NCJ Number
242798
Journal
Journal of Criminal Justice Volume: 41 Issue: 3 Dated: May/June 2013 Pages: 141-150
Date Published
June 2013
Length
10 pages
Annotation
This study explored the role of the General Theory of Crime in therapeutic community treatment based on the ability of the indicators of impulsivity/low self-control to predict treatment completion.
Abstract
This study examined how the General Theory of Crime (GTOC) could be used to select personal factors that might indicate a substance-involved probationer's ability to successfully complete therapeutic community treatment. The study found that participants with higher scores for volatile temper and higher scores for sensation-seeking were less likely to complete the treatment program. The study also found that certain demographic characteristics were predictive of successful program completion, namely being older and being White. Because the GTOC highlights the importance of low self-control in predicting offender behavior outcomes, these findings suggest that the GTOC can be useful in therapeutic community treatment to predict probationers' chance of successfully completing treatment. Data for the study were obtained from a sample of 330 probationers who participated in a therapeutic community treatment program. Data were collected from participants at intake and at 90-days after intake. The indicators of impulsivity/low self-control analyzed in the study were volatile temper, sensation-seeking, risk-taking, and forward-thinking. The findings indicate that models that incorporate indices for impulsivity/low self-control are better at predicting successful program completion than those that rely strictly on demographic indicators. Study limitations are discussed. Tables, appendix, and references