The present study sought to evaluate the influence of interactive journaling on criminal recidivism and identify significant predictors of recidivism among a sample of 183 male inmates incarcerated in a local jail facility randomly assigned to either an interactive journaling condition or a control group. All participants met DSM-IV-TR criteria for substance dependence, had their current offense indicate substance involvement, and had a minimum of one previous arrest in the prior 12 months. The recidivism rate (51 percent), in terms of subsequent bookings within a 12-month period, for the journaling group was significantly lower than the recidivism rate (66 percent) for the control group, X2(1, 183) = 4.13, p less than .05. The three most significant independent predictors of subsequent bookings were severity of posttraumatic stress disorder, group assignment (journaling vs. placebo), and employment status. Interactive journaling appears to show promise as a brief treatment intervention strategy for substance dependence in local jail settings and may have the potential for reducing recidivism. (Published Abstract)
Effectiveness of Interactive Journaling in Reducing Recidivism Among Substance-Dependent Jail Inmates
NCJ Number
239291
Journal
International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology Volume: 56 Issue: 2 Dated: April 2012 Pages: 317-332
Date Published
April 2012
Length
16 pages
Annotation
This study evaluated the influence of interactive journaling on criminal recidivism and identify significant predictors of recidivism.
Abstract