In this study, researchers investigated the impact of specialized referral services on recidivism and length of stay among halfway house residents.
Findings of this study, which evaluated participants eligible for specialized case management services while housed and released from a community residential facilities (CRF), reveal that participants who received specialized service referrals significantly decreased their length of stay in CRFs compared to the control group. Successful program completion was further related to a reduced length of stay and a significant reduction in the likelihood of returning to prison. Individualized case management services that identify and provide support for treatment, housing, and employment may improve opportunities for success for those housed in CRFs upon release, particularly when evaluated against the goals of reducing the length of stay in the CRF and reducing the rate of return to prison among a targeted parole population with severe mental health needs and moderate-to-high criminogenic risk. This study followed an experimental design with random assignment design. (Published Abstract Provided)