NCJ Number
216102
Journal
International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology Volume: 50 Issue: 5 Dated: October 2006 Pages: 540-558
Date Published
October 2006
Length
19 pages
Annotation
This study evaluated the effectiveness of projects in the United Kingdom which provided brief motivational interventions to offenders arrested for offenses where alcohol was identified as a significant contributory factor.
Abstract
Study results demonstrate that with a minimum of force or pressure, it is possible to achieve healthy attendance rates at brief motivational sessions at an alcohol agency for people whose offense is alcohol related and who have been arrested and charged by the police. Results also indicate that two 60-minute sessions delivered by an alcohol counselor using a motivational interviewing approach provides an effective outcome for the majority of those who participate fully in the evaluation schemes. Brief motivational interventions present an opportunity to address the immediate harms caused by problematic alcohol use, while also raising offender’s understanding of other risks associated with it and the impact of these risks on their personal lives and the wider community. In the United Kingdom, alcohol has long been identified as a significant contributory factor in crime and antisocial behavior. However, there is a shortage of effective treatment available for those individuals whose drinking contributes to their criminality. Utilizing a study sample of 100 interviewed participants, this study examined the impact of problematic alcohol use and the potential for or effectiveness of brief intervention programs based in police custody in the West Midlands in the United Kingdom. Tables, notes, references