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Effectiveness of Treatment in Institutional and Community Settings

NCJ Number
156401
Journal
Criminal Behaviour and Mental Health Volume: 3 Issue: 4 Dated: (1993) Pages: 416-437
Author(s)
F Losel
Date Published
1993
Length
22 pages
Annotation
Recent analysis and review of offender treatment outcomes are making it clearer as to which interventions provide a meaningful response to antisocial behavior and which do not, thus repudiating the belief that nothing works.
Abstract
Even so, evaluations of the effectiveness of offender treatment in institutional and community settings are controversial. Different analyses have produced various conclusions with regard to treatment effectiveness. Research to date has been of value, particularly by identifying beneficial effects of certain treatment approaches, but gaps in knowledge remain. Data are lacking, not only to distinguish the impact of a physical institution compared with a more open environment but also to determine the effect of organizational, staff, and treatment process characteristics on offender treatment effectiveness. Available study findings should encourage researchers and practitioners to define treatment interventions and conditions more precisely. 129 references