NCJ Number
219756
Journal
Criminal Justice and Behavior Volume: 34 Issue: 7 Dated: July 2007 Pages: 879-892
Date Published
July 2007
Length
14 pages
Annotation
This article offers a review of the effectiveness of correctional treatment for adult offenders and specialized treatment for substance abuse offenders and sexual offenders and presents directions for future research on correctional treatment.
Abstract
Following the empirically guided research review on correctional treatment effectiveness, the authors call for greater collaboration between correctional practitioners and researchers. The clinical demands of offender treatment on practitioners impede their rigorous evaluation of current treatment models and, as such, evaluations may be better left to researchers. On the other hand, researchers lack access and valuable insights regarding prison life. Together, practitioners involved in offender treatment and researchers can implement treatment-outcome evaluations that are not overly burdensome. Researchers are cautioned to avoid a sole focus on recidivism and instead conduct multiple source assessments that include behavioral assessments, functional domain assessments, collateral assessments, and quality of care assessments. In making this argument, the authors review the treatment literature on offender rehabilitation and identify the general principles of offender intervention, including risk, need, and responsivity. The common themes of cognitive-behavioral interventions and the importance of treatment integrity emerged throughout the research review. While reviewing the research literature on offender rehabilitation, the authors pose pressing questions regarding the nuances of effective service delivery, such as client motivation. Notes, references