aimed to offer an individualised and holistic service, and were therefore able to address the specific needs of Indigenous young adults. - While generally focused on any adult prisoner, the 36 practice examples considered for this project were highly diverse. They addressed a variety of risk factors, involved a range of partners, had varied funding and had been operating for different time periods. Programs ranged from initiatives to create pathways to employment (Western Australian Mining Industry Employment Linkages); to provision of identification to exiting prisoners (Larrakia Nation Proof of ID); to programs to address offending behaviour in a cultural context (Queensland's Ending Offending Program). - Nine of the 36 examples had been evaluated and four of the nine evaluation reports were provided to the Project Team. While some of these evaluations are now quite dated, the findings were generally positive. Nine of the 36 initiatives commenced in 2008 and therefore it is too early for any evaluation results to be available. This applied to the Bugilmah Burube Wullinje Balund-a (Tabulam) centre in New South Wales and the Konnect Program in Victoria. - A number of key principles were identified through the three components of the project as important contributors to the successful reintegration of Indigenous young adults. These are: - interventions should address the cognitive and behavioural causes of offending. Research suggests that cognitive-behavioural skills programs are among the most effective in offender rehabilitation. - programs should be designed, developed and delivered in a culturally appropriate manner. Evidence suggests that participants in programs that are delivered in a culturally appropriate manner are more likely to complete the program and less likely to re-offend. - services aimed at reintegration should be provided from the beginning of a sentence and continue post-release (throughcare). - interventions should be holistic and, in particular, should ensure that practical health and welfare needs are met so that the client can effectively address behavioural change. -interventions should acknowledge the strengths of Indigenous young offenders, recognizing achievements, ability and potential, while addressing the need to build capacity. - interventions should empower individuals by imparting practical 'life skills', building self-sufficiency and encouraging active participation in rehabilitation. - effective partnerships, information sharing and joined up service delivery are fundamental to the success of initiatives. - the needs of victims should be recognised and addressed, particularly where the victim lives in the same community as the offender. - The project identified the following as key areas of need that should be addressed by interventions: - ensure that connections are made with education, vocational training and employment services; - where possible, maintain, re-establish and strengthen family and community relationships, and involve family members in the reintegration process; and - address substance abuse, as drug and alcohol abuse are risk factors for offending. - The project also identified those features of program delivery that contribute to better outcomes for young Indigenous offenders: - trained and committed staff; - programs targeted at high risk offenders; - treatment styles matched with the learning styles of participants; and - investment in lengthy and intensive programs. - Program evaluation is necessary to identify obstacles to implementation and to determine whether the desired outcomes are achieved. Allied to this issue is the need to provide adequate and long-term funding for programs to ensure a degree of continuity and allow sufficient time for those programs to develop, mature and show results.

Details: Canberra(?):Indigenous Justice Clearinghouse, 2009. 93p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 17, 2014 at: http://www.indigenousjustice.gov.au/stayingstrong.pdf

Year: 2009

Country: Australia

URL: http://www.indigenousjustice.gov.au/stayingstrong.pdf

Shelf Number: 131939

Keywords:
Indigenous Peoples
Interventions
Prisoner Reentry
Rehabilitation
Young Adult Offenders

Author: Davis, Lois M.

Title: How Effective is Correctional Education, and Where Do We Go from Here? The Results of a Comprehensive Evaluation

Summary: Each year, more than 700,000 incarcerated individuals leave federal and state prisons; within three years of release, 40 percent will have committed new crimes or violated the terms of their release and be reincarcerated. Although a number of factors impede the ability of ex-offenders to successfully reintegrate into communities and, thus, affect recidivism rates, one key factor is that many ex-offenders do not have the knowledge, training, and skills to support a successful return to their communities. Research, for example, shows that ex-offenders, on average, are less educated than the general population: 37 percent of individuals in state prisons had attained less than a high school education in 2004, compared with 19 percent of the general U.S. population age 16 and over; 16.5 percent of state prisoners had just a high school diploma, compared with 26 percent of the general population; and 14.4 percent of state prison inmates had at least some postsecondary education, compared with 51 percent of the general U.S. adult population. Moreover, literacy levels for the prison population also tend to be lower than that of the general U.S. population. This lower level of educational attainment represents a significant challenge for exoffenders returning to local communities, because it impedes their ability to find employment. A lack of vocational skills and a steady history of employment also have an impact, with research showing that incarceration impacts unemployment and earnings in a number of ways, including higher unemployment rates for ex-offenders and lower hourly wages when they are employed. Also, individuals being released to the community face a very different set of job market needs than ever before, given the growing role of computer technology and the need for at least basic computer skills. Given these gaps in educational attainment and vocational skills and the impact they have on ex-offenders, one strategy is to provide education to inmates while they are incarcerated, so that they have the skills to support a successful return to their communities. Historically, support for educational programs within correctional settings has waxed and waned over time as the nations philosophy of punishment has shifted from rehabilitation to crime control. Although there is general consensus today that education is an important component of rehabilitation, the question remains: How effective is it in helping to reduce recidivism and improve postrelease employment outcomes? The question is especially salient as the nation as a whole and states in particular have struggled with the need to make spending cuts to all social programs due to the recession of 2008 and its long aftermath. With funding from the Second Chance Act of 2007 (Pub. L. 110-199), the U.S. Justice Department's Bureau of Justice Assistance awarded RAND a cooperative agreement in 2010 to comprehensively examine the current state of correctional education for incarcerated adults and juveniles, where it is headed, which correctional education programs are effective, and how effective programs can be implemented across different settings. The study was designed to address the following key questions of importance to the field of correctional education: 1. What is known about the effectiveness of correctional education programs for incarcerated adults? 2. What is known about the effectiveness of correctional education programs for juvenile offenders? 3. What does the current landscape of correctional education look like in the United States, and what are some emerging issues and trends to consider? 4. What recommendations emerge from the study for the U.S. Department of Justice and other federal departments to further the field of correction education, and where are there gaps in our knowledge? What promising practices, if any, emerge from this review and evaluation? To address these questions, we used a mixed-methods approach. This report first presents a summary of the prior systematic literature review and meta-analysis of adult correctional education programs (Davis et al., 2013), which included studies completed between 1980 and 2011. It then presents two new sections: a systematic literature review of primary studies of correctional education programs for juveniles and a nationwide web-based survey of state correctional education directors. We conclude with a set of recommendations for moving the field forward. For purposes of our study, we defined correctional education for incarcerated adults as including the following: - Adult basic education: basic skills instruction in arithmetic, reading, writing, and, if needed, English as a second language (ESL) - Adult secondary education: instruction to complete high school or prepare for a certificate of high school equivalency, such as the General Education Development (GED) certificate - Vocational education or career technical education (CTE): training in general employment skills and in skills for specific jobs or industries - Postsecondary education: college-level instruction that enables an individual to earn college credit that may be applied toward a two- or four-year postsecondary degree. To meet our definition of correctional education, the program had to be administered at least partly within a correctional facility. Programs that also included a postrelease transition component remained eligible as long as part of the program was administered in a correctional setting. For the juvenile program systematic review, we define incarcerated youth as individuals under age 21 who are legally assigned to correctional facilities as a result of arrest, detainment for court proceedings, adjudication by a juvenile court, or conviction in an adult criminal court (Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, 2013). We define correctional education as any academic or vocational education/CTE program provided within the correctional facility setting, regardless of jurisdiction. As with our adult review, we permitted eligible interventions for juveniles to include an aftercare (postrelease) component, but the interventions had to be delivered primarily in the correctional facility.

Details: Santa Monica, CA: RAND, 2014. 156p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 19, 2014 at: http://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/research_reports/RR500/RR564/RAND_RR564.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: United States

URL: http://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/research_reports/RR500/RR564/RAND_RR564.pdf

Shelf Number: 132085

Keywords:
Correctional Education
Employment
Ex-Offenders
Recidivism
Reentry
Rehabilitation
Vocational Education and Training

Author: Great Britain. Ministry of Justice

Title: Transforming Rehabilitation: A Summary of Evidence on Reducing Reoffending (Second Edition)

Summary: This evidence review has been produced to support policy makers, practitioners and others who work with offenders. It summarises key evidence on approaches to offender management and how to work effectively with offenders, and then considers the evidence on specific interventions such as drug and alcohol treatment, offender behaviour programmes, mentoring and restorative justice. The first version of this review, published in September 2013, has been updated by a second edition, published in April 2014, in order to include recently published and emerging evaluation evidence.

Details: London: Ministry of Justice, 2014. 58p.

Source: Internet Resource: Ministry of Analytical Series: Accessed April 23, 2014 at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/243718/evidence-reduce-reoffending.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: United Kingdom

URL: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/243718/evidence-reduce-reoffending.pdf

Shelf Number: 132150

Keywords:
Crime Prevention
Interventions
Offender Supervision
Recidivism
Rehabilitation
Reoffending

Author: London Councils

Title: Reducing Reoffending in London: Why investing in local solutions will deliver

Summary: Reducing reoffending is critical to both protecting communities from crime and to delivering a more effective and economic justice system. This report argues that, to get the best outcomes, we need a system that puts assertive locally rooted co-ordination at its heart. Prison populations have steadily increased in England and Wales, from an average of 64,601 in 2000 to 86,634 in 2012. Reoffenders contribute to this. Reoffending is also costly to the public purse; handling an individual reconviction could cost the public as much as L65,000 followed by up to $37,500 per year in prison. The 2010 National Audit Office report, Managing Offenders on Short Custodial Sentences, estimated that in 2007/08, the total cost to the economy of crime committed by offenders who had served short term sentences (less than 12 months) was between L9.5 billion and L13 billion. Reducing crime and improving community safety are critical to London local government's role in building and sustaining safe and prosperous communities. A key element of this is the rehabilitation of offenders. We believe that this is best achieved through coordinated local services that are rooted in local democratic and accountability structures. More broadly, local government has a significant role in tackling crime and reducing offending.

Details: London: London Councils, 2013. 36p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 5, 2014 at http://www.londoncouncils.gov.uk/London%20Councils/Crime%20and%20Public%20Protection/LondonCouncilsReducingReoffendinginLondonreport.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://www.londoncouncils.gov.uk/London%20Councils/Crime%20and%20Public%20Protection/LondonCouncilsReducingReoffendinginLondonreport.pdf

Shelf Number: 132418

Keywords:
Recidivism
Recidivism, Prevention (U.K.)
Rehabilitation
Reoffending (U.K.)

Author: Camman, Carolyn

Title: Environmental Scan of Canadian and International Aboriginal Corrections Programs and Services

Summary: To help inform the evaluation of Strategic Plan on Aboriginal Corrections (SPAC) in 2010/11 and CSC's future planning and policy decisions in this area, the University of Saskatchewan was contracted to undertake an external environmental scan of Aboriginal corrections programs and services within Canada and internationally. Program searches extended across the four elements of the Aboriginal Corrections Continuum of Care model but specifically excluded programs and services provided or funded by CSC. Pre-dispositional programs and services (e.g. sentencing circles, presentence diversion programs) were also excluded from the scan. The scan of corrections programs and services targeted to Aboriginal offenders revealed 38 (non-CSC) programs across Canada and 67 programs and services internationally. All Continuum of Care categories were represented, with the greatest number falling within the 'Intervention' category.

Details: Saskatoon: University of Saskatchewan, Forensic Behavioural Sciences and Justice Studies Initiative, 2011. 114p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 26, 2014 at: http://www.usask.ca/cfbsjs/research/pdf/research_reports/CSC_Environmental_Scan_Mar_22_corr.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: International

URL: http://www.usask.ca/cfbsjs/research/pdf/research_reports/CSC_Environmental_Scan_Mar_22_corr.pdf

Shelf Number: 132553

Keywords:
Aboriginals
Correctional Programs
Indigenous Peoples
Interventions
Prisoners
Rehabilitation

Author: Kent, Tyler

Title: Process Evaluation of a Non-Profit Youth Services Agency: Original Gangster's Basic Academy for Development.

Summary: Based in Nampa, Idaho, the Original Gangster's Basic Academy of Development (OG's BAD) is a youth based services program founded in 2005. The mission of the Academy is to provide youth who are prone to gang involvement with alternatives to a gang lifestyle. The program provides at-risk youth with: 1) tutoring tailored to meet the specific needs of each participant to obtain high school credits or a GED; 2) internships at worksites for on-the-job training; and 3) recreational activities to demonstrate appropriate use of free time. The project also includes a drug strategy component, which focuses on deterring first time users and provides drug and/or alcohol treatment for participants. This process evaluation, performed by the Idaho Statistical Analysis Center, was initiated to provide the Idaho Grant Review Council and the Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) manager with an assessment of the development of OG's BAD program, problems encountered, solutions created, and overall accomplishments achieved.

Details: Meridian, ID: Idaho Statistical Analysis Center, 2014. 30p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 25, 2014 at: https://www.isp.idaho.gov/pgr/inc/documents/OGBAD.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: United States

URL: https://www.isp.idaho.gov/pgr/inc/documents/OGBAD.pdf

Shelf Number: 132750

Keywords:
At-Risk Youth
Delinquency Prevention
Gangs
Rehabilitation
Youth Gangs

Author: Frowein, Philippa

Title: Breaking Out of the Cycle: Sports, Recreation, Education and Culture Centre at the Leeuwkop Juvenile Prison

Summary: Economic circumstances in the wake of historical political turbulence have lead to criminal behaviour, and the cyclical nature of criminal patterns. Growing crime rates are a feature of countries around the world, and various governments have attempted to deal with offenders by adopting 'tough on crime' strategies. Nevertheless, crime rates are increasing, and new research has shown that rehabilitation is becoming more relevant than punishment in the fight against recidivism. In the White Paper on Corrections, published in 2005, the Department of Correctional Services identified the actual prison environment as a route cause of crime, calling the prison a "university of crime." Gang violence, rape and intimidation cause prisoners to commit crimes in an attempt to survive. On their release, they have the potential to be damaged individuals who pose a greater threat to society than before their incarceration. The White Paper suggests that rehabilitation of prisoners is the only way to deal with criminal reoffending and The Department of Correctional Services has fully committed to the theory of rehabilitation in its legislation. Unfortunately most of the actual prison buildings in South Africa were designed purely for incarceration and punishment of offenders, and little thought has been given to spaces for rehabilitation. This thesis deals with the retrofit of rehabilitation programme in existing problematic prison infrastructure in an attempt to deal with the high levels of recidivism in South Africa. South African prisoners have the right to sports, recreation, education and culture [SREC] activities, but currently participation is documented at only four percent. The juvenile prisoners at the Leeuwkop Prison Farm form part of the majority of young offenders without good SREC facilities, and it is the aim of this thesis to investigate the culture of Leeuwkop Prison and determine what is needed for both prisoners and prison staff in terms of offering rehabilitation and SREC facilities. This thesis will also focus upon the way in which a new SREC building can be used to integrate prisoners and the public in an attempt to address the stigmas associated with offenders in South Africa.

Details: Johannesburg, South Africa: University of the Witwatersrand, 2013. 193p.

Source: Internet Resource: Master's Essay: Accessed July 28, 2014 at: http://wiredspace.wits.ac.za/handle/10539/13088

Year: 2013

Country: South Africa

URL: http://wiredspace.wits.ac.za/handle/10539/13088

Shelf Number: 132801

Keywords:
Juvenile Inmates
Juvenile Offenders
Prison Programs
Prisoner
Prisons (South Africa)
Rehabilitation
Young Adult Offenders

Author: Seigle, Elizabeth

Title: Core Principles for Reducing Recidivism and Improving Other Outcomes for Youth in the Juvenile Justice System

Summary: This white paper is written to guide leaders across all branches of government; juvenile justice system administrators, managers, and front-line staff; and researchers, advocates, and other stakeholders on how to better leverage existing research and resources to facilitate system improvements that reduce recidivism and improve other outcomes for youth involved in the juvenile justice system. The last two decades have produced remarkable changes in state and local juvenile justice systems. An overwhelming body of research has emerged, demonstrating that using secure facilities as a primary response to youth's delinquent behavior generally produces poor outcomes at high costs. Drawing on this evidence, the MacArthur Foundation's Models for Change and the Annie E. Casey Foundation's Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative have provided the field with models for reform, research-based guidance, and technical assistance that has transformed many state and local juvenile justice systems. In part due to these efforts, between 1997 and 2011, youth confinement rates declined by almost 50 percent. During the same time period, arrests of juveniles for violent crimes also fell by approximately 50 percent, to their lowest level in over 30 years. The importance and value of these achievements can't be overstated. At the same time, these trends alone are not sufficient for policymakers to assess the effectiveness of their state and local governments' juvenile justice systems. They must also know whether youth diverted from confinement, as well as youth who return to their communities after confinement, have subsequent contact with the justice system. In addition to recidivism data, policymakers should have information about what services, supports, and opportunities young people under system supervision need, whether these needs are being met, and to what extent these young people are succeeding as a result. Yet policymakers often lack the information they need to determine whether youth who do come in contact with the system emerge from their experience better off, worse off, or unchanged, particularly in the long term. Twenty percent of state juvenile corrections agencies dont track recidivism data for youth at all. Of the states that do track recidivism, the majority doesnt consider the multiple ways a youth may have subsequent contact with the justice system, which range from rearrest, readjudication, or reincarceration within the juvenile justice system to offenses that involve them with the adult corrections system. For example, most states that track recidivism are unlikely to capture as youth recidivism data an event such as a 17-year-old released from a juvenile facility who is incarcerated in an adult facility as an 18-year-old. Additionally, the vast majority of states doesn't track whether youth who came into contact with the system ultimately stay in school, earn a degree, or find sustainable employment. To the extent that state and local governments are able to measure their juvenile justice systems' impact on rearrest, readjudication, and reincarceration rates, the results have been discouraging. Its not uncommon for rearrest rates for youth returning from confinement to be as high as 75 percent within three years of release, and arrest rates for higher-risk youth placed on probation in the community are often not much better. While there have been promising advances in the field, few juvenile justice systems can point to significant and sustained progress in reducing these recidivism rates.

Details: New York: Council of State Governments Justice Center, 2014. 102p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 25, 2014 at: http://csgjusticecenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Core-Principles-for-Reducing-Recidivism-and-Improving-Other-Outcomes-for-Youth-in-the-Juvenile-Justice-System.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: United States

URL: http://csgjusticecenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Core-Principles-for-Reducing-Recidivism-and-Improving-Other-Outcomes-for-Youth-in-the-Juvenile-Justice-System.pdf

Shelf Number: 133140

Keywords:
Juvenile Corrections
Juvenile Justice Policies
Juvenile Justice Reform
Juvenile Justice Systems
Juvenile Offenders (U.S.)
Recidivism
Rehabilitation

Author: D'Amico, Ron

Title: Evaluation of the Second Chance Act (SCA) Demonstration 2009 Grantees: Interim Report

Summary: This report presents the results from an implementation study of 10 grantees awarded Second Chance Act (SCA) adult demonstration grants to improve reentry services for adult offenders. The implementation study was designed to learn how the 10 grantees operated their SCA projects. During site visits to each grantee lasting two to three days each, study team members interviewed program administrators, case managers, probation and parole officers (POs), fiscal and MIS staff members, and SCA service providers, asking questions about project management and service delivery. They also conducted focus groups with program participants, observed project services, and reviewed selected case files. These site visits largely took place in the spring and summer of 2012. The grantees included state departments of corrections, county sheriff's offices, county health agencies, and other public agencies. Each SCA project targeted medium to high-risk adult offenders and enrolled participants, variously, well before release, just before release, or just after release. Case management, involving needs-based service planning and service coordination, was the focal point of project services across all 10 sites. Depending on the site, case managers were (specialized) POs or employees of municipal departments or nonprofit organizations. Other SCA services included education and training, employment assistance, substance abuse treatment, mental health services, cognitive behavioral therapy, pro-social services, housing assistance, and other supportive services. These services were provided either directly by the case managers, through formal agreements with service providers (often including payment for services rendered), or through unfunded informal referrals to community agencies. The direct service model provided tailored services to participants, but required case managers to have specialized expertise and, for this reason, was used sparingly. The formal partnership model ensured priority access to services that participants needed but was costly. The informal partnership model provided participants with access to a wide array of community services but often without close coordination with the SCA project itself. Each grantee used all three of these service delivery models. The grantees faced numerous challenges in developing strong projects, stemming partly from the intrinsic difficulty in serving offenders and partly due to the challenge of designing and implementing evidence-based reentry programming. These challenges included: - needing substantial ramp-up time to operate smoothly, - needing to train case managers (especially those without a social service background) on needs-based service planning, and - coordinating partner services. The SCA projects that overcame these challenges created strong foundations for sustainable systems change. They: - gained considerable experience in needs-based service planning and in coordinating pre-release and post-release services, - strengthened partnerships between various government and community-based agencies, and - came to embrace a rehabilitative philosophy to reentry that, in some cases, represented an important cultural shift. An impact study that uses a random assignment design is separately underway, and results from it will be provided in a separate report.

Details: Oakland, CA: Social Policy Research Associates, 2013. 113p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 2, 2014 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/243294.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: United States

URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/243294.pdf

Shelf Number: 129915

Keywords:
Case Management
Parolees
Prisoner Reentry (U.S.)
Probationers
Recidivism
Rehabilitation

Author: Centre for Social Justice

Title: Ambitious for Recovery: Tackling drug and alcohol addiction in the UK

Summary: Addiction to drugs and alcohol takes a heavy toll on society. In 17 years running BAC O'Connor I have seen the impact, from crime, worklessness and strains on the NHS, to the price paid by individuals and their families. I have witnessed, however, people overcome their addiction and progress to lead full lives as contributing members of society. Provided with a little support to become drug and alcohol free, I have watched people transform their lives and become productive members of society. Recent falls in drug and alcohol use in the wider population conceal a rising cost of addiction: more alcohol-related admissions and readmissions, more prescription drugs issued, and, a surge in use of 'legal highs'. This is a social justice issue. Addiction can strike anyone but the harm of this situation is felt most keenly in poorer communities. Our interim report, No Quick Fix, laid bare the costs, extent and changing nature of drug and alcohol addiction in the UK. We outlined how the Government's 2010 Drug Strategy marked a welcome shift from a policy of maintaining addicts on substitute drugs to an ambition to help people lead drug-free lives. We have seen a rise in the use of mutual aid and the rhetoric of recovery now pervades strategy. Yet while some of the rhetoric has been good, action has been poor. Abstinence from drugs and alcohol, which is key to achieving lasting recovery but is still not the marker by which we measure our success. Equally, rehabs are the most effective route to abstinence for many yet are still the preserve of the wealthy or the lucky few. Making the situation worse, we now have 'legal highs', often more dangerous and addictive than the drugs they seek to imitate, available to buy on high streets across the UK. Our report lays out a programme for whoever next enters government, to tackle addiction and reduce its costs to society. We argue that priorities for the next Parliament should include: a small treatment tax of a penny on a unit is introduced by the end of the next Parliament to provide proper rehabilitation; reform to the welfare, criminal justice and health services to address the addiction problems which drain resources; and, a proper response to 'legal highs'.

Details: London: Centre for Social Justice, 2014. 102p.

Source: Internet Resource: Breakthrough Britain II: Accessed October 9, 2014 at: http://www.centreforsocialjustice.org.uk/UserStorage/pdf/Pdf%20reports/CSJJ2073_Addiction_15.08.14_2.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://www.centreforsocialjustice.org.uk/UserStorage/pdf/Pdf%20reports/CSJJ2073_Addiction_15.08.14_2.pdf

Shelf Number: 133925

Keywords:
Alcoholism
Drug Abuse and Addiction (U.K.)
Drug Abuse and Crime
Drug Abuse Treatment
Drug Offenders
Rehabilitation
Substance Abuse Treatment

Author: Doherty, Sherri

Title: An Examination of the Effectiveness of the National Substance Abuse Program Moderate Intensity (NSAP-M) on Institutional Adjustment and Post-Release Outcomes

Summary: What it means The findings suggest that the National Substance Abuse Program - Moderate Intensity (NSAP-M) reduced the risks associated with substance use and criminality. The offenders with partial exposure to the program showed the poorest outcomes with respect to return to custody. The results also demonstrate the value of participating in community maintenance even with limited exposure to NSAP-M. Unfortunately, only a small percentage of offenders participated in community aftercare. What we found The occurrence of institutional misconduct was not significantly reduced by NSAP-M participation. Offenders who fully completed NSAP-M were as likely to engage in serious institutional misconduct as offenders who failed to complete all sessions of the program or offenders who had been assigned to NSAP-M but who had not enrolled in the program. Offenders who completed NSAP-M were less likely to be readmitted to prison during the 24-month follow-up period. In fact, offenders who partially completed were 25% more likely to return to prison compared to those who completed NSAP-M. The Not Enrolled group did not differ from program completers in likelihood of returning to custody. At the end of the 2 year follow-up period, 52% of both the Complete and Not Enrolled groups remained in the community, compared to 39% of the Incomplete group. When participation in the National Maintenance Substance Abuse Program delivered in the community and release type were considered, the association between NSAP-M and return to custody was no longer significant, suggesting that release type and community aftercare may be key variables in the pathway between program exposure and returning to custody. Overall, offenders who did not participate in community aftercare were 41% more likely to return to custody than those who had some exposure to the program; offenders who were released on a non-discretionary basis were 53% more likely to return to custody. Why we did this study Ensuring the safety and security of staff and offenders within the institution environment and the safe reintegration offenders into the community are key priorities of Correctional Service Canada (CSC). Correctional interventions can help address offender behavior associated with criminal activity. Given that 80% of the federal offender population has a substance use problem, it is imperative that effective substance abuse interventions are available to these offenders. The current study examined the effectiveness of NSAP-M in addressing the needs of federally incarcerated male offenders who have an identified substance abuse problem. What we did The study examined the effect of NSAP-M on institutional misconduct and return to custody. The study sample consisted of 8,121 male offenders who had accessed NSAP-M between June 2004 and December 2009.

Details: Ottawa: Correctional Service of Canada, 2014. 59p.

Source: Internet Resource: Research Report No. R-290: Accessed October 9, 2014 at: http://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/research/005008-0291-eng.shtml

Year: 2014

Country: Canada

URL: http://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/research/005008-0291-eng.shtml

Shelf Number: 133639

Keywords:
Correctional Programs
Drug Abuse and Addiction (Canada)
Drug Abuse and Crime
Drug Abuse Treatment (Canada)
Drug Offenders
Prisoner Aftercare
Prisoner Misconduct
Prisoner Reentry
Prisons
Recidivism
Rehabilitation

Author: Smith, Stephanie

Title: Supporting Forth and Fife Valley: Pathways into prison and supports available to young people from Fife and Forth Valley

Summary: This report presents the findings of a small-scale research project which examined the social work reports of 32 young men aged between 17 and 21 from the Fife and Forth Valley areas who were serving sentences in HM Young Offenders' Institution (HMYOI) Polmont. Additionally, the research included semi-structured interviews with 12 of the young men who agreed to speak to researchers. The fieldwork was carried out during December 2013 and January 2014. The population selected for inclusion comprised young men who entered Polmont during the year October 2012 to September 2013. Young men who are in prison are there for a variety of reasons and present with multiple issues and needs. Many have been involved in offending over a considerable period of time, while others have committed a serious offence that resulted in custody. Many have difficulties with substance misuse, mental health, and are not in employment or training. Research in this area highlights that many of the disadvantages that young people faced before custody are compounded on release (e.g. offending behaviour, homelessness, substance misuse, low educational attainment, unemployment, ill health and family breakdown) resulting in them being more vulnerable and susceptible to reoffending. Research questions The research was guided by two research questions as follows: 1) What do the social work reports of young men in HMYOI Polmont reveal about their pathways into and out of custody? 2) What types of support were made available to young people before entering and while in HMYOI Polmont?

Details: Glasgow: Centre for Youth & Criminal Justice, 2014. 39p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 13, 2014 at: http://www.cycj.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Supporting-Forth-and-Fife-Valley.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://www.cycj.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Supporting-Forth-and-Fife-Valley.pdf

Shelf Number: 133642

Keywords:
Juvenile Inmates
Males
Rehabilitation
Social Services
Young Adult Offenders (Scotland)

Author: Taxman, Faye S.

Title: What Works in Residential Reentry Centers

Summary: Residential Reentry Centers (RRCs) are designed to facilitate the transition from prison to the community, and many often serve as halfway back facilities for offenders who have difficulties when placed on community supervision. During this transitional period, the RRCs assist offenders in securing housing and employment as well as continuing in appropriate treatment and other programs to address criminogenic needs. Monographs available at this website are: "Executive Overview: What Works in Residential Reentry Centers" by Faye S. Taxman, Jessica Rexroat, Mary Shilton, Amy Mericle, and Jennifer Lerch; "Report 1: What Is the Impact of "Performance Contracting" on Offender Supervision Services?" by Shilton, Rexroat, Taxman, and Mericle; "Report 2: Measuring Performance -The Capacity of Residential Reentry Centers (RRCs) to Collect, Manage, and Analyze Client-Level Data" by Mericle, Shilton, Taxman, and Rexroat; "Report 3: What Organizational Factors Are Related to Improved Outcomes?" by Shilton, Rexroat, Taxman, and Mericle; "Report 4: How Do Staff Hiring, Retention, Management and Attitudes Affect Organizational Climate and Performance in RRCs?" by Rexroat, Shilton, Taxman, and Mericle; "Report 5: What Services Are Provided by RRCs?" by Shilton, Rexroat, Taxman, and Mericle; Report 6: Technical Violation Rates and Rearrest Rates on Federal Probation after Release from an RRC" by Lerch, Taxman, and Mericle; and "Report 7: Site Visits" by Shilton, Rexroat, Taxman, and Mericle.

Details: Fairfax, VA: George Mason University, Criminology, Law and Society, 2010. 8 parts; executive summary

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 16, 2014 at: http://www.gmuace.org/research_reentry.html

Year: 2010

Country: United States

URL: http://www.gmuace.org/research_reentry.html

Shelf Number: 133728

Keywords:
Halfway Houses
Offender Reintegration
Prisoner Reentry (U.S.)
Probationers
Rehabilitation

Author: Florida TaxWatch

Title: Inmate Reentry in Florida: The Impact of Reentry Programs on Florida's Recidivism Rate

Summary: The corrections system in the United States is based on the understanding that when an individual is convicted of a crime, they must complete a specific punishment, adjudicated by a competent court, and upon the completion of that punishment, they are released back into the community. The assumption made by our system of justice is that when an inmate is released from prison, they will successfully reenter society. The statistics, however, refute this assumption. Among those admitted to prison in Florida in 2010 and 2011, the overwhelming majority (81 percent) of Florida's inmates serve less than five years, and only nine percent faced sentences of 10 years or more, meaning that 91 percent of criminals admitted into prison in 2010 and 2011 have already been released, or will be released within the next seven years. Current statistics show that there is a 27.6 percent chance that a released inmate will return to prison (known as "recidivating" or "recidivism") within three years of release, irrespective of the crime that initially landed them in prison. Additionally, nearly fifty percent of new admissions to prison will have previously served time. Given the volume of inmates released each year, the state must pay close attention to the transition of those inmates back into society, and this transition has become a major focus of criminal justice reform efforts in the past several years. To address this need, "reentry" programs, which help inmates develop the tools that will be necessary to assimilate back into society, are on the rise across the nation. In Florida today, there are a variety of reentry programs which provide helpful services such as substance abuse treatment, vocational/educational training, faith and character-based training, and assistance obtaining documentation necessary for post-release employment.

Details: Tallahassee: Florida TaxWatch, 2013. 12p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 20, 2014 at: http://floridataxwatch.org/resources/pdf/Reentry2013FINAL.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: United States

URL: http://floridataxwatch.org/resources/pdf/Reentry2013FINAL.pdf

Shelf Number: 133744

Keywords:
Prisoner Reentry (Florida)
Recidivism
Rehabilitation

Author: Victoria. Ombudsman

Title: Investigation into the rehabilitation and reintegration of prisoners in Victoria

Summary: As this paper notes, Victoria's prison population has grown exponentially in the past few years, and with the impact of recent parole and sentencing reforms further growth is inevitable. In short, the prison population of 4,350 in June 2009 is projected to reach 7,169 in June 2015. The short and medium term consequences of that growth are equally inevitable. Although a massive building program has begun to increase bed capacity across the prison system, the expansion in prisoner numbers has resulted in backlogs in assessment, and affected the availability of programs and support both before and after release. It is also apparent that the reforms to the parole system are having unintended consequences - with the increasing difficulty in obtaining parole, an increasing number of prisoners are leaving without it, at the end of their full sentences, and therefore without the monitoring and reporting requirements that parole would impose. Nor will they necessarily have attended programs designed to reduce offending behaviour, one of the requirements for parole. It is not surprising, when a prison system is required to expand to the degree we are seeing in Victoria today, that the aspirations of the system as reflected in guidelines and procedures are not always met. This is in no way a reflection on the leadership of Corrections Victoria or the many dedicated people who work within the system.

Details: Melbourne: Victorian Ombudsman, 2014. 31p.

Source: Internet Resource: Discussion Paper: Accessed November 12, 2014 at: https://www.ombudsman.vic.gov.au/getattachment/280f4a06-5927-4221-bf64-d884ba6abaf9//publications/discussion-papers/discussion-paper-investigation-into-the-rehabilita.aspx

Year: 2014

Country: Australia

URL: https://www.ombudsman.vic.gov.au/getattachment/280f4a06-5927-4221-bf64-d884ba6abaf9//publications/discussion-papers/discussion-paper-investigation-into-the-rehabilita.aspx

Shelf Number: 134064

Keywords:
Correctional Programs
Prison Administration
Prison Conditions
Prisoner Reentry
Prisoners
Prisons (Australia)
Rehabilitation

Author: Colorado Office of the State Auditor

Title: Department of Corrections: Colorado Correctional Industries: Performance Audit

Summary: BACKGROUND - CCI's statutory purpose is to provide offenders with employment and training, and operate on a financially profitable basis to reimburse the General Fund. - CCI employs about 1,600 inmates and operates 37 industries shops at state correctional facilities. - During Fiscal Year 2014 CCI had earned revenues of $47 million from its industries shops and about $17.4 million from its canteen. - State agencies are required to purchase certain goods and services from CCI, such as furniture, license plates, and road signs. - CCI is authorized to sell goods and services to the general public and enter into partnerships with private entities, but must follow statutes intended to prevent unfair competition with private businesses. KEY FACTS AND FINDINGS - Although statute requires CCI to operate in a profit-oriented manner, CCI's industries operations earned profit margins on average of less than 1 percent from Fiscal Years 2009 through 2014 and do not reimburse the General Fund for the cost of inmates' incarceration. In addition, CCI lacks long-term profit goals and adequate processes to achieve and improve profitability. - The Department and CCI need to improve controls to ensure that CCI is only funded through its business revenue as required by statute. For Fiscal Years 2009 through 2014 CCI received funding totaling about $12 million from the Department through training agreements without clear evidence that CCI was providing a service to the Department. As a result, it is unclear that this funding is legitimate business revenue for CCI. - CCI did not report some information required by statute and its own policies to stakeholders. For example, written business proposals provided to the Correctional Industries Advisory Committee did not address the businesses' potential impact on the private sector and annual reports and budget requests lacked required information, such as projections on the number of inmates employed and production and sales estimates. - During Fiscal Year 2014 the Department sold about $283,000 in goods and services to the general public through inmate vocational training programs without statutory authority. - Contrary to statute and Department regulations, CCI's charges to inmates and their families for phone service were about $1.5 million higher than necessary to cover the costs for providing the service during Fiscal Year 2014. - Since Fiscal Year 1982, CCI has not provided the Department with laundry, food, facilities maintenance, and vehicle maintenance services as required by statute.

Details: Denver: Office of the State Auditor, 2015. 126p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 7, 2015 at: http://www.leg.state.co.us/OSA/coauditor1.nsf/All/908C1FE0217F7E0487257DCE00701378/$FILE/1350P%20Colorado%20Correctional%20Industries,%20Department%20of%20Corrections,%20January%202015.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: United States

URL: http://www.leg.state.co.us/OSA/coauditor1.nsf/All/908C1FE0217F7E0487257DCE00701378/$FILE/1350P%20Colorado%20Correctional%20Industries,%20Department%20of%20Corrections,%20January%202015.pdf

Shelf Number: 134555

Keywords:
Inmate Labor (Colorado)
Prison Industries
Rehabilitation

Author: James, Nathan

Title: Offender Reentry: Correctional Statistics, Reintegration into the Community, and Recidivism

Summary: The number of people incarcerated in the United States grew steadily for nearly 30 years. That number has been slowly decreasing since 2008, but as of 2012 there were still over 2 million people incarcerated in prisons and jails across the country. The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) reports that since 1990 an average of 590,400 inmates have been released annually from state and federal prisons and almost 5 million ex-offenders are under some form of community-based supervision. Nearly all prisoners will return to their communities as some point. Offender reentry can include all the activities and programming conducted to prepare prisoners to return safely to the community and to live as law-abiding citizens. Some ex-offenders, however, eventually end up back in prison. The BJS's most recent study on recidivism showed that within five years of release nearly three-quarters of ex-offenders released in 2005 came back into contact with the criminal justice system, and more than half returned to prison after either being convicted for a new crime or for violating the conditions of their release. Compared with the average American, ex-offenders are less educated, less likely to be gainfully employed, and more likely to have a history of mental illness or substance abuse - all of which have been shown to be risk factors for recidivism. Three phases are associated with offender reentry programs: programs that take place during incarceration, which aim to prepare offenders for their eventual release; programs that take place during offenders' release period, which seek to connect ex-offenders with the various services they may require; and long-term programs that take place as ex-offenders permanently reintegrate into their communities, which attempt to provide offenders with support and supervision. There is a wide array of offender reentry program designs, and these programs can differ significantly in range, scope, and methodology. Researchers in the offender reentry field have suggested that the best programs begin during incarceration and extend throughout the release and reintegration process. Despite the relative lack of highly rigorous research on the effectiveness of some reentry programs, an emerging "what works" literature suggests that programs focusing on work training and placement, drug and mental health treatment, and housing assistance have proven to be effective. The federal government's involvement in offender reentry programs typically occurs through grant funding, which is available through a wide array of federal programs at the Departments of Justice, Labor, Education, and Health and Human Services. However, only a handful of grant programs in the federal government are designed explicitly for offender reentry purposes. The Department of Justice has started an interagency Reentry Council to coordinate federal reentry efforts and advance effective reentry policies.

Details: Washington, DC: Congressional Research Services, 2015. 37p.

Source: Internet Resource: CRS Report RL34287: Accessed February 16, 2015 at: https://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/RL34287.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: United States

URL: https://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/RL34287.pdf

Shelf Number: 134627

Keywords:
Ex-Offenders
Prisoner Reentry (U.S.)
Recidivism
Rehabilitation

Author: Arthur, Raymond

Title: Evaluation of Prince's Trust Fairbridge Programme - Holme House Prison Project

Summary: The goal of the evaluation was to examine how the Prince's Trust Programme at Holme House Prison works as a rehabilitative strategy, outlining both the dynamic processes involved and their immediate/short-term and medium/longer-term impacts on the lives of participants. This model was based on qualitative feedback from participants themselves as well as an analysis of the existing literature on the rehabilitation of young people leaving custody. The programme began running in October 2012 with funding for two years. The programme is underpinned by using Kolb's Learning Theory, Choice Theory and Reality Therapy. The key findings from the research suggest that participation in the Prince's Trust programme can potentially provide the starting-block for positive change in the lives of participants. Participants experience sustained positive, emotional, psychological and behavioural improvements. Engagement with this programme provides the potential to help give young offenders a chance to become non-offenders in the future by: - acting as a catalyst for change in the lives of offenders; - significantly improving confidence, listening and communication skills, tolerance, levels of self-expression, ability to cope with stress; - enhancing participants levels of engagement with further education and training; - positively impacting on the emotional well-being of the participants; - being responsive to the particular needs of participants.

Details: Newcastle upon Tyne, UK: Northern Rock Foundation, 2014. 22p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 16, 2015 at: http://www.nr-foundation.org.uk/downloads/X_PTrust_HolmeHousePrisonEval_FinalReport_March2014.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://www.nr-foundation.org.uk/downloads/X_PTrust_HolmeHousePrisonEval_FinalReport_March2014.pdf

Shelf Number: 135250

Keywords:
Correctional Programs
Inmates
Prisoners (U.K.)
Rehabilitation
Young Adult Offenders

Author: U.S. Department of Education

Title: Guiding Principles for Providing High-Quality Education in Juvenile Justice Secure Care Settings

Summary: Providing high-quality education in juvenile justice secure care settings presents unique challenges for the administrators, teachers, and staff who are responsible for the education, rehabilitation, and welfare of youths committed to their care. The United States departments of Education (ED) and Justice (DOJ) recognize that while these challenges cannot be overcome without vision, dedication, and leadership, there is also a critical need in the field for supportive resources grounded in the available research, practitioner experiences, and promising practices from around the country. The more than 2,500 juvenile justice residential facilities across the country need support from federal, state, and local educational agencies; the broader juvenile justice system (particularly the juvenile justice agencies that oversee facilities); and their communities to improve services for committed youths. The services provided to them in secure care facilities should be developmentally appropriate and focus on the youths' educational, social-emotional, behavioral, and career planning needs so that their time within a secure care facility is a positive experience during which they attain new skills and move on to a more productive path. Building on prior guidance from ED and DOJ, this report focuses on five guiding principles recommended by the federal government for providing high-quality education in juvenile justice secure care settings: I. A safe, healthy facility-wide climate that prioritizes education, provides the conditions for learning, and encourages the necessary behavioral and social support services that address the individual needs of all youths, including those with disabilities and English learners. II. Necessary funding to support educational opportunities for all youths within long-term secure care facilities, including those with disabilities and English learners, comparable to opportunities for peers who are not system-involved. III. Recruitment, employment, and retention of qualified education staff with skills relevant in juvenile justice settings who can positively impact long-term student outcomes through demonstrated abilities to create and sustain effective teaching and learning environments. IV. Rigorous and relevant curricula aligned with state academic and career and technical education standards that utilize instructional methods, tools, materials, and practices that promote college- and career-readiness. V. Formal processes and procedures - through statutes, memoranda of understanding, and practices - that ensure successful navigation across child-serving systems and smooth reentry into communities. Throughout this report, each guiding principle is accompanied by supportive core activities for consideration by agencies and facilities seeking to improve existing education-related practices or implement new ones. These principles and core activities are not an exhaustive list of responsibilities for either agencies operating secure care facilities or those providing educational services on facility grounds. Instead, both the guiding principles and the attendant core activities are ED's and DOJ's suggestions for creating environments conducive to the teaching and learning process, enhancing academic and social-emotional supports, promoting positive educational outcomes for all system-involved students, and lessening the likelihood of youths reentering the justice system.

Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, 2014. 38p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 16, 2015 at: http://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/correctional-education/guiding-principles.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: United States

URL: http://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/correctional-education/guiding-principles.pdf

Shelf Number: 135254

Keywords:
Correctional Education
Juvenile Inmates (U.S.)
Rehabilitation

Author: Moore, Simon

Title: A brief evaluation of Cardiff Triage

Summary: Triage takes an holistic approach in addressing multiple aspects of clients' lives in order to reduce the incidence of First Time Entrants to the Criminal Justice System with a view to preventing their reoffending. Actions are taken by Triage through referring youth to appropriate services in order to address and support youngsters' problems that may relate to (but are not limited to) matters concerned with their family, substance use and education. Cardiff Triage is managed by Media Academy Cardiff (MAC). MAC is a private limited company founded in May 2010 that works to engage vulnerable young people in South East Wales. In August 2010 MAC won the tender to deliver Triage in conjunction with Cardiff and Vale Youth Offending Services (YOS). Triage is primarily delivered in Cardiff Bay Police Station, the central arrest point for the city of Cardiff. The aims of Triage are to reduce First Time Entrants and reoffending among 10-17 year olds and to provide provision to support and meet the needs of young people and their families, helping them to address those risk factors that are associated with reoffending. Triage is a multiagency approach and, in its current form in South Wales, has (within two years) attracted national recognition (e.g.Cardiff Triage was nominated for the national award in the Times Educational FE awards in the "Outstanding Contribution to the Community" category and received a Careers Wales Award). Triage is delivered by the MAC Director, three case workers (all youth workers who are employed by MAC), one victim worker (who also supervises Triage staff), two volunteer family workers, a sessional worker and a half-time seconded drug and alcohol worker. Volunteers also contribute to delivery of the project. The implementation of Cardiff Triage is associated with a reduction in First Time Entrants of 65%. Having Triage Case-Workers located in the Cardiff Bay Custody Suite means referrals can be immediate and therefore saves police time and resources. Triage has been in place for just over two years and therefore data relating to long-term outcome is unavailable. Efforts should be made to capture these data, including data from clients as they transition into adulthood, so that the long-term effectiveness and likely cost-savings of Triage might be captured. Triage provides a service to vulnerable youngsters that most likely mitigate long-term risk to themselves, their families and their community's well-being. Triage successfully integrates a range of services and provides an important focus at which the community and service providers can work together towards reducing crime and the impact of crime in both the short and in the long-term. Though involving victims, offenders, the police service and service providers Triage demonstrates early opportunities for realigning resources towards a robust proactive and preventative model and away from a reactive punitive approach. The veracity of the services provided through Triage are undermined by funding uncertainties; uncertainties that diminish long-term strategic planning, training opportunities, and the further development of expertise required for closer collaboration with partner agencies and the retention of valued staff. While a reduction in reoffending in the client group is a key outcome for Triage, activity spills over into more intangible measures, including a reduction in fear of crime, improving the relationship between partner agencies, including the police and the local community, and facilitating cross agency networking and engagement.

Details: Cardiff, Wales: Violence & Society Research Group Cardiff University, 2012. 29p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 25, 2015 at: https://www.justice.gov.uk/downloads/youth-justice/effective-practice-library/cardiff-triage-evaluation.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: United Kingdom

URL: https://www.justice.gov.uk/downloads/youth-justice/effective-practice-library/cardiff-triage-evaluation.pdf

Shelf Number: 135397

Keywords:
Juvenile Offenders (Wales)
Recidivism
Rehabilitation
Reoffending
Treatment Programs
Young Adult Offenders

Author: Sapouna, Maria

Title: What Works to Reduce Reoffending: A Summary of the Evidence

Summary: This evidence review was undertaken to support strategic thinking regarding what works to reduce reoffending. The aim of the review was to examine the research into reducing reoffending, the process(es) by which individuals stop offending, and the impact of the criminal justice system in these processes. It does not consider strategies to reduce the risk of crime more generally, such as through early interventions, increasing the costs of offending or reducing opportunities to offend, as these areas are the focus of a separate Scottish Government published review of the literature on what works to reduce crime[1]. The review draws on published journal articles, books and reports from academics, government bodies and independent researchers. It is important to note that the review does not provide an all-inclusive overview of research into what works to reduce reoffending, but rather constitutes a collation of the material which could be identified and accessed within a relatively short space of time. This is the second version of the What Works to Reduce Reoffending review, and it is hoped that this paper will remain a work in progress that will be updated as additional evidence becomes available.

Details: Edinburgh: Justice Analytical Services Scottish Government, 2015. 139p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 16, 2015 at: http://www.gov.scot/Resource/0047/00476574.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://www.gov.scot/Resource/0047/00476574.pdf

Shelf Number: 135654

Keywords:
Desistance from Crime
Recidivism
Rehabilitation
Reoffending (Scotland)

Author: Cooper, Maxine

Title: The rehabilitation of male detainees at the Alexander Maconochie Centre

Summary: The Alexander Maconochie Centre (AMC) provides the ACT with its own prison. It was to be the first human rights-compliant prison in Australia. It accepted its first detainees in March 2009, having officially opened in September 2008. From 2004 to 2009, ACT Government statements and documents, which presented the philosophy for operating the AMC, consistently emphasised the importance of rehabilitation. A range of rehabilitation objectives were presented: reducing offending behaviour; and encouraging detainees to seek self-improvement, fulfil their potential and lead successful lives in the community. Male detainees are the focus of this performance audit as female detainees were the subject of an independent review in 2014 by the ACT Human Rights Commission. The Alexander Maconochie Centre (AMC) is a relatively new prison. It incorporates innovative, human rights planning and design, expected to provide an environment to support and foster detainee rehabilitation. This has been compromised due to its relatively small size, multiple classifications, detainee association issues, mixed genders and the unexpected adverse affects of the interaction of these factors with the AMC's design. Lack of continuity in senior management in the first few years of operation contributed to the difficulties. More recently management practices have been effective in fostering improvements including a 'culture change', which emphasises respect in detainee and staff relationships, and have resulted in reductions in the use of force and lockdown hours. These improvements contribute to a healthier context for rehabilitating detainees. AMC planning for rehabilitation is ineffective as there is no rehabilitation planning framework, no evaluation framework and no finalised case management policy framework. With respect to management practices, while there have been improvements, there are inadequacies that need to be addressed including improving business planning, internal performance measures and routine quality assurance and evaluation of programs. As the prison population has increased, the ACT's detainee costs per day and utilisation rates have trended towards the Australian average. However, determining the effectiveness or efficiency of rehabilitation is problematic as there are no generally accepted comprehensive performance measures that can be used for this purpose and there is limited information on rehabilitation costs. Developing these measures will require a national approach and it would be unreasonable to expect the ACT to invest heavily in this given that it is a small jurisdiction with only one prison. Due to the lack of comprehensive performance measures and cost information an overall assessment of effectiveness or efficiency of AMC operations with respect to rehabilitation was not able to be made. However, the proposed levels of rehabilitation activities and services, as anticipated in planning (prior to the opening of the AMC), were assessed and found to be inadequate. Importantly this means a 'structured day' with 'purposeful activity' is not being achieved for many detainees. It is therefore likely that some detainees are bored and this can compromise their rehabilitation. The information management systems used at the AMC are inadequate. While action is underway to make improvements, it is important that priority be given to making the necessary changes as quickly as possible.

Details: Canberra: Australia Capital City Auditor General, 2015. 205p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 16, 2015 at: http://www.audit.act.gov.au/auditreports/reports2015/Report%20No.%202%20of%202015%20The%20Rehabilitation%20of%20male%20detainees%20at%20the%20Alexander%20Maconochie%20Centre.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Australia

URL: http://www.audit.act.gov.au/auditreports/reports2015/Report%20No.%202%20of%202015%20The%20Rehabilitation%20of%20male%20detainees%20at%20the%20Alexander%20Maconochie%20Centre.pdf

Shelf Number: 135440

Keywords:
Correctional Programs
Male Inmates
Male Prisoners
Prisons
Rehabilitation

Author: Blattman, Christopher

Title: Reducing Crime and Violence: Experimental Evidence on Adult Noncognitive Investments in Liberia

Summary: We show self control and self image are malleable in adults, and that investments in them reduce crime and violence. We recruited criminally-engaged Liberian men and randomized half to eight weeks of group cognitive behavioral therapy, teaching self control skills and a noncriminal self-image. We also randomized $200 grants. Cash raised incomes and reduced crime in the short-run but effects dissipated within a year. Therapy increased self control and noncriminal values, and acts of crime and violence fell 20--50%. Therapy's impacts lasted at least a year when followed by cash, likely because cash reinforced behavioral changes via prolonged practice.

Details: Cambridge, MA: National Bureau of Economic Research, 2015. 107p.

Source: Internet Resource: http://www.nber.org/papers/w21204: http://www.nber.org/papers/w21204?utm_campaign=ntw&utm_medium=email&utm_source=ntw

Year: 2015

Country: Nigeria

URL: http://www.nber.org/papers/w21204?utm_campaign=ntw&utm_medium=email&utm_source=ntw

Shelf Number: 135781

Keywords:
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
Economics of Crime
Rehabilitation
Violence
Violent Crime

Author: McDermott, Shelly-Ann

Title: Moving forward: empowering women to desist from offending

Summary: This qualitative research explores women's experiences of empowerment, desistance and compliance. The study engages directly with seven women sentenced to woman--specific court orders delivered within London Probation. The individual and group interview data were analysed using the template analysis technique (King). The key finding is that women who offend require practical assistance alongside confidence--building support in order to move away from criminal activity. Furthermore, provision should clearly delineate between criminal justice (focused on risk and punishment) and social support (that is individualized and holistic) in order to promote desistance (SETF, 2009). Funding services in a sustainable manner would facilitate women's continued access to provisions within mainstream settings that last beyond short--lived court sentences (Gelsthorpe et al., 2007). Crucially, early and preventive interventions can effectively empower women to overcome underlying problems and pursue conventional lifestyles (SETF, 2009; Sommers et al., 2004).

Details: London: Griffins Society, 2012. 75p.

Source: Internet Resource: Research Paper 2012/02: Accessed May 27, 2015 at: http://www.thegriffinssociety.org/Research%20Paper%202012-02.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://www.thegriffinssociety.org/Research%20Paper%202012-02.pdf

Shelf Number: 129827

Keywords:
Desistance
Female Offenders
Female Probationers
Gender- Specific Programs
Rehabilitation
Treatment Programs

Author: Simpson, Stewart

Title: The use of Safer Lives in Scotland with young people displaying sexually harmful behaviours

Summary: This report, written by the CYCJ's Stewart Simpson (Practice Development Advisor) and Nina Vaswani (Research Fellow) considers the research literature as well as the extent and nature of the implementation of Safer Lives in Scotland, by drawing on practitioners' experiences and a small sample of cases in one Local Authority area. The Safer Lives programme was introduced in 2008 in Scotland to support individual work with children and young people under the age of 18 who are involved with harmful sexual behaviour or sexual offending behaviour. This paper set out to consider the impact of Safer Lives in Scotland in two phases. Firstly, it aimed to consider the impact of the model's delivery by practitioners across Scotland: including examining the quality of training for practitioners and their opportunities to deliver the work with young people; and where they had been involved as trainers, their opportunities to deliver the training. This was achieved through a series of surveys. Phase two, initially, aimed to examine the impact of the model on recidivism in young people with the original aim being to consider twenty cases from across Scotland's thirty-two local authority areas. Whilst it was not possible to collate data as planned, it has been possible to raise some examples of practice through analysis of the data available and compare it with the practice experience of one of the authors. The findings of the first phase concluded that practitioners tended towards the view that Safer Lives had had a positive impact on their practice, most often by adding to their available 'tool kit', but at times in a more transformative way. Practitioners also believed that to embed and further roll out Safer Lives nationally in a consistent way, it was necessary to establish a stronger evidence base and a better understanding of the outcomes achieved in using the model. Additionally, those who had experience of delivering the model and training staff were of the view that to be able to offer continuity in delivery of training and interventions, additional resources were required. This could be, for example, a dedicated pool of staff who could develop more expertise in delivering the training, offering quality assurance. Considering the data available in phase two of the evaluation, no conclusions on outcomes and recidivism could be drawn. However, examples of different methods of delivery of the model were identified and through undertaking a brief literature search, these offered theoretical perspectives that assimilate with the methods used in the assessment and intervention of young people. This work proposes that further research would be required to consider the merits of wider roll out of the model and offers a potential structure for a future study. However, the challenges of undertaking such a study in a small country with high levels of Safer Lives saturation are outlined.

Details: Glasgow: Centre for Youth & Criminal Justice, 2015. 20p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 28, 2015 at: http://www.cycj.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/The-use-of-safer-lives-in-Scotland-report.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://www.cycj.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/The-use-of-safer-lives-in-Scotland-report.pdf

Shelf Number: 135792

Keywords:
Child Sex Offenders
Recidivism
Rehabilitation
Sex Offenders
Treatment Programs

Author: Sarver, Christian M.

Title: Parole, Re-incarceration, and Desistance: Utah Parolees

Summary: The current study complements the earlier literature review and survey of Utah reentry practices and is comprised of two parts. Part I provides a quantitative description for a cohort of Utah parolees, describing their demographic backgrounds, criminal history, and programmatic factors that predict parole violations and new criminal offenses. Part II, based on interviews with 50 Utah parolees, is a qualitative analysis of offenders' experience returning to the community after release from prison. In particular, the qualitative portion of the study explores parolees' perceptions of those things that foster and inhibit reintegration after incarceration.

Details: Salt Lake City: Utah Criminal Justice Center, University of Utah, 2014. 79p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 28, 2015 at: http://ucjc.utah.edu/wp-content/uploads/Reentry_Yr2.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: United States

URL: http://ucjc.utah.edu/wp-content/uploads/Reentry_Yr2.pdf

Shelf Number: 135793

Keywords:
Desistance
Parole
Parolees
Prisoner Reentry
Recidivism
Rehabilitation

Author: McGibbon, Karen Anne Patricia

Title: Rehabilitation as Reformation: Pastoral Counselling for Criminal Offenders - Confronting Jamaica's Crime Dilemma

Summary: This study investigated the efficacy of Pastoral Counselling as a fitting approach in rehabilitating criminal offenders in Jamaica with the aim of reducing recidivism rates among the prison population. Qualitative methods (interviewing, case studies, and focus groups) were utilised. Three basic aims were examined: the effectiveness of current rehabilitative methods, receptiveness of male criminal offenders to Pastoral Counselling and the effectiveness of Pastoral Counselling to rehabilitate criminal offenders. Findings suggest that a desire to serve and please God significantly influences inmates to obey the laws. The combination of spiritual mentoring, discipleship and opportunities to earn an honest living may lead to a productive lifestyle and community service. Findings confirm the literature on Christianity based rehabilitation of criminal offenders that faith-based rehabilitation significantly reduces recidivism rates. Additionally, recommendations are offered for corrections and Christian prison ministries.

Details: Edmonton, Alberta: St. Stephen's College, 2010. 117p.

Source: Internet Resource: Thesis: Accessed May 30, 2015 at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/235908825_Rehabilitation_as_Reformation_Pastoral_Counseling_for_Criminal_Offenders_-_Confronting_Jamaica%27s_Crime_Dilemma

Year: 2010

Country: Jamaica

URL: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/235908825_Rehabilitation_as_Reformation_Pastoral_Counseling_for_Criminal_Offenders_-_Confronting_Jamaica%27s_Crime_Dilemma

Shelf Number: 135811

Keywords:
Criminal Offenders
Faith-Based Programs
Recidivism
Rehabilitation
Religion

Author: Great Britain. Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Probation

Title: A joint inspection of Life Sentence Prisoners

Summary: Although life sentenced prisoners have committed the most serious crimes, most will be released at some point. The public, therefore, have a right to expect that this will not happen unless they can be safely managed within the community and that they will be effectively supervised and monitored. Being sentenced to an indeterminate period of imprisonment brings a unique dimension to incarceration, since it removes the certainty of release on a given date in the future. One of the key transitional phases in the life sentence is the move from the confines of closed prison to the relative freedom of open conditions. It is the stepping stone that leads towards an eventual return to the community. This inspection focused on that crucial period, given its huge importance for the prisoner, along with the equally significant release on life licence. We were interested in how well life sentence prisoners were supported in moving to open prison, preparing for release, reducing risk of harm and likelihood of reoffending, maintaining family and community links and resettling into society. Perhaps because of the length of time already spent in prison, assumptions were often made that life sentence prisoners knew all about 'the system'. This led to an underestimation in the amount of help and advice they needed, for example to prepare for moves to open prison or for Parole Board hearings. They tended to be treated very much the same as other prisoners, with little attention being given to their particular circumstances or to the importance of retaining family ties in order to support their eventual rehabilitation. As a result, some life sentence prisoners were able to serve their sentence with relatively little challenge to their attitudes and behaviour. Once in open conditions, preparation for release relied heavily upon release on temporary licence. The quality of offender assessments left room for improvement, particularly those completed in custody, and confusion abounded about who was responsible for completing these assessments at key times in the life sentence. Sentence planning was weak, in both prison and the community, and offender managers struggled to design meaningful objectives for those who appeared to have done all required work in custody. Nonetheless, the vast majority of those on life licence formed positive relationships with their offender managers, did not reoffend and, despite the stigma of the life sentence, were able to lead useful and productive lives after release. This inspection highlights the importance of both the work undertaken with the prisoner throughout their sentence to address their behaviour and the need for effective joint work between the prison and community to plan and prepare for safe release. This complementary balance is essential for rehabilitation and should inform the successful implementation of Transforming Rehabilitation. This report contains a number of recommendations to achieve this end.

Details: London: Criminal Justice Joint Inspection, 2013. 73p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 2, 2015 at: http://socialwelfare.bl.uk/subject-areas/services-client-groups/adult-offenders/criminaljusticejointinspection/158393life-sentence-prisoners.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://socialwelfare.bl.uk/subject-areas/services-client-groups/adult-offenders/criminaljusticejointinspection/158393life-sentence-prisoners.pdf

Shelf Number: 129971

Keywords:
Life Imprisonment
Life Sentencing
Prisoners
Rehabilitation

Author: Gallagher, Brittany E.

Title: Science and Sustainability Programs in Prisons: Assessing the Effects of Participation on Inmates

Summary: This paper examines the effects of participating in prison-based science and sustainability programs on inmates. Washington's Sustainability in Prisons Project (SPP) hosts environmental and conservation work programs that incorporate elements shown by previous research to inspire positive changes in inmate attitudes. Many of these changes are associated with reductions in recidivism, including educational and vocational training, therapeutic benefits, and opportunities to contribute to the outside community. Participants in a statewide survey of inmates (n=293) included those with nine sustainability-related job types and a control group with non-sustainability-related jobs. Dunlap et al.'s (2000) New Ecological Paradigm Scale was used to assess environmental attitudes. An original "Life & Work" questionnaire assessed attitudes on pursuing education, work satisfaction, skill development, interpersonal relationships, outlook for the future, and health. Results from the Washington Department of Corrections (WDOC) Offender Needs Assessment were also examined for changes over time by participant job type. Questionnaire results show that offenders whose jobs involved more education/training, work with living things, and opportunities to contribute to the community tended to score higher on the NEP, indicating that these elements are associated with more pro-environmental attitudes. As pro-environmental attitudes are correlated with pro-social attitudes (Bamberg & Moser 2007; Hines et al. 1987), SPP and WDOC might consider incorporating more of these elements into other work programs.

Details: Olympia, WA: Evergreen State College, 2013. 110p.

Source: Internet Resource: Thesis: Accessed June 2, 2015 at: http://www.doc.wa.gov/aboutdoc/measuresstatistics/docs/gallagher_bmesthesis2013.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: United States

URL: http://www.doc.wa.gov/aboutdoc/measuresstatistics/docs/gallagher_bmesthesis2013.pdf

Shelf Number: 129972

Keywords:
Correctional Programs
Inmate Work Programs
Recidivism
Rehabilitation
Vocational Education and Training

Author: Vander Hart, Scott J.

Title: Does Prison Substance Abuse Treatment Reduce Recidivism?

Summary: The Iowa Department of Corrections faces a growing prison population expected to quickly exceed current capacities. Additionally, nine out of every ten offenders have a history of alcohol or drug problems - often both. Research suggests that alcohol and drugs lead to criminal behavior, which lead offenders right back to prison creating a vicious circle and placing a financial and societal burden on the state. However, research also shows that substance abuse treatment can minimize criminal behavior, and offers a way to shut the revolving prison door. Substance abuse programming attempts to change offender thinking patterns and behavior in order to facilitate re-entry back into the community, lessen substance abuse relapse and reduce recidivism. Yet nearly 60% of offenders with identified needs are not treated, and many lacking treatment are high risk. Additionally, the percentage of offenders returning to prison varies significantly from program to program and some programs can not show they have reduced recidivism when compared to offender groups with substance abuse problems and receiving no treatment at all. All of which minimize the effect substance abuse programming has in curbing prison population growth and reducing crime. The Department of Corrections intends to reduce recidivism through evaluation of program fidelity and implementation of evidence-based practices. Many of the programs are already structured to accommodate continuous improvement centered on desired outcomes. Population characteristics and the type and level of community support can also significantly influence recidivism. All of which call for the department to: - Enhance community support and other re-entry initiatives to reinforce desired behaviors in the community where offenders face situations that can lead to relapse and criminal behavior; and - Develop planning, evaluation and service delivery approaches that support integrated substance abuse programming across the prison and correctional system, and enable internal benchmarking of "best practices."

Details: Des Moines: Iowa Department of Management, Performance Audit Program, 2007. 92p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 4, 2015 at: http://publications.iowa.gov/5092/1/DOC_Substance_Abuse_Report.pdf

Year: 2007

Country: United States

URL: http://publications.iowa.gov/5092/1/DOC_Substance_Abuse_Report.pdf

Shelf Number: 135895

Keywords:
Correctional Programs
Drug Offenders
Recidivism
Rehabilitation
Substance Abuse Treatment
Treatment Programs

Author: ICF GHK

Title: 'London Reducing Reoffending Programme' Evaluation

Summary: The 'London Reducing Reoffending Programme' (LRRP) was an innovative Payment by Results (PbR) programme that aimed to reduce youth reoffending in London. The evaluation involved extensive qualitative fieldwork with stakeholders from across the programme, including young offenders themselves. In total 185 interviews were conducted including 93 with young offenders participating in the programme. A proven re-offending study was conducted to explore whether a cohort of young people supported by LRRP had a conviction recorded in the twelve months since joining the programme. It compares the twelve months before the cohort of young people joined the programme with the twelve months after they joined, whether or not these participants were in custody or in the community at the time of registration. 'DIESEL'3 is the database developed for performance management of the ESF programme by the LDA and provides information about the young people engaged by LRRP; Police National Computer (PNC) data provides data about the number and type of convictions recorded for those young people. The cohort of young people for this study is all of those registered with LRRP from the inception of the programme in April 2010 to the end of October 2010. This is so a period of twelve months, plus six months for any convictions to be processed within the criminal justice system, can be analysed. This is the standard approach to the period of time to consider in studies of re-conviction carried out by the MoJ and Home Office. But we have not been able to take account of when any participants were released from custody when we know they served a custodial sentence, due to limitations of the data available to the evaluation. This is an important caveat in the analysis that means it does not meet the other elements of what would be expected in a standard approach. Although the analysis provides the strongest approach possible with the available data, in addition to the caveat relating to missing custody release data the approach also means that no young offenders who engaged with LRRP from October 2010 - and as the programme matured - are included. To include all programme participants would require an analysis beginning in 2014 (to enable the twelve plus six months for all). Thus there are two very important caveats to consider when drawing conclusions from the analysis. There is also no counterfactual or comparison group for the evaluation. This is because LRRP was pan-London in approach and therefore there was not geographical targeting to enable within London comparisons to be identified. It was not feasible to seek the engagement of areas outside of London within the resources available to the evaluation (with time and commitment required from other authorities) and the initial timescale for analysis and reporting. The evaluation also includes: the analysis of DEISEL data; a self-assessment survey; and data from the assessment tools used with young offenders (ASSET for those aged up to 17 years and OASys for those aged 18 years and over). These latter two elements are not included in this summary due to low numbers of cases. The evaluation was structured using a programme theory, or 'theory of change' approach. It was peer reviewed by academic experts.

Details: Birmingham, UK: ICF GHK, 2013. 71p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 5, 2015 at: https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/Specs%202-4%20Evaluation%20Final%20Report%20-%20Full%20report.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: United States

URL: https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/Specs%202-4%20Evaluation%20Final%20Report%20-%20Full%20report.pdf

Shelf Number: 135917

Keywords:
Recidivism
Rehabilitation
Reoffending
Young Adult Offenders

Author: McGuire, James

Title: What works in reducing reoffending in young adults? A Rapid Evidence Assessment

Summary: This Rapid Evidence Assessment (REA) examined 'what works' in reducing the reoffending of young adult offenders, defined here as those aged between 18 and 25 years. Ten relevant and sufficiently rigorous studies were identified. The quality and robustness of these studies varied, and the interventions they tested ranged from Restorative Justice (RJ) schemes, to re-entry systems and structured offence-focused programmes. Several of these studies reported positive effects in changes in risk factors, and in reductions in recidivism. The strongest evidence emerged from structured parole re-entry schemes, and from offending behaviour programmes. There was more limited evidence in support of RJ interventions. Key findings - The REA identified 10 studies that evaluated interventions with young adults (aged 18-25). Six of these studies observed an impact on recidivism. - The strongest evidence of sizeable reductions in recidivism among young adults comes from two studies of structured parole re-entry systems. - There is evidence of reductions in criminal recidivism of several types following prison-based offending behaviour programmes and from a structured high-intensity detention regime. - There is some evidence that following victim-offender conferences, applying an RJ model, there are reductions in reoffending, at least when focused on property crimes. - A seventh study examining whether treatment for mental health problems had an effect in reducing criminal charges also yielded positive findings but its findings are not wholly conclusive and are difficult to interpret. - The more military-style (Military Corrective Training Centre, MCTC) detention regime, in common with other studies of this type of intervention, produced no positive outcomes.

Details: London: National Offender Management Service, 2015. 5p.

Source: Internet Resource: Analytical Summary: Accessed July 30, 2015 at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/449347/reducing-reoffending-in-adults.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: United Kingdom

URL: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/449347/reducing-reoffending-in-adults.pdf

Shelf Number: 136259

Keywords:
Recidivism
Rehabilitation
Reoffending
Youth Adult Offenders

Author: Stewart, Lynn

Title: Effective interventions for Women offenders: A Rapid Evidence Assessment

Summary: This summary presents the findings of a review of the evidence of what interventions, and targets for intervention, reduce women's reoffending. The review also examines evidence of factors that promote desistance from crime. The review was commissioned to assist the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) in designing an evidence-based commissioning strategy by summarising the evidence base into "what works" to address key areas. Key findings - Evidence suggests that the following reduces women's offending: (1) substance abuse treatment, in particular in-custody or hierarchical therapeutic community programmes that apply a cognitive-behavioural intervention focusing on skill development; (2) a gender-responsive cognitive-behavioural programme that emphasises existing strengths and competencies, as well as skills acquisition; (3) community opioid maintenance, which may reduce offending rates while the women are in treatment; (4) booster programmes that assist in maintaining treatment effects through community follow-up, which appear to contribute to improved outcomes; (5) gender-responsive approaches, which show promise relative to gender-neutral programmes. - Appropriate treatment targets for women offenders overlap with those of male offenders. Factors found to be consistently related to women's recidivism are: antisocial personality (problems with impulse control, emotion regulation and hostility), antisocial peers, antisocial attitudes and substance abuse. Targeting offenders with the most serious levels of substance abuse for treatment should be part of any strategy to reduce women's criminality. - Women's violent crime, including partner assault, is associated with alcohol abuse; acquisitive crime and soliciting are related to serious drug abuse. Very little research examines the effectiveness of programmes in reducing women's violence. - Serious mental health issues are associated with violent offending among some women offender samples. For these women, mental health needs must be stabilised prior to participation in programmes that address criminogenic need. - A prosocial personal identity may permit women to take advantage of potential opportunities to establish desistance from crime. This suggests that interventions that use motivational, solution-focused techniques, encouraging women to seek their own meaningful "hooks" for lifestyle change, could promote desistance. - Programmes for women offenders may be particularly effective if they focus on higher-risk offenders. - Single-target programmes focusing only on reducing the effects of trauma do not appear to contribute to reductions in women's reoffending.

Details: London: National Offender Management Service, 2015. 7p.

Source: Internet Resource: Analytical Summary: Accessed July 30, 2015 at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/448859/effective-interventions-for-women-offenders.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: United Kingdom

URL: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/448859/effective-interventions-for-women-offenders.pdf

Shelf Number: 136260

Keywords:
Desistance
Female Offenders
Gender-Specific Programs
Recidivism
Rehabilitation
Treatment Programs

Author: Williams, Kim

Title: Needs and characteristics of young adults in custody: Results from the Surveying Prisoner Crime Reduction (SPCR) survey

Summary: This report summarises the needs and characteristics of young adults (18-20 years old) on reception to custody. Data for this report come from Surveying Prisoner Crime Reduction (SPCR), a longitudinal cohort study of 1,435 adult prisoners sentenced to between one month and four years in prison in 2005 and 2006, and the Police National Computer (PNC). The report compares the characteristics and needs of young adults in custody with prisoners aged 21 years and over. Key findings - Young adult SPCR respondents in custody shared a number of needs and background characteristics with SPCR prisoners aged 21 and over, with all ages reporting high levels of need in terms of employment, education and substance misuse. However there were a number of differences, which included: - Young adults were more likely than older prisoners to report issues with schooling, with large proportions reporting having regularly played truant (72% compared with 57%) and having been temporarily excluded (80%) or permanently expelled (58%) from school (80% compared with 61% and 58% compared with 40%, respectively). - Young adults who reported being unemployed in the four weeks before custody were more likely to report that they were looking for work or training during this time (62%) compared with older prisoners (35%). Young adults were also more likely to state that having a job when released would stop them from re-offending (81% compared with 66% of older prisoners). - Fewer young adults reported needing help finding a place to live when released (23% compared with 39% of older prisoners). - Young adults entering custody were less likely than prisoners aged 21 and over to report needing help with a medical problem (10% compared to 20%) and less likely to be assessed as suffering from both anxiety and depression (15% compared with 27%). - Compared with older prisoners, young adults were less likely to report needing help with a drug problem (15% compared with 33%). Young adults were less likely than older prisoners to report having used a Class A drug in the four weeks before custody (31% compared with 45%). A smaller proportion of young adults than older prisoners linked their offending behaviour with drugs (25% compared with 46%). On the other hand, a larger proportion of young adults compared with older prisoners linked their offending behaviour with alcohol use (42% compared with 30%) and stated that not drinking too much alcohol would be important in stopping them from re-offending in the future (47% compared with 32%). - Reporting feeling looked after on entry to prison, treated like an individual, feeling worried and confused or feeling extremely alone, did not vary by age group. These experiences were more likely to vary according to whether the respondent had been previously sentenced to imprisonment, for both young adults and for older prisoners.

Details: London: Ministry of Justice, 2015. 11p.

Source: Internet Resource: Analytical Summary: Accessed July 30, 2015 at; https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/449586/Young-adults-in-custody.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: United Kingdom

URL: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/449586/Young-adults-in-custody.pdf

Shelf Number: 136262

Keywords:
Juvenile Detention
Juvenile Inmates
Rehabilitation
Youth Adult Offenders

Author: Wadia, Avan

Title: The Informal Mentoring Project: A Process Evaluation

Summary: The Mentoring and Befriending Foundation define mentoring as "a voluntary, mutually beneficial and purposeful relationship in which an individual gives time to support another to enable them to make changes in their life". The Informal Mentoring Project was introduced by NOMS and Clinks with the aim of increasing the support available for offenders leaving prison, helping them to reintegrate into society and move towards desistance from crime. It was envisaged that the Informal Mentoring Project would: - provide short-term "light touch" mentoring so that offenders could receive one-to-one support following their release from prison and access services in the community - capacity build existing local organisations to provide mentoring for offenders and - enable offenders to build supportive, trusting relationships with local community members through using local volunteers (including ex-offenders) as mentors. Two organisations ran pilot projects, selected for their differing infrastructure models. Catch22, a national charity, worked with local providers to mentor offenders released from HMP Nottingham. Sefton CVS, a local infrastructure organisation, recruited mentors to work with offenders from HMP Liverpool resettling in the Liverpool and Sefton areas. This report summarises the findings from a process evaluation examining the set-up and implementation of the project. The evaluation ran from March 2011 to November 2012. Although the pilot and evaluation pre-date the Transforming Rehabilitation proposals, the lessons learnt are relevant for understanding the benefits and challenges of undertaking mentoring with offenders, and providing services "through the gate".

Details: London: National Offender Management Service, 2015. 75p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 30, 2015 at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/448803/informal-mentoring-project.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: United Kingdom

URL: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/448803/informal-mentoring-project.pdf

Shelf Number: 136263

Keywords:
Mentoring
Prisoner Reentry
Rehabilitation
Voluntary and Community Organizations
Volunteers

Author: Brooks, Andrew

Title: An Investigation into the Effectiveness of the Focus on Resettlement (FOR) Programme: A Reoffending Study

Summary: The FOR programme is a short cognitive-behavioural intervention attended by offenders in prison just prior to release and which aims to increase their motivation to engage with services providing assistance with resettlement. Initial contact is made with these agencies before release with follow up post release thus providing a bridge from custody back into the community. This study used propensity score matching (PSM) to measure the effectiveness of the programme in reducing one-year proven reoffending for the participants from 2004 when it was first implemented to June 2009. Treated and control groups of equal size were used: a male sample of 473 and a female sample of 266. The study aims to assess whether the resettlement programme can contribute to reducing reoffending. This is a historic look at data that had accumulated before significant changes to the content of the FOR programme were made, including an independent quality assurance process replacing peer audit, further training in writing objectives and a more robust framework for continuity between custody and community. Key findings There was no significant change in reoffending rates for males who attended FOR (59.5%) compared to a matched control sample (56.5%). There was no significant change in reoffending rates for females who attended FOR (40.6%) compared to a matched control sample (44.0%). There was no significant difference in the time to first offence between the FOR group and the matched control sample for either the male or female analyses.

Details: London: National Offender Management Service, 2015. 6p.

Source: Internet Resource: Analytical Summary: Accessed July 30, 2015 at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/449631/investigation-into-the-FOR-programme.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: United Kingdom

URL: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/449631/investigation-into-the-FOR-programme.pdf

Shelf Number: 136264

Keywords:
Cognitive Skills
Prisoner Reentry
Recidivism
Rehabilitation
Reoffending
Treatment Programs

Author: Kenny, Tom

Title: Experiences of prison officers delivering Five Minute Interventions at HMP/YOI Portland

Summary: This report summarises qualitative research into the experiences of prison officers implementing the Five Minute Intervention Project (FMI) at Her Majesty's Prison and Young Offender Institution (HMP/YOI) Portland. The FMI project trained prison officers to turn everyday conversations with prisoners into rehabilitative interventions. The study was funded by NOMS to understand how FMI may contribute to a positive rehabilitative environment in custody. Ten officers trained in FMI were interviewed at six-weekly intervals between June and October 2013, and their accounts of their conversations with prisoners were compared to ten officers who were not trained in FMI. Key findings A typology defined officers as Rehabilitative, Pre-Rehabilitative, Frustrated or Disengaged, referring to their motivation and ability to engage in rehabilitative efforts with prisoners. Positive process changes over time were observed in the FMI officer group: - Officers demonstrated improvements in the skill of rehabilitative conversation that were not seen in the comparison group. - The FMI officers appeared better able than comparison group colleagues to address underlying criminogenic needs. - Some FMI officers moved type to become Rehabilitative officers. For the successful delivery of FMIs, the following were identified as key components: - A focus on building rapport with prisoners before FMIs began. - Creating opportunities as well as seizing ad hoc chances to use FMIs. - Using a range of FMI skills, other skills and clear motivations to address prisoners' issues. The outcomes associated with FMI perceived by officers were: - Improved relationships with prisoners. - Increased job satisfaction. - Observable improvements in prisoners' thinking skills. - Observable improvements in prisoners' self-efficacy and problem-solving abilities. These changes and outcomes were observed despite the project taking place at a time of considerable national organisational change, with associated anxieties for the staff group involved.

Details: London: National Offender Management Service, 2015. 5p.

Source: Internet Resource: Analytical Summary: Accessed July 30, 2015 at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/448854/portland-fmi.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: United Kingdom

URL: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/448854/portland-fmi.pdf

Shelf Number: 136268

Keywords:
Corrections Officers
Interventions
Prison Guards
Prisoners
Rehabilitation
Treatment Programs

Author: Travers, Rosie

Title: Who benefits from cognitive skills training?

Summary: The Enhanced Thinking Skills (ETS) programme was a cognitive skills training programme commissioned by NOMS for both prison and community settings with the aim of reducing reoffending. Cognitive skills training programmes teach offenders skills such as problem solving, consequential thinking, decision making, moral reasoning, perspective taking and emotional control. They have been extensively evaluated in the UK and elsewhere and have repeatedly been found to have a positive impact on reconviction rates (e.g. Sadlier, 2010; Travers et al., 2013). One previous study in Canada suggested that cognitive skills programmes may have more impact with some offenders than others. The aim of this research was to explore whether more nuanced targeting of cognitive skills programmes could improve their overall impact and thus make better use of resources. Key findings - Examining recidivism rates for around 21,000 men released from custody between 1997 and 2005 who had attended cognitive skills training while in prison showed that overall the programme was associated with significantly less reconviction than was predicted. The reconviction rate for the whole sample was 47.2%, which was 8.4 percentage points lower than predicted. - Some types of offender seem to benefit more than others, in terms of reduced recidivism rates, from cognitive skills training. The people who appeared to benefit most were violent offenders (reconviction rate 17 percentage points lower than predicted) and sexual offenders (reconviction rate 13 percentage points lower than predicted). - Prisoners with index convictions for robbery and burglary who attended cognitive skills training did not have lower reconviction rates than predicted. - Recidivism rates were lower than predicted for prisoners in all risk bands except the very lowest (where only 10% were predicted to reoffend) and the highest (where over 80% were predicted to reoffend). - These findings are consistent with a previous study of a different cognitive skills programme in Canada and therefore point to the conclusion that offence type appears to have an important influence on programme impact. It seems likely that for offenders convicted of burglary and robbery, other factors are more important to address than thinking skills. More relevant factors might be, for example, financial motivation, substance misuse, or pro-criminal attitudes. - To be sure that this is the right conclusion, further work is needed to check whether the risk predictor OGRS works equally well for different types of offenders. A control group design would also be a better way to test for any differential impact of cognitive skills training.

Details: London: National Offender Management Service, 2015. 4p.

Source: Internet Resource: Analytical Summary: Accessed July 30, 2015 at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/448751/who-benefits-from-cognitive-skills.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: United Kingdom

URL: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/448751/who-benefits-from-cognitive-skills.pdf

Shelf Number: 136271

Keywords:
Cognitive Skills Training
Recidivism
Rehabilitation
Treatment Programs

Author: Wong, Kevin

Title: Local Justice Reinvestment Pilot: Final process evaluation report

Summary: The Local Justice Reinvestment (LJR) Pilot was part of the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) commitment to test new approaches to criminal justice through Payment by Results (PbR) commissioning and has informed the government's Transforming Rehabilitation (TR) reforms. Justice Reinvestment assumes that there are significant reductions in crime and offending to be made by partners working more effectively together at the local level. Cost savings, realised through lower demand on the Criminal Justice System (CJS), can then be reinvested back into the system. Six pilot sites were established - in Greater Manchester and the London boroughs of Croydon, Hackney, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark - covering both the adult and youth CJS in all sites except Hackney, which covered the adult CJS only. In these sites, local partners were free to target their resources on offenders in line with their local priorities and crime and/or reoffending patterns. They received a reward payment from MOJ if the cost of demand reduced by more than 5 per cent for adults and 10 per cent for youths, up to a maximum of 20 per cent, in either of the two test years (July 2011 to June 2012, July 2012 to June 2013) measured against the baseline period (July 2010 to June 2011). The value of the reward increased in line with greater reductions in the cost of demand, up to a maximum of 20 per cent. The cost of demand was based on prices set for CJS metrics which included numbers of: custodial convictions of a specified duration; custody months for those convictions; community orders and suspended sentence orders; 'other convictions'; and probation requirements. Four sites in year 1 and five sites in year 2 achieved the targets and received reward payments based on savings which were shared between the sites and MO. A process evaluation was commissioned to identify: what actions were taken by the sites; their effect on the CJS metrics indicated above, including how this affected the overall cost of demand on the CJS; perceived strengths and weaknesses in implementation; any unintended consequences on the CJS; and implications for policy and practice. This final report draws together the findings from all the phases of the evaluation. An interim report focusing on the development and implementation of the pilot in year one, including details of interventions was published in 2013.

Details: London: Ministry of Justice, 2015. 66p.

Source: Internet Resource: Ministry of Justice Analytical Series: Accessed July 30, 2015 at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/449630/local-justice-reinvestment-pilot-process-evaluation-report.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: United Kingdom

URL: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/449630/local-justice-reinvestment-pilot-process-evaluation-report.pdf

Shelf Number: 136272

Keywords:
Costs of Criminal Justice
Criminal Justice Reform
Justice Reinvestment
Rehabilitation

Author: Pearce, Simon

Title: HMP Doncaster Payment by Results pilot: Final process evaluation report

Summary: The Payment by Results (PbR) pilot provided 'through the gate' support to offenders released from Doncaster prison; the overall aim being to test the impact of a PbR model on reducing reconviction levels. This is the final report from the process evaluation examining the implementation of the pilot. The research explored how the introduction of PbR changed service delivery; stakeholder views on the strengths and weaknesses of the model; and areas of innovation and efficiency. Findings are based on qualitative interviews conducted in 4 phases between November 2011 and September 2014 with: -senior stakeholders -delivery staff -partner agencies -volunteers -offenders Lessons learnt have informed the delivery of the government's Transforming Rehabilitation (TR) programme, as well as future PbR projects and the commissioning of offender management services more generally.

Details: London: Ministry of Justice, 2015. 59p.

Source: Internet Resource: Ministry of Justice Analytical Series: Accessed July 30, 2015 at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/449494/hmp-doncaster-pbr-final-evaluation.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: United Kingdom

URL: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/449494/hmp-doncaster-pbr-final-evaluation.pdf

Shelf Number: 136273

Keywords:
Prisoner Reentry
Recidivism
Reconviction
Rehabilitation

Author: Holmgren, Janne

Title: Pilot Project: Evaluating the Effects of an Asset Building Program for Young Offenders

Summary: This pilot project explored the experience and impact of a six week Asset Building Program (ABP), delivered in Fall 2011 to 6 male youth ages 16-20 in custody at the Calgary Young Offenders Centre (CYOC). This project is not a program evaluation; it is an assessment of the impact of the program on the youths' resiliency development (to build positive personal identities, develop competent social skills and promote positive social values) and their lived experiences as program participants. The theoretical framework for this study draws upon positive psychology (Seligman and Csikszentmihalyi, 2000), a non-pathology model that emphasizes the strengths and resources of individuals, as well as a solution-focused therapy orientation, which is future-focused, goal-directed, and focused on solutions rather than on the problems (Berg and de Shazer, 1993). The study applied a mixed methods design aligned with contemporary resiliency research that suggests a strengths-based therapeutic intervention approach affirming that all youth have strengths to build on and demonstrate resilience. The ABP fostered participant planning of their own treatment program; this study evaluated its outcomes using quantitative and qualitative measures. Six clients voluntarily consented to be part of the program; four completed the sessions (67%). Generally, pre-post program surveys completed by both the participants and their key workers revealed definite improvements. Based on four post-program interviews with the clients, five main themes emerged regarding the ABP: - focused on individual learning styles and individual needs; - identified "stress" as being a past and current issue (including institutional stress); - assisted individuals in learning new coping strategies; - focused on individual positive attributes; and - enhanced personal communication styles and acceptance of other people. The nature of developing and evaluating the impact of a program in a secure facility such as CYOC comes with its own difficulties; however, a few limiting areas could be improved. Five recommendations for future programming are outlined as follows: - Group dynamics were at times challenging due to participants' maturity, skill and ability variance - different groups might be considered based on similarities, - Group session and individual session length too short - increased time for group and individual sessions is recommended, - Key worker support - participants shift key workers when they move from one unit to another; Programs Area staff may be better designates to support the participation of the clients, - CYOC Program Area support - a staff member assigned to assist participants with issues stemming from sessions and support participants' learning between sessions, and - Program process - program facilitator and co-facilitator need to deliver pre-program surveys to provide overview of the program and evaluate comprehension - enhance program content customization. Due to the promising initial results of this pilot study, it is recommended that this project and its impact outcomes serve to inform a future larger research project where 4 to 6 ABPs are facilitated within a year serving a larger population providing a richer dataset, enhanced statistical strength, and greater opportunity for generalization.

Details: Calgary, AB: Centre for Criminology and Justice Research, 2011. 27p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 26, 2015 at: http://www.mtroyal.ca/cs/groups/public/documents/pdf/pdf_assettbuildingprogram.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: Canada

URL: http://www.mtroyal.ca/cs/groups/public/documents/pdf/pdf_assettbuildingprogram.pdf

Shelf Number: 131270

Keywords:
Rehabilitation
Treatment Programs
Young Adult Offenders

Author: Wiegand, Andrew

Title: Evaluation of the Re-Integration of Ex-Offenders (RExO) Program: Two-Year Impact Report

Summary: The Reintegration of Ex-Offenders (RExO) project began in 2005 as a joint initiative of the Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (ETA), the Department of Justice (DOJ), and several other federal agencies. RExO aimed to capitalize on the strengths of faith-based and community organizations (FBCOs) and their ability to serve prisoners seeking to reenter their communities following the completion of their sentences. In June 2009, ETA contracted with Social Policy Research Associates (SPR) and its subcontractors MDRC and NORC at the University of Chicago to conduct an impact evaluation of 24 RExO grantees. The programs funded under RExO primarily provided three main types of services: mentoring, which most often took the form of group mentoring, but also included one-on-one mentoring and other activities; employment services, including work readiness training, job training, job placement, job clubs, transitional employment, and post-placement follow-up; and case management and supportive services. This report summarizes the impacts of the RExO program on offender outcomes in four areas: service receipt, labor market success, recidivism, and other outcomes. Using a random assignment (RA) design, the evaluation created two essentially equivalent groups: a program group that was eligible to enroll in RExO and a control group that was prevented from enrolling in RExO but could enroll in other services. Key findings can be summarized as follows: - RExO significantly increased the number and types of services received. Program group members reported having received, on average, a wider array of services than control group members. Program group members were more likely to participate in job clubs or job readiness classes and to receive vocational training, job search assistance, referrals to job openings, and help with resume development and filling out job applications. Program group members were also more likely to report participating in mentoring sessions and to declare that there was someone from a program who went out of their way to help them and to whom they could turn for advice on personal or family issues. Despite these differences, it is important to note that the program primarily provided work readiness training and support services; fewer than one in five RExO participants (and one in seven control group members) received any form of vocational or other forms of training designed to enhance their skills in in-demand industries. - The economic downturn placed additional pressures on ex-offenders. Unemployment rates in grantee communities were high. Data gathered as part of the evaluation's implementation study indicated that employers that previously hired ex-offenders subsequently had an abundant and overqualified pool of candidates vying for fewer jobs and were less willing to hire individuals with criminal backgrounds, potentially affecting study participants' ability to find and retain employment. In addition, cuts to state and local budgets as a result of the economic downturn reduced other services that could help ex-offenders smoothly re-enter society. - RExO significantly increased self-reported employment, within both the first and second years after RA. These increases were small (between 2.6 and 3.5 percentage points), but statistically significant. In addition, RExO significantly reduced the length of time between RA and self-reported first employment. At any given point following random assignment, program group members who had not yet found work were about 11 percent more likely to do so in the next time period than were control group members who had also not yet found work. However, there were no differences between the study groups in the total number of days employed in the two-year period following RA. - RExO had no effect on reported hourly wages, but did increase total reported income from all sources. There were no differences between the study groups in their reported hourly wages at either the first job obtained after RA or at their current or most recent job, but program group members reported higher average total income from all sources. It is not clear whether this higher average income is due to program group members working more total hours than control group members, obtaining more non-wage income, or some other reason, but program group members reported receiving approximately eight percent more income than control group members. - RExO had no effect on recidivism. Using both administrative data and survey data, program group members were no less likely to have been convicted of a crime or incarcerated than control group members. While results from the survey indicate that RExO reduced the arrest rate (in the first and second years after RA) among program group members, the administrative data found no such effect. Analyses of this discrepancy suggest this difference is driven by either recall bias or otherwise inaccurate reporting on the part of program group members. There was little evidence that RExO affected an array of other outcomes. RExO had no effect on self-reported mental health, substance abuse, housing, and child support. There was some evidence that RExO may have affected health outcomes, as program group members were less likely to report having made any visits to the emergency room (a difference of 4.2 percentage points) or that their physical health limited their work or activities in the most recent month (a difference of 4.7 percentages points). Given that RExO grantees only rarely provided services directly to address these issues, it is perhaps not surprising that there are no clear effects in these areas. Taken together, these findings present a mixed picture of the impact of RExO. On the one hand, it is clear that RExO increased the number and types of services received by program group members, and that it improved the self-reported labor market outcomes of participants as well. But there is little evidence this translated into any impacts on recidivism. Further, the impacts on employment, while statistically significant, are quite small in practical terms.

Details: Oakland, CA: Social Policy Research Associates, 2015. 163p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 31, 2015 at: http://www.mdrc.org/sites/default/files/ETAOP_2015-04.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: United States

URL: http://www.mdrc.org/sites/default/files/ETAOP_2015-04.pdf

Shelf Number: 136625

Keywords:
Case Management
Ex-Offender Employment
Ex-Offenders
Job Training
Mentoring
Prisoner Reentry
Recidivism
Rehabilitation

Author: Michel, Steve

Title: Use of Programs and Interventions with Canada's Federally Sentenced Radicalized Offenders

Summary: What it means By examining the institutional and community-based interventions which the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) has utilized with radicalized offenders and the congruence of these interventions with identified needs, CSC achieves a more comprehensive understanding of how past and current intervention options address the needs of radicalized offenders. This knowledge can be used to inform any future intervention referrals for radicalized offenders, identify limitations in current intervention options, and highlight opportunities for adaptation of existing or new interventions for this group. What we found The three most commonly attended interventions by radicalized offenders were identified as institutional employment, education, and psychological services. When examining core correctional programming specifically, radicalized offenders were most likely to participate in living skills, violent offender, personal development, and substance abuse programming, however this involvement was much less frequently identified than participation in other institutional interventions such as social programs or chaplaincy. Those with an identified need in the education and employment domain were the most likely to participate in at least one intervention that addressed the education and employment domain. The next most common need domain addressed was community functioning (for those assessed by the Dynamic Factor Identification and Analysis, or DFIA) and personal/emotional needs (for those assessed by both the DFIA and its revised version DFIA-R). Least likely to be addressed were needs related to the marital/family domain; however this was a need area that was not frequently identified as problematic for radicalized offenders. Why we did this study Since 1989, CSC has applied the risk-need-responsivity (RNR) principle in order to identify and address the risks and criminogenic needs of the federally sentenced offender population. The effectiveness of this approach has been empirically assessed and validated on offender populations in general. However, to date, there has not been research to demonstrate the applicability of the RNR principle with radicalized offenders. This paper identifies the interventions in which radicalized offenders participated in relation to their identified criminogenic and violent extremist needs.

Details: Ottawa: Correctional Service of Canada, 2015. 26p.

Source: Internet Resource: Research Report No. R-345: Accessed August 31, 2015 at: http://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/005/008/092/005008-0345-eng.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: Canada

URL: http://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/005/008/092/005008-0345-eng.pdf

Shelf Number: 136628

Keywords:
Correctional Programs
Counter-terrorism
Radicalization
Radicalized offenders
Rehabilitation
Risk Assessment
Terrorism

Author: Phillips, Stephen

Title: Former members of the armed forces and the criminal justice system: a review on behalf of the Secretary of State for Justice

Summary: ▪ The vast majority of those who serve in the Armed Forces return to civilian life without problem and are less likely than their civilian counterparts to commit criminal offences. ▪ A small minority have difficulties and find themselves in trouble with the law. Their offending behaviour is unlikely to have been directly caused by their service in the Armed Forces, but is sometimes contributed to by their experiences and, on occasion, made possible by their training. Many service charities offer help to these individuals. ▪ Post-traumatic stress disorder is an overused explanation for the behaviour of this cohort of offenders, but poor mental health and substance misuse often contribute to their offending, alongside other risk factors such as homelessness and unemployment. ▪ The Armed Forces Covenant, which exists to recognise the sacrifices made by those who serve, requires the identification and appropriate treatment of this offender group at the earliest possible stage, both for their benefit and that of their families, as well as the public. Offenders should in future be asked at every stage of the criminal justice system whether they have served in the Armed Forces. ▪ Policy makers have previously been hindered by the absence of robust data enabling the identification of pathways effective in pre-venting offending on the part of those who have served in the Armed Forces. Such data must in future be routinely collected. ▪ Knowledge on the part of criminal justice professionals as to the needs of former service personnel is patchy and appropriate training a matter of luck. In future, all criminal justice professionals should have access to appropriate resources and training to enable effective intervention with former service personnel who have committed criminal offences. ▪ Not every custodial facility in England and Wales deals appropriately with, or permits its officers time sufficient to deal with, prisoners who have served in the Armed Forces. This hinders rehabilitation and resettlement efforts. The same is true of probation services. In future, appropriate schemes to deal with former service personnel serving custodial or community sentences must be rolled out on a national basis, drawing on current best practice in this area. ▪ Recently introduced Liaison and Diversion Schemes (which are due to be rolled out nationally in England by 2017/18) require the identification of effective pathways to prevent offending on the part of former service personnel. These efforts are important and should form a distinct part of the evaluation and development of best practice in this area. ▪ Lord Ashcroft's Veterans Transition Review contains a series of recommendations that are likely to have a positive effect in preventing offending by former service personnel. I understand from the Government's response to his review that many of these are now likely to be implemented. ▪ Some statutory agencies in England and Wales have established initiatives to identify and prevent offending behaviour on the part of former service personnel, principally by onward referral to third sec-tor and other support agencies. These schemes appear valuable and similar provision should be implemented nationally. ▪ A lack of national guidance to statutory agencies has previously hindered effective working with offenders who have served in the Armed Forces and led to piecemeal provision across England and Wales. To ensure consistency, a senior civil servant within the Ministry of Justice should be tasked to co-ordinate national policy, with the Secretary of State reporting annually to Parliament on progress in dealing with this offender group. ▪ There is limited evidence that courts established in the United States dealing specifically with offenders who have served in the Armed Forces are effective. The likelihood is that any effectiveness is the result of focussed interventions rather than the creation of such courts. Given the court system in England and Wales and the UK's smaller Armed Forces, such special courts are unlikely to be suitable for introduction here.

Details: London: UK Government, 2014. 47p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 12, 2016 at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/389964/former-members-of-the-armed-forces-and-the-criminal-justice-system.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: United Kingdom

URL: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/389964/former-members-of-the-armed-forces-and-the-criminal-justice-system.pdf

Shelf Number: 137471

Keywords:
Armed Forces
Post-traumatic Stress Syndrome
Rehabilitation
Veterans

Author: Disley, Emma

Title: The payment by results Social Impact Bond pilot at HMP Peterborough: final process evaluation report

Summary: Between 2010 and 2015, an intervention called the One Service operated at Peterborough Prison. This service provided 'through-the-gate' and post-release support to adult male offenders released from HMP Peterborough who had served prison sentences of less than 12 months, with an aim of reducing reoffending. The through-the-gate support provided by the One Service involved contacting offenders before release in order to introduce case workers, assess needs, and plan resettlement activities. The One Service then implemented these plans by working with offenders for up to 12 months following their release. If an offender returned to prison within this period, the One Service aimed to ensure that support services continued back in prison. The One Service was funded through a financing mechanism known as a Social Impact Bond (SIB), a form of payment by results. This is where private, non-government investors pay for an intervention, and if certain results are achieved, are paid back their initial investment plus an additional return on that investment.1 In the Peterborough SIB, the Ministry of Justice, supported by the Big Lottery Fund, entered into an agreement to pay a return to investors if targets for reducing reconvictions were achieved. This pilot was the first SIB to be established worldwide. The Peterborough SIB pilot was originally intended to operate until 2017, funding the delivery of the One Service to three cohorts of around 1,000 prisoners released from the prison. Support from the One Service was available to cohort members for a period of up to 12 months post-release, and engagement was on a voluntary basis. While the pilot operated on a payment by results basis under the SIB model for the first two cohorts of released prisoners, a third cohort received One Service support under a 'fee-for-service' arrangement, rather than under the original SIB funded payment by results model. This change to the model was due to the roll-out of Transforming Rehabilitation reforms to probation, which introduced mandatory statutory supervision for short-sentenced offenders - the target group for the Peterborough pilot - and also included a payment by results funding mechanism to incentivise providers to reduce reoffending. This meant that while the pilot was concluded early in order to avoid any duplication in services to the same population, the alternative fee-for-service funding arrangement for the third cohort enabled the pilot to continue operating until the new Community Rehabilitation Company (CRC) providers implemented their approach to rehabilitation. This report presents findings from a process evaluation of the Peterborough pilot, commissioned by the Ministry of Justice in 2010. It is the third and final output from the process evaluation, and addresses the following five research questions: 1. How, if at all, did the pilot lead to better outcomes of reduced reoffending (including the role played by voluntary and community sector organisations and partner agencies)? 2. What wider costs and benefits, if any, do stakeholders feel were incurred through the implementation of the SIB? 3. To what extent did stakeholders feel that the SIB led to greater innovation and/or efficiency? 4. What were the strengths and weaknesses of the SIB contractual model as implemented? 5. What key messages can be taken from the Peterborough pilot that offer useful learning points for future payment by results models and SIBs?

Details: London: Ministry of Justice, 2015. 73p.

Source: Internet Resource: Ministry of Justice Analytical Series: Accessed February 2, 2016 at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/486512/social-impact-bond-pilot-peterborough-report.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: United Kingdom

URL: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/486512/social-impact-bond-pilot-peterborough-report.pdf

Shelf Number: 137742

Keywords:
Costs of Criminal Justice (U.K.)
Interventions
Prisoner Reentry
Recidivism
Rehabilitation
Social Impact Bonds

Author: Larkins, Cath

Title: 'Just Putting Me on the Right Track': Young people's perspectives on what helps them stop offending

Summary: HMI Probation (2011) found that that not enough attention has been given to the planning, delivery, and evaluation of interventions that tackle offending behaviour, suggesting that Youth Offending Teams need to access and make more use of information about what works in making interventions more effective and that better case planning is needed, together with training and development for practitioners. There is very little evidence of why particular interventions work and also a need for high quality research on "offenders" views on what helped or hindered them in giving up crime' (Sapouna 2011: 43). This research therefore aimed to: - build on existing understanding of what works in reducing reoffending - conduct participatory research to explore the relevance of these studies in the context of the lived experiences of young people in contact with YOT; - understand from young people's perspectives why particular interventions may work; - make recommendations regarding YOT practice as appropriate. The research was carried out by Cath Larkins and John Wainwright at The Centre for Children and Young People's Participation at the University of Central Lancashire School of Social Work. A literature review was presented to a core group of four young people in custody. They reflected on the themes in existing research and their own experience. They then developed participatory research activities. The researchers conducted these activities with a further 46 young people in contact with YOT. The research will be followed by an action planning process to consider how any strategic developments emerging from report might be implemented.

Details: Preston, UK: University of Central Lancashire, 2014. 63p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 10, 2016 at: http://clok.uclan.ac.uk/9483/1/Larkins%20and%20Wainwright%202014%20-%20right%20track%20PUBLISHED.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://clok.uclan.ac.uk/9483/1/Larkins%20and%20Wainwright%202014%20-%20right%20track%20PUBLISHED.pdf

Shelf Number: 137826

Keywords:
Delinquency Prevention
Desistance
Interventions
Juvenile Offenders
Rehabilitation

Author: Adler, Joanna R.

Title: What Works in Managing Young People who Offend? A Summary of the International Evidence

Summary: This review was commissioned by the Ministry of Justice and considers international literature concerning the management of young people who have offended. It was produced to inform youth justice policy and practice. The review focuses on the impact and delivery of youth justice supervision, programmes and interventions within the community, secure settings, and during transition into adult justice settings or into mainstream society. Approach A Rapid Evidence Assessment (REA) was conducted to assess the international evidence systematically. In line with English and Welsh youth justice sentencing, young people were taken to be 10-17 years old when considering initial intervention, programmes and supervision, and up to 21 years old when considering transitions into the adult criminal justice system and resettlement post release from custody. Evidence was considered from any country where studies were reported in English, and published between 1st January 1990 and 28th February 2014. The majority of these findings are from evaluations conducted in the United States of America and their transferability to an English and Welsh context should be considered given the different legal and sentencing frameworks, as well as economic and social contexts. Key findings Key elements of effective programmes to reduce reoffending In line with most previous reviews, effective interventions in reducing youth reoffending considered the factors set out below. - The individual's risk of reoffending: assessing the likelihood of further offending and importantly, matching services to that level of risk with a focus on those people who are assessed as having a higher risk. - The needs of the individual: focusing attention on those attributes that are predictive of reoffending and targeting them in rehabilitation and service provision. An individual's ability to respond to an intervention: maximising the young person's ability to learn from a rehabilitative programme by tailoring approaches to their learning styles, motivation, abilities and strengths. The type of programme: therapeutic programmes tend to be more effective than those that are primarily focused on punitive and control approaches. Therapeutic approaches include: skills building (e.g. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy; social skills); restorative (e.g. restitution; victim-offender mediation); counselling (e.g. for individuals, groups and families) and mentoring in some contexts. The use of multiple services: addressing a range of offending related risks and needs rather than a single factor. Case management and service brokerage can also be important. Programme implementation: quality and amount of service provided and fidelity to programme design. The wider offending context: considering family, peers and community issues.

Details: London: Ministry of Justice, 2016. 78p.

Source: Internet Resource: Ministry of Justice Analytical Series, 2016: Accessed February 23, 2016 at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/498493/what-works-in-managing-young-people-who-offend.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: International

URL: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/498493/what-works-in-managing-young-people-who-offend.pdf

Shelf Number: 137942

Keywords:
Juvenile Offenders
Recidivism
Rehabilitation
Reoffending
Young Adult Offenders

Author: Terry, Diane J.

Title: Social Supports and Criminal Desistance among Formerly Incarcerated Youth in the Transition to Adulthood

Summary: Nearly 100,000 youth exit correctional facilities each year and reenter the community. As they attempt to resituate themselves in their former environments, many will encounter emotional, social and logistical challenges that may deter them from achieving success. Further, many will reoffend shortly after their release. In order to break cycles of crime and recidivism among youth offenders, it is necessary to explore the pathways that lead them away from crime, particularly as they transition into adulthood. Theory asserts that criminal desistance is a process that entails individual behavioral changes, changing life circumstances, and environmental context. Little is known however, about how young people perceive and navigate the challenges they encounter in this process. Moreover, scholars have not fully explored the relationships between social supports and desistance, including how formerly incarcerated youth perceive, utilize, and access support to help them stay out of trouble. This study used a narrative, life history approach to explore the relationship between criminal desistance, perceptions, and use of social supports among formerly incarcerated, transition-age youth. The researcher conducted 30 in-depth qualitative interviews with 15 formerly incarcerated young men, ages 19-24. Coding and memoing were used to identify major themes related to the participants' desistance journeys and to develop a set of findings concerning the relationship between social support and criminal desistance in the transition to adulthood. This study located three offender typologies, each holding different ideas of desistance ranging from complete abstinence from crime to committing crimes while avoiding police contact. These definitions shaped how they approached the desistance barriers they faced: appearance, feeling marked, and relationships with people and places in the environment. Three important findings emerged with regards to the study variables. First, micro-level decision making helped the participants to navigate desistance barriers. Second, successful desisters latched onto "hooks" that enabled them to transition into adulthood and away from their criminal pasts. Last, social supports served as both a barrier and a coping strategy in the desistance process. Key implications are identified regarding how to better understand the construct of desistance, and how social supports can help young men in the desistance process.

Details: Los Angeles: University of California at Los Angeles, 2012. 212p.

Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed March 18, 2016 at: http://escholarship.org/uc/item/1s1455vg

Year: 2012

Country: United States

URL: http://escholarship.org/uc/item/1s1455vg

Shelf Number: 138329

Keywords:
Desistance
Juvenile Offenders
Recidivism
Rehabilitation
Social Services
Youthful Offenders

Author: Keohane, Nigel

Title: Breaking Bad Habits: Reforming rehabilitation services

Summary: Reducing this rate of reoffending is central to the Government's Transforming Rehabilitation proposals. This report analyses the Government's reforms and makes three principal points. First, it calculates the costs of reoffending to the public purse and to society and it argues that the Government should seek to be much more ambitious in the level of investment. Second, it recommends that other government schemes - such as the Work Programme and prison services - should be rolled into the rehabilitation reforms. Finally, the report provides new analysis showing that a principal rationale for the reforms - that expertise from charities and social enterprises can be brought in to help turn around the lives of offenders - is in danger of misfiring if additional safeguards are not put in place.

Details: London: Social Market Foundation, 2014. 71p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 18, 2016 at: http://www.smf.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Publication-Breaking-Bad-Habits-Reforming-rehabilitation-services.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://www.smf.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Publication-Breaking-Bad-Habits-Reforming-rehabilitation-services.pdf

Shelf Number: 138336

Keywords:
Recidivism
Rehabilitation
Reoffending
Repeat Offenders

Author: Duwe, Grant

Title: Moving On: An Outcome Evaluation of a Gender-Responsive, Cognitive-Behavioral Program for Female Offenders

Summary: We used a quasi-experimental design to evaluate the effectiveness of Moving On, a gender-responsive, cognitive-behavioral program designed for female offenders. Between 2001 and 2013, there were two distinct periods in which Moving On was administered with, and without, fidelity among female Minnesota prisoners. To determine whether program integrity matters, we examined the performance of Moving On across these two periods. Using multiple comparison groups, we found that Moving On significantly reduced two of the four measures of recidivism when it was implemented with fidelity. The program did not have a significant impact on any of the four recidivism measures, however, when it operated without fidelity. The growth of the "what works" literature and the emphasis on evidence-based practices have helped foster the notion that correctional systems can improve public safety by reducing recidivism. Given that Moving On's success hinged on whether it was delivered with integrity, our results show that correctional practitioners can take an effective intervention and make it ineffective. Providing offenders with evidence-based interventions that lack therapeutic integrity not only promotes a false sense of efficacy, but it also squanders the limited supply of programming resources available to correctional agencies. The findings suggest that ensuring program integrity is critical to the efficient use of successful interventions that deliver on the promise of reduced recidivism.

Details: St. Paul, MN: Minnesota Department of Corrections, 2015. 44p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 22, 2016 at: http://www.doc.state.mn.us/PAGES/files/2014/3751/2704/Moving_On_Evaluation_-_July_2015.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: United States

URL: http://www.doc.state.mn.us/PAGES/files/2014/3751/2704/Moving_On_Evaluation_-_July_2015.pdf

Shelf Number: 138361

Keywords:
Cognitive Skills
Correctional Programs
Evidence-Based Programs
Female Inmates
Female Offenders
Female Prisoners
Gender Specific Programs
Rehabilitation

Author: Duwe, Grant

Title: What Works with Minnesota Prisoners: A Summary of the Effects of Correctional Programming on Recidivism, Employment, and Cost Avoidance

Summary: Since 2006, the Minnesota Department of Corrections (DOC) has completed more than 20 major research studies and program evaluations. Of these reports, 13 have evaluated programs that have operated within Minnesota DOC facilities. This report summarizes the impact of these programs on recidivism, post-release employment, and cost avoidance. Program Characteristics The characteristics of the 13 programs that have been evaluated are shown in Table 1. Three of the programs (MCORP, PRI, and SOAR) were prisoner reentry pilot projects that are no longer operating. As noted in Table 1, however, five other programs currently operating in the DOC focus on prisoner reentry. Five of the programs evaluated provide participants with educational/ employment programming. Two of the programs offer cognitive-behavioral programming (chemical dependency and sex offender treatment), while another two are early release programs (CIP and work release). The length of the programs ranges from a minimum of two months (work release and power of People) to a maximum of thirty (IFI). Seven of the programs deliver services in both prison and the community, while five offer programming only in prison. Work release was the only one evaluated that provides programming strictly in the community. Offenders placed on supervised release were the target populations for all three of the prisoner reentry programs that were evaluated. Of the remaining 10 programs, five include recidivism risk in the offender selection process, while the remaining five tend to target offenders in general. Of the five that incorporate risk into the selection process, two focus on lower-risk offenders because they are early release programs. Each of the 13 programs evaluated was designed to focus on one or more criminogenic needs (i.e., factors associated with recidivism). The most commonly addressed needs areas are anti-social cognition and education/employment (each of these needs areas is addressed by eight programs). Five of the programs target substance abuse, while three focus on anti-social associates. Program Evaluation Characteristics The descriptive characteristics for each program evaluation are provided in Table 2. With 3,570 offenders, the work release program evaluation has the largest sample size to date. The MnCOSA sample, on the other hand, is the smallest with 62 offenders. All but the chemical dependency (CD) treatment evaluation examined offenders released over a period of multiple years. At 9.3 years, the sex offender treatment evaluation had the longest average follow-up period. In contrast, the PRI evaluation had the shortest follow-up period (one year average). Three of the 13 evaluations used a randomized controlled trial (RCT), whereas the remaining ten used a retrospective quasi-experimental design (RQED). Propensity score matching has been used in eight of the ten RQED evaluations to match offenders from the treatment and comparison groups. Of the 13 evaluations, 9 have been published in peer-reviewed academic journals. Recidivism Recidivism is often considered the "gold standard" by which to measure the effectiveness of correctional programming. All 13 program evaluations included at least two measures of recidivism. Nine of the evaluations contained four separate recidivism measures. Because the education programming evaluation separately assessed the effects of earning secondary and post-secondary degrees in prison on several outcomes, two discrete program effects were included in Table 3. Of the 14 program effects examined, 9 were found to significantly decrease at least one measure of recidivism. For example, the results suggest that, relative to a comparison group of untreated offenders, participating in chemical dependency treatment significantly reduced the risk of rearrest for a new offense by 17 percent. Each program was ranked by the magnitude of its impact on each recidivism measure. In developing program rankings for each measure of recidivism, statistically significant results were given priority over those that were not statistically significant. At 55 percent, EMPLOY had the largest effect size for new offense reincarceration. MnCOSA had the largest effect sizes for rearrest and revocation, while IFI had the greatest impact on reconviction. Overall, EMPLOY was the only program to significantly reduce all four recidivism measures. Post-Release Employment Given that not all correctional programs are geared towards improving post-release employment outcomes for offenders, a little more than half (seven) of the evaluations have assessed program effects on at least one measure of employment. Of these seven, six evaluations utilized multiple measures of employment data from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED). The results in Table 4 show that EMPLOY, work release, educational degrees, MCORP and IFI have each produced significant, positive findings regarding post-release employment. AHP and PRI did not yield significant, positive employment outcomes. Overall, work release and EMPLOY produced the best employment outcomes. For example, work release participants were roughly eight times more likely than a comparison group of offenders to find employment. EMPLOY participants, meanwhile, were 72 percent more likely to obtain post-release employment than a comparison group of offenders. Compared to their counterparts in the comparison groups, EMPLOY and work release participants worked, on average, 211 and 497 more hours, respectively, during the follow-up period. EMPLOY participants earned roughly $5,400 more, on average, than offenders in the comparison group. Work release participants earned about $4,800 more than those in the comparison group. Cost Avoidance Correctional programs can reduce costs in several ways. Most notably, programs that lower recidivism can generate costs avoided by decreasing victim costs, criminal justice costs (including police, courts, and prisons), and lost productivity of incarcerated offenders. Those that improve employment incomes can create a benefit by increasing income taxes that employed offenders pay to the state. And programs can also reduce costs by providing graduates with early release from prison to correctional supervision. The cost avoidance estimates for each of the 13 programs are shown in Table 5. Five of the programs (CIP, AHP, MnCOSA, work release, and MCORP) contain estimates that were developed at the time the program was evaluated. For the remaining eight program evaluations, cost avoidance estimates were calculated specifically for this report. The results indicate that 10 of the 13 programs evaluated have produced a cost avoidance to the state. The total costs avoided, however, are based, to some extent, on the total size of the sample. Costs avoided per participant, on the other hand, provides a standardized metric in which comparisons can be made across programs. The results show that AHP produced the largest costs avoided per participant. As noted in that evaluation, however, the vast majority of the costs avoided came from employers paying lower wages to AHP participants. EMPLOY had the next highest benefit per participant, followed by sex offender treatment, CD treatment and MnCOSA. Each of these programs generated an excess of $10,000 in costs avoided for every participant in the program. Table 5 also estimates the costs avoided that each program produces on an annual basis. Annual cost avoidance estimates were calculated by multiplying each programs' costs avoided per participant by the number of offenders who participate in the program each year. Given the large number of participants, coupled with the relatively high amount of costs avoided per participant, CD treatment produces more than $22 million in estimated costs avoided each year. Although education programming yields one of the lower costs avoided per participant (ninth out of 13), it can be delivered relatively inexpensively ($874 per participant) to a large number of offenders (approximately 1,350 earn a secondary or post-secondary degree in prison each year). As a result, education programming produces the second-highest annual costs avoided with an estimate of $3.18 million. At $2.86 million, sex offender treatment generates the third-highest annual costs avoided, followed closely by EMPLOY with $2.84 million. CIP yields nearly $2 million in estimated costs avoided each year, as does AHP. Overall, the ten programs producing costs avoided to the state combine for more than $36 million each year. CD treatment thus accounts for more than 60 percent of the total estimated annual amount.

Details: St. Paul, MN: Minnesota Department of Corrections, 2013. 13p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 22, 2016 at: http://www.doc.state.mn.us/PAGES/files/6213/9206/2384/What_Works_with_MN_Prisoners_July_2013.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: United States

URL: http://www.doc.state.mn.us/PAGES/files/6213/9206/2384/What_Works_with_MN_Prisoners_July_2013.pdf

Shelf Number: 138364

Keywords:
Correctional Programs
Cost-Benefit Analysis
Ex-Offender Employment
Recidivism
Rehabilitation
Treatment Programs

Author: Giles, Margaret

Title: Study in prison reduces recidivism and welfare dependence: A case study from Western Australia 2005-2010

Summary: Using a longitudinal dataset of prisoners in Western Australia, this paper describes the effectiveness of correctional education in improving post-release outcomes. The report shows that the more classes completed by prisoners the lower the rate of re-incarceration and the less likely they are to increase the seriousness of their offending. These, and other personal and societal benefits such as a reduction in welfare dependence, were positively associated with the number of classes prisoners successfully completed - that is, the more classes the inmate successfully completes, the less likely they are to reoffend and to access unemployment benefits. Much has been written about how correctional education contributes to post-release outcomes for ex-prisoners. In their systematic review of 50 studies of the effectiveness of correctional education, Davis et al. (2013) found that study in prison unequivocally reduces post-release recidivism and, on average, increases post-release employment. Unlike most earlier studies of the impact of correctional education on recidivism and employment, including the primary studies included in the Davis et al. (2013) meta-analysis, this study uses five years of linked prison history, correctional education and income support payments data. Improved employment and offending outcomes may better enable offenders to successfully reintegrate into their communities, and could produce cost savings into the future for justice authorities and social welfare services. This paper reports on the contribution of correctional education to reducing recidivism and welfare dependence (as a proxy for unemployment) for ex-prisoners in Western Australia.

Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2016. 9p.

Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 514: Accessed May 3, 2016 at: http://aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi514.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Australia

URL: http://aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi514.pdf

Shelf Number: 138896

Keywords:
Correctional Education
Ex-offender Employment
Recidivism
Rehabilitation
Unemployment
Vocational Education and Training

Author: Bales, William D.

Title: As Assessment of the Effectiveness of Prison Work Release Programs on Post-Release Recidivism and Employment

Summary: This study evaluates the effectiveness of prison-based work release centers in terms of reducing post-prison recidivism and employment and determines whether privately operated work release centers produce different outcomes compared to state operated programs under the Florida Department of Corrections (FDC). Work release is a community transition program in which prison inmates are housed in community-based facilities and work in the community during normal business hours. While the FDC originally implemented work release programs four decades ago, there has been little empirical research on its effectiveness in promoting post-release employment and reducing recidivism. While there are a few exceptions, the existing literature reporting research conducted to determine the effectiveness of work release can be summarized as largely outdated, lacking methodological rigor, and has failing to examine differences in outcomes across publicly versus privately operated work release facilities. Through support from the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), this study uses data from the Florida Department of Corrections (FDC) through a researcher-practitioner partnership funded project to assess the impact of work release programs on the post-release outcomes of employment and various indicators of recidivism, and to determine if there are differential outcomes across privately operated versus state run programs. First, we examine the differences in post-prison recidivism outcomes using several different measures as well as employment of 27,463 inmates released from Florida's prison between 2004 and 2011 who completed a work release program with 15,911 non-participants who met the criterion for placement in a work release program but were not exposed during their incarceration. Second, we examine comparisons of these same outcomes between inmates who completed work release in FDC-operated work release facilities versus privately contracted facilities. Third, we examine whether the impact of work release programs on post-prison outcomes varies across inmates with different characteristics, including gender, race, age at prison release, offense types, and post-prison release supervision. Findings indicate that inmates released from work release facilities compared to the control group of non-participants have significantly lower levels of recidivism as measured by arrest for any new crime, arrest for a new felony offense, and conviction for a new felony offense, however, they have higher rates of returning to prison. Additionally, work release is a highly significant influence on the likelihood of obtaining employment within the first quarter after release. When considering the type of work release facility inmates are exposed to, i.e., public versus private, we find no meaningful differences in terms of recidivism; however, inmates who completed a work release program in a privately operated facility are significantly more likely to find employment when returning to their communities. Finally, we examined whether differences existed in the relative effect of work release on the reentry outcomes of recidivism and employment across several characteristics of inmates. The results indicate there are meaningful variations in the outcomes across various demographic groups, offense types, and post-prison supervision status. The policy implications of this research are that the expansion of the use of prison-based work release programs can have a positive impact on reducing the overall recidivism rates of released prisoners and can significantly improve their post-prison employment potential.

Details: Tallahassee: Florida Department of Corrections and Florida State University College of Criminology and Criminal Justice, 2015. 61p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 1, 2016 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/249845.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: United States

URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/249845.pdf

Shelf Number: 139268

Keywords:
Correctional Programs
Ex-Offender Employment
Recidivism
Rehabilitation
Work Release

Author: Miner-Romanoff, Karen

Title: An Evaluation Study of a Criminal Justice Reform Specialty Court - CATCH Court: Changing Actions to Change Habits

Summary: This article reports on an evaluation of a program for convicted prostitutes who are victims of human trafficking, the Changing Actions to Change Habits (CATCH) specialized docket in Franklin County, Columbus, Ohio. Founded by Judge Paul M. Herbert in 2009, CATCH blends punitive sentences with a 2-year treatment-oriented non-adversarial program for rearrested prostitutes who suffer from posttraumatic stress syndrome, depression, and drug addiction. Based on therapeutic jurisprudence, in its 5 years of existence CATCH has served 130 participants (12% graduation rate in first 4 years). The researcher was invited by the Franklin County Municipal Court to conduct the evaluation, the first of the program, with criminal justice referrers and program participants. Data were collected from Court records, a 9-item survey for referrers by email, a 20-item survey for participants, and a roundtable discussion with 20 volunteer participants. In the quantitative component, five goals and objectives were formulated. Results of descriptive statistics on participants' experiences indicated that from 48% to 100% were positively affected by the program. Program completers had fewer jail days, arrests, and recidivism, as well as improved living conditions, than noncompleters (those who were rejected or dropped out). Results of inferential statistics for completers and noncompleters indicated that for jail time and arrests, no significant differences were found among the groups. For recidivism, a significant difference was found, indicating that program completers had a statistically significant lower recidivism rate than the other groups. The five goals and objectives were partially met. In the qualitative component, participants singled out caring by the judge and staff, lack of judgment, encouragement of their self-esteem, improved family relationships, and the difficulty of asking for help. For increased awareness, participants suggested education of law enforcement officers about the program, education in communities of young girls, and creation of CATCH-type programs in other cities. Recommendations for future research included more frequent and discrete data collection by the court, larger sample sizes, and individual participant in-depth interviews. The success of the CATCH program indicates its use as a model for similar courts in Ohio and nationally.

Details: Columbus, OH: Franklin University, 2015. 95p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 9, 2016 at: https://ext.dps.state.oh.us/OCCS/Pages/Public/Reports/CATCH%20FULL%20REPORT%20for%20Court%20CL%205.30.15.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: United States

URL: https://ext.dps.state.oh.us/OCCS/Pages/Public/Reports/CATCH%20FULL%20REPORT%20for%20Court%20CL%205.30.15.pdf

Shelf Number: 139342

Keywords:
Human Trafficking
Problem-Solving Courts
Prostitutes
Prostitution
Rehabilitation
Victims of Trafficking

Author: U.S. Department of Justice

Title: The Federal Interagency Reentry Council: A Record of Progress and a Roadmap for the Future

Summary: The report of the Federal Interagency Reentry Council (Reentry Council) that provides an overview of the Council's accomplishments to date and lays out a path forward. Originally an informal collaboration among federal agencies, President Barack Obama formally established the Reentry Council in 2016 with a mission to make communities safer by reducing recidivism and victimization; help those who return from prison and jail to become productive citizens; and save taxpayer dollars by lowering the direct and collateral costs of incarceration. The report charts a course for implementing policy changes and ensuring the council's efforts continue to serve as a guide to the reentry field. "All too often, returning citizens face enormous barriers that persist long after they have paid their debts to society - and with over 600,000 people released from federal and state prisons every year, how we treat reentering individuals is a question with far-reaching implications for all of us," said Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch. "That's why the Reentry Council is dedicated to expanding access to the foundations of a stable life - employment, education, housing, healthcare, and civic participation - so that formerly incarcerated individuals can receive a true second chance, and so that every American can enjoy stronger and safer communities." Comprised of more than 20 federal agencies, the Reentry Council works to improve outcomes related to employment, education, housing, health and child welfare. Reentry Council agencies coordinate and leverage existing federal resources; dispel myths and clarify policies; elevate programs and policies that work; and reduce the policy barriers to successful reentry. The Justice Department first convened the Reentry Council in 2011, in an effort to engage a wide range of federal agencies in developing and advancing innovative and comprehensive approaches to reentry. Over the last five years the Reentry Council has continued to meet in order to expand the range of tools that the government uses to ensure that individuals returning to the community from prison or jail have a meaningful chance to rebuild their lives and reclaim their futures. On April 29, 2016, President Obama issued a Presidential Memorandum formally establishing the Reentry Council, recognizing the work that the council has achieved thus far, and enabling the council to continue its work going forward.

Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, 2016. 208p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 27, 2016 at: https://csgjusticecenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/FIRC-Reentry-Report.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: United States

URL: https://csgjusticecenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/FIRC-Reentry-Report.pdf

Shelf Number: 140057

Keywords:
Prisoner Reentry
Recidivism
Rehabilitation

Author: O'Keefe, Marueen

Title: Effectiveness of Arrowhead and Peer I Therapeutic Communities

Summary: The therapeutic community (TC) model has been widely implemented in response to the demand for more treatment options for offenders. The effectiveness of the TC in reducing drug use and criminal behavior among offender populations has made it one of the preferred treatment modalities in prisons and community corrections programs. Success of the TC modality in effectively treating substances abusers has been linked to the programs' ability to retain clients. The longer the clients remain in treatment the lower their chance of recidivating. Fixed and dynamic client factors have been studied to determine their predictive ability in helping to retain clients. Although dynamic factors appear to be better predictors, results are often sporadic. Research has also discovered the most prominent factors contributing to successful outcomes include appropriate matching of client needs to programming, retention and length of stay, and a continuum of care. Study Goals The objective of the present study aims to establish the effectiveness of Colorado's implementation of the prison plus community TC model by examining different factors in three distinct studies. The two programs evaluated in these studies are the substance abuse TC at the Arrowhead Correctional Center (ACC) and the Peer I TC. Together these programs provide a continuum of care for high risk substance abusing felons. - Study 1: Examined factors related to retention in the ACC TC where a high percentage of inmates do not complete the program. - Study 2: Analyzed the outcomes of felons with varying amounts of treatment and examined client factors related to successful outcomes post-prison release. This is a large scale analysis of quantitative data comparing study groups with different levels of involvement in the TC programs across multiple outcome variables, including rearrest and return to prison. - Study 3: Explored potential barriers and supports that offenders face when returning to the community and how this might impact their outcomes. Findings Effectiveness of TC Model in Colorado. Results found that offenders who complete the ACC TC and continue on to Peer I have the lowest rate of community supervision failures (i.e., return to prison or rearrest for new crime) at 1- and 2-year follow up periods. Even though the effect declines over time, a continuum of intensive prison and community services significantly reduces recidivism risk over longer follow-up periods. - The group who participated in both TCs had a 78% reduction in 1-year recidivism and a 42% reduction in 2-year recidivism over an untreated comparison group. - Participants who successfully completed ACC TC but had no community TC involvement showed reductions of 12% and 14% for the 1-year and 2-year outcomes, respectively. - Participants who received treatment only at Peer I TC showed reductions of 10% and 3% for 1-year and 2-year outcomes respectively. - Participants who unsuccessfully terminated from the ACC TC had similar rates of recidivism as the control group. Client Profiles. No stable client profiles emerged from the results that would predict outcomes; however there do appear to be personality traits that distinguish those who are more likely to complete treatment from those who do not. - Clients who quit or expelled from the ACC TC were less likely to be married and more likely to exhibit narcissistic personality disorder, schizotypal and paranoid personality disorders, and early childhood conduct problems. This personality profile typifies individuals who may find it difficult to adapt to and succeed in the TC environment because of the specific treatment techniques employed. - Motivation was not found to have a statistical relationship with retention in the ACC TC. This finding is in contrast to the findings in Study 2 which found that motivation played a role in group membership, meaning participants attending both TC programs were more highly motivated. Factors Related to Successful Outcomes. Offenders releasing to the community from prison face a great number of challenges and barriers, including criminal justice supervision, employment, housing, and finances. In addition, their addiction poses a great risk to their ability to remain in the community; relapse is highly correlated with return to prison. Successful participants indicated that they had made an internal decision to change; correspondingly, their decisions relating to criminal justice supervision, employment, housing, and other transition barriers were made with recovery foremost in their thinking. - Finding initial employment and housing was not reported as a challenge for participants; they did not view their felony status as an obstacle in finding either. However, in the future as they seek more desirable positions and living arrangements their backgrounds might prove more problematic. - Motivation as measured herein was not statistically related to outcomes. However, case study participants with successful outcomes expressed high levels of internal and external motivation in contrast to those who were unsuccessful. - The ability to find and maintain positive social support was critical to successful outcomes in the community. Individuals who returned to old neighborhoods and peer groups or had family members with addiction or criminal involvement tended to return to their old patterns of behavior.

Details: Colorado Springs, CO: Colorado Department of Corrections; University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, 2004. 46p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 23, 2016 at:http://hermes.cde.state.co.us/drupal/islandora/object/co%3A3042/datastream/OBJ/view

Year: 2004

Country: United States

URL: http://hermes.cde.state.co.us/drupal/islandora/object/co%3A3042/datastream/OBJ/view

Shelf Number: 146053

Keywords:
Correctional Programs
Recidivism
Rehabilitation
Therapeutic Communities
Treatment Programs

Author: Giles, Margaret

Title: Prisoner education and training, and other characteristics: Western Australia, July 2005 to June 2010

Summary: Spending public funds on educating and training prisoners can generate a significant return on investment, because as this report argues, studying in prison can reduce costly recidivism and improve life outcomes for ex-prisoners. What are the costs of recidivism? Let's start with incarceration. Prisoners cost money - about $110,000 per prisoner a year. With over 4,000 prisoners in WA prisons at any one time and a turnover of 8,000 prisoners per year, incarceration is a costly business. In addition, there are policing and legal costs related to finding, charging and sentencing alleged offenders; as well as costs to the community in relation to property damage, insurance premium increases, lives lost and harm and trauma to victims of crime. Reducing recidivism alone can therefore bring about huge cost savings to the government and the community. Then there’s the cost of welfare dependence. In the short term, these include payments to families of incarcerated breadwinners and unemployment benefits for ex-prisoners; just two of the many different types of welfare payments administered by Centrelink. In the longer term, intergenerational welfare looms for an increasing number of disenfranchised, unskilled and unemployed workers, including ex-prisoners who are further disadvantaged by having a criminal record. Improving employability and reducing welfare dependence can therefore reduce demand on the public purse, as well as promote more productive lives. In Western Australia, considerable efforts have been made by the WA Department of Corrective Services (DCS) to reduce recidivism and improve individual and community outcomes. Internal reviews of offending behaviour by the Education and Vocational Training Unit (EVTU), which has provided courses and classes in Western Australia prisons for many years, show proportionately fewer repeat offences by ex-prisoners who studied in prison, compared with those who did not. Missing from these reviews however is the bigger picture. This research project demonstrates how studying in prison can lead to better labour market outcomes and reduced recidivism, and provides an evaluation of the resulting impact on welfare utilisation. This report is the first of three and summarises the prison training data. It indicates that the Western Australia prison population is diverse, and as can be seen from the class and course profiles, prisoners have varied education and training experiences.

Details: Joondalup WA, Australia: Edith Cowan University, Centre for Innovative Practice, 2013. 54p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 27, 2017 at: http://ro.ecu.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1586&context=ecuworks2011

Year: 2013

Country: Australia

URL: http://ro.ecu.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1586&context=ecuworks2011

Shelf Number: 144920

Keywords:
Correctional Education
Ex-offender Employment
Recidivism
Rehabilitation
Unemployment
Vocational Education and Training

Author: Ford, Matt

Title: Profile of Provision for Armed Forces Veterans under Probation Supervision

Summary: This report builds on the Phillips Review into ex-armed forces personnel in the criminal justice system. Announced in January 2014 and published in November the same year, the Phillips Review aimed to 'identify properly the reasons for ex-service personnel ending up in the criminal justice system, to look at the support provided to them and how that support could be improved.' It covered both custody and the community, and made a series of recommendations. With respect to probation, these included: routine identification of veterans, as well as collection of data on offences convicted for and the factors and characteristics associated with their conviction; for the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) to publish guidance on how to address the needs of convicted veterans on probation within twelve months of the release of the Review; that NOMS work with service charities and other bodies to better coordinate support for veterans in criminal justice; and, that a senior civil servant within the Ministry of Justice should be appointed to have responsibility for ex-armed forces personnel involved with the criminal justice system, aiming to implement an identifiable national strategy in England and Wales for best practice in working with this group. The Phillips Review is underpinned by the Armed Forces Covenant, which states that no-one who has served in HM armed forces should face disadvantage in public or commercial services, and in some cases should receive special consideration. With respect to involvement with the criminal justice system, this would refer to how military service may relate to their conviction. Reforms to the probation service under the Government’s Transforming Rehabilitation agenda began during the period of Phillips. Under this programme the 35 old Probation Trusts were replaced by a single National Probation Service responsible for supervising 'high risk' convicted offenders, and 21 privately owned Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRCs) which would supervise ‘medium’ to 'low risk' convicted offenders. Contracts to run these CRCs were awarded in December 2014, and these providers have since been building supply chains made up of public, private, and voluntary sector organisations which are subcontracted to supply services.

Details: London: Forces in Mind Trust, Probation Institute and Centre for Crime and Justice Studies 2016. 43p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 11, 2017 at: http://probation-institute.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Veterans-Probation-Report-Final-PDF1.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://probation-institute.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Veterans-Probation-Report-Final-PDF1.pdf

Shelf Number: 144822

Keywords:
Armed Forces
Community Supervision
Post-traumatic Stress Syndrome
Probation
Probationers
Rehabilitation
Veterans

Author: Duwe, Grant

Title: The Use and Impact of Correctional Programming for Inmates on Pre- and Post-Release Outcomes

Summary: State and federal prisons have long provided programming to inmates during their confinement. Institutional programming encompasses a broad array of services and interventions, including substance abuse treatment, educational programming, and sex offender treatment. The objective of providing prisoners with programming is to improve their behavior, both before and after release from prison. Indeed, institutional programming is often intended to not only enhance public safety by lowering recidivism, but also to promote greater safety within prisons by reducing misconduct. Although U.S. correctional systems typically offer some programming opportunities within prisons, research suggests many prisoners do not participate in programming while incarcerated (Lynch & Sabol, 2001). This paper reviews the available evidence on the impact of institutional programming on pre- and post-release outcomes for prisoners. Given the wide variety of institutional interventions provided to inmates in state and federal prisons, this paper focuses on programming that: (1) is known to be provided to prisoners, (2) has been evaluated, and (3) addresses the main criminogenic needs, or dynamic risk factors, that existing research has identified. This paper, therefore, examines the empirical evidence on educational programming, employment programming, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), chemical dependency (CD) and sex offender treatment, social support programming, mental health interventions, domestic violence programming, and prisoner re-entry programs. In addition to reviewing the evidence on the effects of these interventions on pre- and post-release outcomes, this paper identifies several broad conclusions that can be drawn about the effectiveness of institutional programming, discusses gaps in the literature, and proposes a number of directions for future research.

Details: Washington, DC: U.S. National Institute of Justice, 2017. 41p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 1, 2017 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/250476.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: United States

URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/250476.pdf

Shelf Number: 147487

Keywords:
Correctional Programs
Inmates
Prisoners
Rehabilitation

Author: California. Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Office of Research

Title: 2015 Outcome Evaluation Report. An Examination of Offenders Released in Fiscal Year 2010-11

Summary: Between July 1, 2010 and June 30, 2011 (Fiscal Year 2010‐11), 95,690 offenders were released from a California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) adult institution and tracked for three years following the date of their release. The three‐year return‐to‐prison rate for the 95,690 offenders who comprise the Fiscal Year 2010‐11 release cohort is 44.6 percent, which is a 9.7 percentage point decrease from the Fiscal Year 2009‐10 rate of 54.3 percent. Fiscal Year 2010‐11 marks the fifth consecutive year the three‐year return‐to‐prison rate has declined and is the most substantial decrease to‐date. As shown in Figure A, Fiscal Year 2010‐11 also marks the first cohort of offenders where more offenders did not return to prison during the three‐year follow‐up period (55.4 percent or 53,029 offenders) than returned to State prison (44.6 percent or 42,661 offenders).

Details: Sacramento: The Department, 2016. 87p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 15, 2017 at: http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/Adult_Research_Branch/Research_Documents/2015_Outcome_Evaluation_Report_8-25-2016.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: United States

URL: http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/Adult_Research_Branch/Research_Documents/2015_Outcome_Evaluation_Report_8-25-2016.pdf

Shelf Number: 147343

Keywords:
Prisoners
Recidivism
Rehabilitation

Author: D'Amico, Ron

Title: An Evaluation of Seven Second Chance Act Adult Demonstration Programs: Impact Findings at 18 Months

Summary: This report describes the impacts of seven programs that were awarded grants under the Second Chance Act (SCA) Adult Demonstration Program to reduce recidivism by addressing the challenges faced by adults returning to their communities after incarceration. In estimating impacts, the evaluation used a randomized controlled trial, whereby 966 individuals eligible for SCA were randomly assigned to either a program group whose members could enroll in SCA, or a control group whose members could not enroll in SCA but could receive all other services generally available. Using survey and administrative data, each study participant was measured on a range of outcomes 18 months after random assignment. Using their SCA funds, the grantees improved their partnerships with community agencies and strengthened the connection between pre-release and post-release services. All used their SCA funds to provide services after individuals were released from incarceration, and most also enhanced pre-release services. Services included education and training, employment assistance, substance abuse treatment, mental health services, cognitive behavioral therapy, housing assistance, and supportive services. Grantees provided some of these services using their SCA funds and others through unfunded referrals to community partners. Case management was a common service element; case managers were either parole officers who had reduced caseloads or staff members from social services agencies or community-based organizations. Because case management was the focal point of most grantees' efforts, the impact study primarily represents the influence of this service. Nonetheless, given the diversity of approaches taken by the grantees, this study does not provide a test of a single program model. Impact findings show that those assigned to the program group were significantly more likely than those assigned to the control group to have received help with re-entry and were more likely to have had an individual case plan. They were also more likely to have received cognitive behavioral therapy, help with looking for a job, substance abuse treatment, housing assistance, and mentoring. However, many control-group members also received these services, and, at the end of 18 months, SCA participants were just as likely as those in the control group to report that additional services would have been helpful. Being assigned to the program group did not reduce involvement with the criminal justice system in the 18 months after random assignment. Whether recidivism was measured using survey or administrative data, those in the program group were no less likely to be re-arrested, reconvicted, or re-incarcerated; their time to re-arrest or re-incarceration was no shorter; and they did not have fewer total days incarcerated (including time in both prisons and jails). Those in the program group were somewhat more likely to have had probation or parole revoked and to have new convictions. Being assigned to the program group also did not significantly improve employment outcomes and had no effect on other outcomes, including the adequacy of housing, health status, or the ability to meet child-support obligations. One reason why impacts were not greater is that, although SCA significantly increased access to a wide range of services, the difference in service receipt between the program group and the control group was modest. Furthermore, SCA funds did not seem adequate to meet the many and complex needs of those returning from incarceration. Finally, most grantees emphasized case management as the key service strategy, and prior research has suggested that casework alone is not very successful as a re-entry approach. The grantees in this study were among the first to receive SCA funding. Grant requirements were substantially tightened for grantees that received funding in subsequent rounds of competition. Further research is needed to determine whether these enhanced requirements led to programs that were effective in reducing recidivism.

Details: Oakland, CA: Social Policy Research Associates, 2017. 138p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 4, 2017 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/251139.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: United States

URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/251139.pdf

Shelf Number: 147559

Keywords:
Case Management
Parolees
Prisoner Reentry (U.S.)
Probationers
Recidivism
Rehabilitation

Author: Holmberg, Stina

Title: Reintegration assistance after prison: Follow-up on the Prison and Probation Service's work with special reintegration assistance measure

Summary: Within three years of release from prison, two out of five persons commit a new offence sanctionable by prison or probation. For most of these individuals, recidivism occurs within several months after they have left prison (Bra 2017). In order to reduce the risk that individuals who are released commit new offences in connection with release, the Swedish Prison and Probation Service can grant reintegration assistance at the end of their sentence. These measures smooth the transition between prison and life at liberty, and entail a gradual reduction of the Prison and Probation Service's control over the client. The four so-called special reintegration assistance measures are: - day release; - treatment period; - halfway house; - enhanced day release. Bra has been instructed by the Government to follow up on the Prison and Probation Service's work with reintegration assistance. In conjunction with this instruction, the Government instructed the Prison and Probation Service at the end of 2015 to develop and strengthen its work with reintegration assistance. Bra's instruction requires us to follow up on the progress of the Prison and Probation Service's development work and to track the scope and nature of the reintegration assistance. We are also meant to report on any impediments to well-functioning and knowledge-based reintegration assistance work. Special attention is to be paid to any differences in working methods in various parts of the country, differences between men and women, and differences for persons from different language backgrounds. The crime victim aspects are to be highlighted, where relevant. Finally, Bra is, as necessary, required to suggest ideas for further development of the reintegration assistance efforts. As a basis for the study, Bra has visited 13 different facilities ' prisons with various security classifications, detention centres, day release offices, halfway houses, and treatment homes. We have interviewed a total of 100 individuals, both staff and clients, at these facilities. Interviews have also been conducted with a number of individuals at the headquarters of the Prison and Probation Service, as well as with other strategically important individuals. In addition, Bra has had continual contact with representatives from the Prison and Probation Service's working group for the development work. Our quantitative source material includes both the Prison and Probation Service's existing statistics and a special order in respect of clients who were released from prison. Bra has also been given access to unpublished data from a study which was conducted on the Prison and Probation Service's research unit. In addition to the above, a survey of the literature in the form of previous studies and evaluations has been conducted.

Details: Stockholm: Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention (Bra), 2018. 12p.

Source: Internet Resource: English summary of Bra report 2017:15: Accessed April 4, 2018 at: https://www.bra.se/download/18.10aae67f160e3eba62919667/1517917740405/2017_15_Reintegration_assistance_summary.pdf

Year: 2028

Country: Sweden

URL: https://www.bra.se/download/18.10aae67f160e3eba62919667/1517917740405/2017_15_Reintegration_assistance_summary.pdf

Shelf Number: 149687

Keywords:
Parolees
Prisoner Reentry
Probationers
Recidivism
Rehabilitation
Reintegration
Reoffending

Author: International Centre for Counter-Terrorism

Title: Action Agenda on Violent Extremist Offenders in Prison in Mali: Gaps, Challenges and Action Plans for the Rehabilitation & Reintegration of Violent Extremist Offenders in Prison in Mali

Summary: he violent conflict in Mali, initiated in 2012, is complex and continuously evolving: the groups involved include terrorist organisations such as Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), Mouvement pour l'Unicite and le Jihad en Afrique de l'Ouest (MUJAO), Ansar Dine, its affiliate Macina Liberation Front (MLF), and Al Mourabitoune. As the number of extremist detainees has increased due to the country's situation, it is important to consider issues that come along with this: how to deal with violent extremists when they are in prison? What different actors can play a role during this detention time? As most of the detainees will eventually be released, it is also important to take into consideration challenges linked to re-integration. This Action Agenda aims to address a number of these issues by outlining four Action Areas that currently deserve the attention of both national and international actors in order to efficiently deal with problems associated with detaining Violent Extremist Offenders (VEOs). In August 2016, UNICRI conducted an assessment mission in Mali to present its programme on Rehabilitation & Reintegration of Violent Extremist Offenders, developed within the framework of the UN Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force (CTITF). The presentation was addressed to key national and international stakeholders and aimed to ensure their engagement. From September 2016 onwards, ICCT and UNICRI joined their efforts in Mali on Reintegration and Rehabilitation (R&R) of violent extremists. Three trainings have been jointly organised so far: first, a training on the psychological aspects of violent extremism for prison staff in the Central Prison of Bamako (December 2016); second, a training for religious leaders on radicalisation (April 2017); and third, a training on risk assessment with a special focus on violent extremism for personnel of the National Prison Administration, DNAPES (August 2017). These training workshops have been designed in close consultation with national authorities and international partners, such as the Justice and Correction Section of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA/JCS). Throughout the needs assessment mission and training workshops, and in consultation with different actors on the ground, ICCT and UNICRI have identified four target areas that deserve the attention of both national and international actors, namely (1) increasing awareness of the causes and consequences of violent extremism in the Malian context, (2) intake and risk assessment of violent extremist offenders, (3) empowerment of youth leaders, and (4) disengagement of VEOs through vocational training and engagement of communities through dialogue sessions in prison. These areas will be further discussed below, outlining specific actions recommended to increase capacity building, intensify inter-agency cooperation and coordination, and design and implement an R&R program, all using research to ensure that actions are tailored to local needs and guided by an evidence-based approach. This Action Agenda is composed of three sections: the first briefly discusses the background of the conflict in Mali as well as some of the issues faced in Mali with regards to VEOs in prison. The second section describes the four Action Areas and outlines proposed activities to address concerns and needs identified by ICCT and UNICRI throughout the initiatives implemented by both organisations so far. Finally, next steps and recommendations will be discussed.

Details: The Hague: ICCT, 2018. 21p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 30, 2018 at: https://icct.nl/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Mali-Action-Agenda-2.pdf

Year: 2018

Country: Mali

URL: https://icct.nl/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Mali-Action-Agenda-2.pdf

Shelf Number: 150408

Keywords:
Extremists
Prisoner Reintegration
Rehabilitation
Terrorists
Violent Extremists

Author: Day, Andrew

Title: The forgotten victims: Prisoner experience of victimisation and engagement with the criminal justice system

Summary: Many women in prison have experienced intimate partner violence (IPV). As this form of violence is often intergenerational and entrenched, women in prison are widely considered to be at particular risk of ongoing victimisation following release from custody. And yet, their support needs often go unrecognised, and it is likely that a range of barriers exists that prevent ex-prisoners from accessing services. This project, jointly funded by ANROWS and Sparke Helmore Lawyers was conducted in partnership between James Cook University and the South Australian Department for Correctional Services. Led by Professor Andrew Day, this research develops an understanding of the factors that influence help-seeking by women in prison who may have concerns about their personal safety post-release and how this might inform service responses. From this research, a three stage model of help-seeking and change for women in prison was developed. The model suggests that any individual who experiences IPV must: recognise and define the situation as abusive and intolerable (Stage 1); decide to disclose the abuse and seek help (Stage 2); and identify a source of support and where to seek help (Stage 3). At the same time, the ability to seek help is influenced by a broad range of individual, interpersonal and socio-cultural factors including: the woman's own history; the personal networks in which she interacts, and the history of these networks; connections between networks or systems; formal and informal social structures that influence the woman indirectly; and overarching institutional systems at the cultural or subcultural level (social/cultural norms and prejudices). For policy-makers, practitioners and service providers, the research identifies: women in prison are a particularly vulnerable group who are likely to be at a high risk of ongoing victimisation; significant barriers exist that prevent women in prison from accessing IPV support services while in prison and post-release; current service models are unresponsive to the specific needs of women in prison and post-release; a specialised approach for women in prison is needed based on their particular social and individual circumstances; the development of culturally specific support services are required for women in prison who identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander; and women with lived experience of incarceration should be part of the service framework in the community sector at all levels of program governance, design and delivery.

Details: Sydney: Australia's National Research Organisation for Women's Safety (ANROWs), 2018. 112p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 23, 2018 at: http://apo.org.au/system/files/188151/apo-nid188151-993026.pdf

Year: 2018

Country: Australia

URL: http://apo.org.au/system/files/188151/apo-nid188151-993026.pdf

Shelf Number: 151240

Keywords:
Domestic Violence
Intimate Partner Violence
Prisoners
Rehabilitation
Repeat Victimization
Victim Services
Victims of Crime
Violence Against Women

Author: Cuddy, Joshua

Title: Young Adults and Community Supervision: The Need for Developmentally Appropriate Approach to Probation

Summary: While community supervision (probation) is widely accepted to be an effective strategy for diverting people from prison and offering rehabilitative programming, the truth is that young adults placed on adult probation for felony offenses are far more likely to be revoked and sent to prison than older adults. Young adults are less likely than older adults to have remained on probation for the full term by the two-year point, and the majority of cases terminated by the two-year point were due to revocation rather than successful completion. In fact, only 18 percent of 17- to 21-year-olds successfully completed and were terminated from felony probation in FY 2017. The rate was slightly better for 22-to 25-year-olds, with 41 percent successfully completing and being terminated from probation, compared to 60 percent of felony probationers over age 25. Sadly, nearly 7,400 young men and women had their probation revoked in FY 2017, with 7,000 young people committed to prison or jail. Traditional probation practices are not effective with 17-to 25-year-olds on felony probation. Courts continue to discount important developmental factors when setting probation conditions. This is heartbreaking when one considers the missed opportunities to alter the course for a generation of young adults who might otherwise have moved beyond criminal justice system involvement and led productive lives. New approaches are critical, as people aged 17-25 are disproportionately represented in the criminal justice system overall, both in Texas and nationally. At a national level, young adults aged 18-25 make up less than 10 percent of the total population but represent approximately 29 percent of all arrests, 26 percent of people on probation, and 21 percent of all people admitted into adult prison. Young people of color, more so than any other age group, are disproportionately involved in the justice system. Nationally, for every white man sentenced to prison in 2012, there were six African American men and three Hispanic/Latino men imprisoned. Similarly, for every white man aged 18 to 19 sent to prison, nine African American men and three Hispanic/Latino men of the same age were imprisoned. Upon release from prison, young adults are significantly more likely to be re-arrested and/or return to prison compared to other age groups, a factor that underscores the essential role that community supervision can play in keeping young adults out of prison. Incarceration fundamentally derails a young adult's transition into adulthood, and it diminishes the likelihood of finishing school, establishing a career, and starting a family. Probation can be an effective tool for rehabilitation, and it is the primary means by which felony defendants are diverted from prison in Texas. According to data from the Harris County Community Supervision and Corrections Department, adults who successfully completed a term of probation were less likely (regardless of risk level) to be re-arrested within 16 months of release than those with the same risk level who were sentenced to state jail. The same results are seen at the juvenile level, where youth who successfully complete community supervision in the juvenile system are 21 percent less likely to be re-arrested within a year than those who are incarcerated. Also importantly, community supervision is significantly less expensive than incarceration. At the adult level, community supervision costs the state $1.78 per person per day as opposed to $51.72 for incarceration in state jail. At the juvenile level, basic supervision cost $5.93 per youth per day as opposed to $37.62 for placement in a post-adjudication residential program or $441.92 for placement in a state residential facility. The benefits of community supervision - both in public safety and taxpayer savings - are only realized when the completion rates improve for all demographics, especially young adults on felony probation. The purpose of this report is to highlight evidence-based practices that improve outcomes, strengthening public safety and changing the life trajectory of young adults who might otherwise spend years in prison.

Details: Austin, Texas: Texas Criminal Justice Coalition, 2018. 18p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 8, 2018 at: https://www.texascjc.org/node/8645/download/4681e2359b4d1e06f47d3cbe79e99940

Year: 2018

Country: United States

URL: https://www.texascjc.org/system/files/publications/Young%20Adults%20and%20Community%20Supervision%20Report.pdf

Shelf Number: 151442

Keywords:
Community Supervision
Felony Probation
Juvenile Incarceration
Probation
Rehabilitation
Young Adults

Author: Howard, Flora Fitzalan

Title: Understanding the Process and Experience of Recall to Prison

Summary: This research was conducted to develop an evidence-based and systematic approach for the management of determinate sentenced prisoners on standard recall. The number of recalled prisoners in custody has steadily increased over time, with the largest proportion at any one time being on 'standard' recall, and many remaining in custody until the end of their sentences. Thus, the focus was on standard recalled prisoners and the re-release process. The work had four strands: a Risk, Need and Responsivity profile of recalled prisoners; two qualitative investigations of the experience of recall for men and for women; and a survey of Offender Managers (OMs) and recalled prisoners. The aim was to identify the obstacles and opportunities in the current re-release process, and identify ways for recall to become more rehabilitative. Key findings - Recalled prisoners had high levels of risk and need, and complex responsivity issues. Many of them would be suitable for, and might benefit from, cognitive skills and violence interventions to enable them to address their needs and progress to re-release. - Prisoners and OMs had different perceptions of how much prisoners understood recall, how much they communicated with each other, and the impact of recall on their relationship. - In interviews and surveys, recalled prisoners described their recall as unjust, finding it hard to trust the process or those involved. They could feel stranded, confused about what was expected of them, or felt they were not supported, communicated with or included enough in decisions. - Interview and survey findings showed that prisoners found recall distressing and associated with loss. They found recall to be solely punitive, not rehabilitative. Prisoners' meaningful engagement and relationships with OMs could be negatively affected when recalled. - Recalled prisoners continued to show motivation to change, determination to have a different future, and some wanted more opportunities to achieve this. - For women, the period immediately before and after their initial release emerged as the time of particular vulnerability. - OMs appeared to generally have good understanding and confidence in using the recall and re-release processes. They worked to keep in touch with the prisoners they managed. - OMs experienced barriers to progressing cases. These included external factors (e.g. a lack of access to interventions and accommodation) and internal barriers (e.g. poor prisoner motivation to engage with their OM following recall). Delays in helping prisoners progress to re-release were reportedly due to difficulties establishing frequent contact, heavy workloads and insufficient time. - If recall is to become more rehabilitative, engage prisoners and help them achieve earlier re-release, the findings of this research emphasise the need to refine recall and re-release processes to include better communication and relationships between those involved. - Small sample sizes, particularly of OMs surveyed, may reduce the generalisability of the research findings.

Details: United Kingdom: HM Prison and Probation Service, 2018. 13p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 8, 2018 at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/723265/Understanding_the_process_and_experience_of_recall_to_prison.pdf

Year: 2018

Country: United Kingdom

URL: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/723265/Understanding_the_process_and_experience_of_recall_to_prison.pdf

Shelf Number: 151444

Keywords:
Determinate Sentencing
Incarceration
Prison
Prisoners
Recall
Rehabilitation

Author: Love, Margaret

Title: Reducing Barriers to Reintegration: Fair Chance and Expungement Reforms in 2018

Summary: Executive Summary In 2018, 30 states and the District of Columbia produced 56 separate laws aimed at reducing barriers faced by people with criminal records in the workplace, at the ballot box, and elsewhere. Many of these new laws enacted more than one type of reform. This prolific legislative "fair chance" track record, the high point of a sixyear trend, reflects the lively on-going national conversation about how best to promote rehabilitation and reintegration of people with a criminal record. As in past years, approaches to restoring rights varied widely from state to state, both with respect to the type of relief, as well as the specifics of who is eligible, how relief is delivered, and the effect of relief. Despite a growing consensus about the need for policy change to alleviate collateral consequences, little empirical research has been done to establish best practices, or what works best to promote reintegration. The most promising legislative development recognizes the key role occupational licensing plays in the process of reintegration, and it was this area that showed the greatest uniformity of approach. Of the 14 states that enacted laws regulating licensing in 2018, nine (added to 4 in 2017) adopted a similar comprehensive framework to improve access to occupational licenses for people with a criminal record, limiting the kinds of records that may be considered, establishing clear criteria for administrative decisions, and making agency procedures more transparent and accountable. The most consequential single new law was a Florida ballot initiative to restore the franchise to 1.5 million people with a felony conviction, which captured headlines across the country when it passed with nearly 65 percent of voters in favor. Voting rights were also restored for parolees, by statute in Louisiana and by executive order in New York. The largest number of new laws - 27 statutes in 19 states - expanded access to sealing or expungement, by extending eligibility to additional categories of offenses and persons, by reducing waiting periods, or by simplifying procedures. A significant number of states addressed record clearing for non-conviction records (including diversions), for marijuana or other decriminalized offenses, for juveniles, and for human trafficking victims. For the first time, the disadvantages of a separate petition-based relief system were incorporated into legislative discussions. Four states established automated or systemic record-sealing mechanisms aimed at eliminating a "second chance gap" which occurs when a separate civil action must be filed. Pennsylvania's "clean slate" law is the most ambitious experiment in automation to date. Other states sought to incorporate relief directly into the criminal case, avoiding the Pennsylvania law's technological challenges. Three additional states acted to prohibit public employers from inquiring about criminal history during the initial stages of the hiring process, Washington by statute, and Michigan and Kansas by executive order. Washington extended the prohibition to private employers as well. A total of 33 states and the District of Columbia now have so-called "ban-the-box" laws, and 11 states extend the ban to private employers. Four states expanded eligibility for judicial certificates of relief. Colorado's "order of collateral relief" is now the most extensive certificate law in the nation, available for almost all crimes as early as sentencing, and effective to bar consideration of conviction in public employment and licensing. Arizona, California, and North Carolina made more modest changes to facilitate access to this judicial "forgiving" relief. The District of Columbia established a clemency board to recommend to the President applications for pardon and commutation by D.C. Code offenders. Governors in California and New York used their pardon power to spare dozens of non-citizens from deportation, and California also streamlined its pardon process and made it more transparent. Moving in the other direction, Nebraska authorized sealing of pardoned convictions, and Maine made both pardon applications and pardon grants confidential. The legal landscape at the end of 2018 suggests that states are experimenting with a more nuanced blending of philosophical approaches to dealing with the collateral consequences of arrest and conviction. These approaches include forgiving people's past crimes (through pardon or judicial dispensation), forgetting them (through record-sealing or expungement), or forgoing creating a record in the first place (through diversionary dispositions). While sealing and expungement remain the most popular forms of remedy, there seems to be both popular and institutional resistance to limiting what the public may see respecting the record of serious offenses, and a growing preference for more transparent restoration mechanisms that limit what the public may do with such a record, along with standards to guide administrative decisionmaking.

Details: New York, NY: Collateral Consequences Resource Center, 2019. 51p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 11, 2019 at: http://ccresourcecenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Fair-chance-and-expungement-reforms-in-2018-CCRC-Jan-2019.pdf

Year: 2019

Country: United States

URL: http://ccresourcecenter.org/2019/01/10/press-release-new-report-on-2018-fair-chance-and-expungement-reforms/

Shelf Number: 154132

Keywords:
Ban the Box
Clean Slate Law
Criminal Record
Expungement
Fair Chance
Felony Conviction
Parolees
Record Sealing
Rehabilitation
Reintegration
Restoring Rights
Voting Rights

Author: Howard, Flora Fitzalan

Title: Investigating Disciplinary Adjudications as Potential Rehabilitative Opportunities

Summary: Rehabilitation efforts in prison will work best when all aspects of prison life are informed by an understanding of rehabilitation and desistance. The rehabilitative culture of prisons, promoted and sustained by staff skills, is central if prisons are to encourage behaviour change for those in custody. The aim of this small scale exploratory research was to investigate one daily aspect of prison life where a greater focus on rehabilitation might be possible: the disciplinary adjudication. Transcripts of 13 adjudications were analysed using content analysis. Particular attention was given to the rehabilitative skills of the adjudicator and the ways in which prisoners responded to differing adjudicators' behaviours. Recommendations for future larger-scale research are made.

Details: London, UK: HM Prison and Probation Service, 2017. 6p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 11, 2019 at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/661909/investigating-disciplinary-adjudications.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: United Kingdom

URL: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/investigating-disciplinary-adjudications-as-potential-rehabilitative-opportunities

Shelf Number: 154104

Keywords:
Behavior Change
Desistance
Disciplinary Adjudication
Incarceration
Prison
Prison and Probation Service
Rehabilitation

Author: Leufgen, Jillianne

Title: The Evaluation of the Newark Prisoner Re-entry Initiative Replication: Final Report

Summary: In 2008, the Employment and Training Administration (ETA) of the U.S. Department of Labor awarded the City of Newark, New Jersey a $2 million grant to replicate -- on a broader scale -- a specific model for helping returning ex-offenders find work and avoid recidivating. The model called for an array of services, including intensive case management, workforce preparation and employment services, mentoring, and supportive services, all to be delivered through faith-based and community organizations (FBCOs) rather than public agencies. The model was the same as that used in the earlier Prisoner Re-entry Initiative (PRI) (later renamed the Reintegration of ExOffenders or RExO), which entailed multiple rounds of grants in localities across the U.S. The Newark Prisoner Re-entry Initiative Replication (NPRIR), however, was designed to test the use of the model with multiple organizations in a single city (rather than just one organization in a single site) and thus to bring the PRI approach to a much larger scale. The City of Newark was fertile ground for such an experiment, since ex-offenders made up a significant portion of the population. A quarter of the city's 280,000 residents were estimated, at the time of NPRIR implementation in 2008, to have been involved with the correctional system (Greenwald and Husock, 2009) and about 1,700 formerly incarcerated individuals were estimated to be returning to the city from state prison each year (with a smaller number returning from stints in Federal prison). Like formerly incarcerated individuals in other parts of the country, many ex-offenders returning to Newark faced numerous personal challenges, such as low education levels, unstable work histories, substance abuse problems, and mental health conditions. In Newark, the barriers to successful re-entry were exacerbated by a shortage of affordable and stable housing, limited employment opportunities, and a dearth of community support services. The recent economic downturn presented additional challenges during the operation of NPRIR. With the ETA grant and a $2 million match from the Nicholson Foundation, the City of Newark utilized local service providers and collaborated with multiple state, and local partners to provide PRI services to over 1,400 ex-offenders. The City contracted with four local organizations that had experience in serving ex-offenders: La Casa de Don Pedro (La Casa), Offender Aid and Restoration (OAR), the Renaissance Community Development Corporation Center (RCDCC) and the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice (NJISJ), which collectively were to serve a total of 670 non-violent offenders. Nicholson Foundation match funds were used with two additional organizations that also had experience in serving ex-offenders: Goodwill Industries of Greater New York and Northern New Jersey, Inc. (Goodwill) and America Works, Inc. (America Works). These organizations agreed to follow the PRI model and serve 670 violent and nonviolent ex-offenders. Using funds from the ETA grant, the city also contracted with an experienced technical assistance provider, Public/Private Ventures (P/PV), to help with the early phases of implementation and to provide training to the FBCOs. In 2008, ETA commissioned Social Policy Research Associates (SPR) to conduct an evaluation of NPRIR, to document its implementation and assess how participants fared in terms of employment and recidivism. This report summarizes the key findings from that study as they relate to program leadership, partnerships, recruitment and pre-enrollment activities, service delivery, and participant outcomes. Qualitative data were collected for the evaluation through three rounds of intensive four-day site visits and phone reconnaissance, while quantitative data were collected from the PRI management information system (MIS) and from state agencies (including the Unemployment Insurance (UI) system and the New Jersey Department of Corrections, among others) on participant outcomes. The analysis of the quantitative data involved exploring patterns among participants and services in the NPRIR and comparing outcomes to those obtained in other PRI demonstration projects.

Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Labor/ETA/ Office of Grants and Contracts Management, 2012. 142p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 22, 2019 at: https://wdr.doleta.gov/research/FullText_Documents/ETAOP-2014-04-NPRIR-Final-Report.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: United States

URL:

Shelf Number: 155128

Keywords:
Ex-Offender Employment
Intensive Case Management
Mentoring
Prisoner Reentry
Prisoner Reintegration
Rehabilitation

Author: Gleicher, Lily

Title: Examining the Extent of Recidivism in Illinois after Juvenile Incarceration

Summary: Despite the juvenile justice system's shift from punitive to rehabilitative correctional approaches, post-commitment youth recidivism continues to be a significant issue. While the number of incarcerated juveniles in Illinois has consistently decreased over the years, the recidivism rate remains high. To better understand the extent of Illinois youth recidivism, researchers measured three-year rearrest and reincarceration rates among a sample of youth released from state juvenile correctional facilities. Over the three-year period post-release from the juvenile state correctional facilities, 87 percent of youth were rearrested, 55 percent were recommitted to a state juvenile correctional facility, and 54 percent were committed to an adult correctional facility. While Illinois has made efforts to reform juvenile justice in the state, recidivism remains high for those who are sentenced to a juvenile correctional facility. These rates likely reflect that youth committed to juvenile corrections generally have more complex needs and require more intensive, individualized, wrap-around programs and services to be successful in the community.

Details: Chicago, Illinois: Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, 2019. 34p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 3, 2019 at: http://www.icjia.state.il.us/articles/examining-the-extent-of-recidivism-in-illinois

Year: 2019

Country: United States

URL: http://www.icjia.state.il.us/assets/articles/Full%20DJJ%20Recidivism%20Report_3-7-2019_With%20DOIa.pdf

Shelf Number: 156137

Keywords:
Corrections
Illinois
Incarceration
Juvenile Justice
Prison
Recidivism
Rehabilitation