NCJ Number
34877
Date Published
1975
Length
30 pages
Annotation
STUDY REPRESENTING AN IN-HOUSE EXAMINATION OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE GROUP PSYCHOTHERAPY PROGRAM AT THE CALIFORNIA MEDICAL FACILITY.
Abstract
THE FOCUS OF THE STUDY IS ON THE SUBSEQUENT PAROLE PERFORMANCE OF 736 SEVERELY CHARACTER DISORDERED PATIENTS WHO WERE TERMINATED FROM THE PROGRAM BETWEEN 1965 AND 1968. THESE MEN WERE COMPARED IN PAROLE PERFORMANCE WITH A COMPARISON GROUP SELECTED THROUGH A RIGOROUS PROCESS OF MATCHING ON RELEVANT PAROLE-RISK VARIABLES SUCH AS BASE EXPECTANCY SCORE, OFFENSE, AND PRIOR ARREST RECORD. A MAJOR FINDING OF THE STUDY IS THAT POSITIVE IMPACT FROM PSYCHOTHERAPY IS POSSIBLE FOR CERTAIN OFFENDERS, WHILE FOR OTHERS THE IMPACT IS LIKELY TO BE NEGLIGIBLE OR DETRIMENTAL. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)