社区矫正制度研究

社区矫正是我国司法体制改革的一项重要举措，在降低刑事处罚成本、改造罪犯、维护社会稳定等方面发挥了积极作用。伴随着“恢复刑”理念的不断深入，社区矫正这一非监禁刑执行方式逐渐得到重视，2019年12月28日《社区矫正法》的颁布也意味着我国社区矫正工作上升到了新的阶段。然而，由于我国农村地区社区矫正工作尚处于起步阶段，实务中存在着诸多问题，如矫正环境不完善、矫正项目单一、矫正力量薄弱等。本文通过分析我国农村地区社区矫正实务中存在的问题，提出了完善矫正环境、丰富矫正项目、加强矫正力量建设等对策，以期为推进农村社区矫正工作提供参考。

目的：了解温州社区矫正人员的心理健康状况及影响因素。方法：用SCL-90症状自评量表和SSRS社会支持评定量表进行调查。结果：社区矫正人员的心理健康总分低于服刑人员P < 0.001；女性在强迫、躯体化、焦虑和抑郁因子得分上显著高于男性，P < 0.05；各因子得分与社会支持各维度均存在显著的负相关，P < 0.05。结论：虽然社区矫正人员的心理健康总分低于服刑人员，但社区矫正人员的心理健康状况不容乐观，并且与社会支持系统息息相关。政府机关应关注社区矫正人员的心理健康，提高他们的社会支持水平。

由于未成年人同一般社区矫正对象存在差异，具有其特殊性，我国《社区矫正法》对未成年人社区矫正作出了特别规定。我国未成年人社区矫正当前还处于初步发展阶段，在其实施过程中仍存在着一些问题。而域外未成年人社区矫正制度相较于我国实施更早、相关经验更为丰富，因此其相关措施值得我国借鉴。通过分析我国未成年人社区矫正存在的问题，并借鉴域外未成年人社区矫正的相关措施，本文为我国未成年人社区矫正提出了扩大适用范围、增强矫正措施的针对性、配置专业矫正工作人员、落实未成年人权益保障工作的完善路径，以期该制度能够更好地发挥其预防和减少未成年人犯罪、帮助未成年矫正对象融入社会的作用。

至今我国对社区矫正的定位仍然没有定论，《社区矫正法》也没有对此做出回答。社区矫正的性质，是决定能否科学构建具有中国特色的社区矫正制度的基本问题。笔者通过分析国外社区矫正的地位，以及国内学者的主要观点，认为社区矫正应该定性为“非监禁措施”。

在我国社会经济发展转型的关键时期，多种因素的影响导致青少年犯罪成为社会关注的热点。从社会工作的角度来看，青少年社区矫正存在着专业要求高、服务周期长、社会工作者能力不足等问题。因此，要根据青少年的不同特点来开展矫正工作，做到因人施矫；要通过积累总结施矫工作中的经验，从根本上提高解决问题的效率；重视人才队伍的建设与完善，提升社会工作者的能力和水平。通过社会工作帮助青少年社矫对象恢复自我生活能力，促使其更好地融入并参与社会生活。

研究旨在探讨社区矫正人员的心理健康状况，从而为优化社区矫正干预提供数据支持。方法：研究采用问卷调查法，通过症状自评量表(SCL-90)对某司法所421名入矫和解矫的社区矫正人员进行调查。并采用独立样本t检验和单因素方差分析，以比较不同变量间的心理健康差异。结果显示：解矫阶段的心理健康状况与入矫阶段基本持平，但与全国常模相比，社区矫正成员的部分心理症状(如强迫、抑郁和精神病性)显著偏高于全国常模。各年龄段心理健康状况的比较显示，成年晚期的社区矫正对象在各心理症状维度得分较高，表明该群体面临更大的心理压力。此外，女性在躯体化、抑郁、焦虑等维度上的得分显著高于男性，提示女性社区矫正成员在心理健康方面可能存在更大风险。尽管社区矫正对象在大多数维度上症状较轻，但在躯体化和抑郁等维度上重度症状比例较高，提示应加强针对这些症状的心理辅导。

社区矫正脱管漏管检察监督工作是监外刑事执行检察工作的最重要组成部分。随着我国社区矫正整体规模不断加速扩大，也对以脱管漏管检察监督为主的社区矫正检察监督工作提出了新的更高挑战和要求。制约该项工作持续、健康发展的因素有监督线索来源不广泛、办案标准不统一、监督机制不健全、人员队伍不完备等等，为此，提出探索社区矫正巡回检察、推进社区矫正领域“数字检察”、完善检察内部制度建设、加强社区矫正检察队伍能力建设等对策建议予以解决。

我国自2020年颁布《社区矫正法》，其中针对未成年人社区矫正问题采取多元主体参与机制，明确规定了学校对未成年社区矫正工作具有协助的义务。但在现实情况下，学校参与未成年人社区矫正工作的义务往往难以得到有效落实。对此，本文研究分析学校协助相关机构对未成年进行社区矫正的制度困境，发现主要涉及两个方面：法律政策不够完善、法规与校规存在冲突，在此基础上，文章提出完善法律政策规定，明确义务与权限的具体范围，以及调整相关规章制度，消除法规、校规之间的矛盾两项建议，认为通过法律政策和规章制度的调整完善，可以从根本上解决当前学校参与未成年人社区矫正所面临的困境，从而更充分的发挥学校在未成年人社区矫正中的作用。

本文使用画树测验对重庆市、宜宾市某司法局社区的100名矫正对象和100名来自各行业、各年龄段的无犯罪记录成年人进行施测，以期探讨画树测验是否可以测量社区矫正对象的心理特点。研究结果发现：社区矫正对象在4个肯定性指标(开放性、主动性、目标性以及自我效能感)和3个负性指标(焦虑、压抑以及自杀危险性)上均与无犯罪记录成年人存在显著差异，最终证明画树测验在分析社区矫正对象心理特点中有一定的应用价值。

本研究旨在分析社矫人员亲社会行为的影响因素，帮助社矫人员更好的融入社会，为社矫工作提供心理学相关建议和方案。使用社会排斥体验量表、亲社会行为倾向量表和自尊量表，抽样选取司法所的160名社区矫正人员进行问卷收集。采用SPSS 23.0对数据进行描述性分析、相关性分析、独立样本t检验、单因素方差分析和回归分析，同时使用SPSS宏程序PROCESS 3.5对数据进行中介效应检验。调查结果显示：1) 社会排斥与亲社会行为和自尊均显著负相关(r = −0.35, p p p < 0.05)；3) 自尊在社会排斥与亲社会行为之间部分中介作用显著。研究表明社会排斥既可以直接负向预测社矫人员的亲社会行为，又可以通过自尊的部分中介作用间接影响亲社会行为。

我国社区矫正工作从试点到《社区矫正法》的正式实施已有二十余年的发展历程，有着相对完备的矫正流程，但在社区矫正人员的社会回归目标上仍存在工作不足，其中女性社区矫正人员的就业问题是值得探讨的。女性社区矫正人员表现出逐利性犯罪、适龄就业人员为主、整体文化程度较低等特点。在实际就业过程中她们承受着自身心理问题、认知偏差、能力不足的拖累，以及社会负面标签影响下原属工作回归、再就业和自主创业的艰难。如此，推动前科消灭制度的设立，对女性社区矫正人员提供认知上的改善、个别化的协助、公益资源的链接都是社区矫正从业人员在解决其就业难题上可采取的具体工作。

社区感是一种连接居民与社区、居民与居民之间的情感要素，它直接反映的是人们内心对居住地域的情感。本研究是对重庆市北碚区的天生街道、北温泉街道以及江北区的观音桥街道以方便取样的形式选取的106名社区矫正人员施测调查问卷，并得到以下结果：1) 多数社区矫正人员在社区感量表得分处于中等偏上水平。2) 社区矫正人员的社区感水平要显著低于普通城市居民。3) 社区矫正人员的社区感水平在文化程度、婚姻状况、家庭月总收入和房屋所有权等因素上呈显著差异，在性别、年龄、居住时长和子女数等因素上差异不显著。

青少年是社会中很重要的一类群体，在社会生活中也是很重要的角色，是一个国家发展的未来，但是近年来，青少年犯罪数量在不断增多。司法社会工作介入也成为矫正偏差少年群体的新路径，帮助这些涉罪青少年重新融入社会、再社会化，这是司法社工介入涉罪青少年社区矫正的首要目标。如今的社会越来越注重人的人格和尊严，我国的刑罚制度、刑罚观念也朝着人性化、科学化的方向发展，在这种科学化观念的影响下，世界各国也都在努力探索适合本国国情的矫正制度。本研究立足于当下形势，详细地分析司法社会工作介入涉罪青少年社区矫正的必要性，希望在一定程度上可以在司法社工介入青少年犯罪社区矫正的制度化建设方面有所推动，弥补实践中的不足之处。

近年来毒品问题不断泛滥蔓延，毒品犯罪持续高发，吸毒成瘾已经成为一个严峻的社会问题。在这一大背景下，近年来我国吸毒人员年龄构成越来越低龄化。由于青少年群体存在特殊性，在介入吸毒青少年社区矫正时存在许多困难和问题。青少年是一个国家的希望，青少年所处的年龄阶段也是个人价值观、思想观建立的黄金年龄，但是由于目前社会上诱惑较多且青少年心智还在发育阶段，很容易走上歧途。青少年的矫正因此成为青少年工作的重中之重，尤其是吸毒青少年重新融入社区以及被大众认可是非常困难的，比较突出的表现有：家人的冷漠和不解、邻居议论纷纷、就业困难以及社会对于该类人员接受程度较低等问题。矫正对象在矫正完成后如果无法良好融入社区或者无法恢复原有的生活，不仅会对矫正对象造成不利影响，还可能导致社会发展的不稳定性。因此整个社会需要高度关注社区吸毒青少年的矫正问题，帮助吸毒青少年回归社区，融入社会。

青少年网络犯罪是当代青少年犯罪的一种新形式、高科技的犯罪方法，具有隐蔽性以及对社会的高危害性等特点，因此对于这类型的犯罪青少年的研究是很有必要的。文章主要从认知行为理论视角，对网络犯罪青少年法律意识淡薄、情绪未能及时缓解以及对网络认知存在偏差方面进行针对性的社区矫正，介绍社会工作介入网络犯罪青少年的三大可行性因素。从认知行为理论中认知、行为、结果三因素出发，提出在认知重构、行为矫正、环境干预三个阶段中社会工作介入网络犯罪青少年社区矫正的策略分析，从而帮助犯罪青少年改变不良认知，构建合理的认知。

社区矫正作为刑罚的执行方式之一，逐渐被各国所采纳，在矫正未成年人犯罪中发挥着不可替代的作用。着眼于我国目前社区矫正的实施情况，虽然社区矫正取得了一定的成果，但是仍然存在一些问题。因此，我们要不断完善社区矫正制度，提高未成年人社区矫正的适用率，制定适合未成年人的矫正项目和评估方案、培养专门的社区矫正人才，使社区矫正制度在未成年人犯罪中发挥积极作用。

目的：为探讨社矫人员自我概念、领悟社会支持与人际关系之间的关系。方法：采用自我概念量表、领悟社会支持量表和人际关系综合诊断量表对137名社矫人员调查研究。结果：社矫人员自我概念、领悟社会支持和人际关系均处于良好水平；社轿人员自我概念、领悟社会支持和人际关系两两相关；社矫人员的领悟社会支持在自我概念影响人际关系的过程中起中介作用。结论：可以通过提高社矫人员的自我概念和加强社会支持来帮助他们建立良好的人际关系。本研究成果为进一步认识社矫人员人际关系和社会融入促进工作改革和体系建设提供了实证研究证据。

日本更生保护制度是指依靠社会力量对违法犯罪者采取一系列恰当的处遇，避免其再犯，使其不再堕落，协助其更生的司法制度。通过对更生保护制度的沿革与发展进行研究，为进一步推动我国构建犯罪人的更生保护制度、建立健全刑满释放人员保护机构、完善社区矫正法、调动最广大人民群众的力量来维护社会长治久安具有重要意义。

青少年矫正对象作为特殊的矫正干预群体，其身心发展处于青春期认知重构与行为模式固化的关键阶段。此类群体普遍存在认知结构的片面性特征，具体表现为辩证思维能力薄弱、社会角色认知偏差及冲动控制机制发育滞后，叠加既往偏差行为形成的标签化效应，致使其在矫正过程中面临多重适应性障碍。为更好地帮助这些青少年矫正对象重新融入社会，再教育问题成为了关注的焦点。本研究旨在探讨青少年矫正对象的再教育问题，通过深入了解青少年矫正对象的需求和困境，并从社会支持的角度出发，提出了针对性的再教育策略。研究发现，有效的社会支持对青少年矫正对象的再教育有显著影响，而当前存在的问题主要包括我国青少年矫正对象再教育面临结构性矛盾：家庭支持系统的断裂与失衡、学校教育的排斥与边缘化、社区支持的缺失与冷漠、社会偏见概念的负面影响等。因此，建议从政策、社区、家庭、学校等多个层面出发，为青少年矫正对象提供更全面的再教育支持。本研究为破解青少年矫正再教育效能衰减问题提供了理论创新与实践范式，对完善我国青少年司法矫治体系具有参考价值。

罪错未成年人既是犯罪者中的特殊群体，也是未成年人中的特殊性群体。近年来，我国未成年人的犯罪情形得到有效控制，但罪错未成年人的再犯罪形势依旧严峻。通过分析可知，刑罚执行不足与社会的排斥加速了未成年人与重复犯罪行为的链接，当成长需求无法满足或犯罪情绪失控将促使未成年人再次犯罪，家庭教育和校园教育亦是未成年人再犯罪不容忽视的原因。考虑到未成年人再犯罪的人身危险性与社会危害性，对再犯罪预防需要从司法层面加强预防力度，应当在惩罚犯罪的原则指导下，提高刑罚执行中的惩罚性；在保障刑罚实施的同时发挥教育对罪错未成年人的教化效果，促进罪错未成年人顺利回归社会，避免重复犯罪行为。

随着我国犯罪结构轻罪化趋势凸显，刑罚附随后果泛化导致的“二次惩罚”问题日益严峻。基于宽严相济刑事政策，亟需构建轻罪前科封存制度，以消解标签效应、促进犯罪人再社会化。主张以宣告刑三年以下为封存基准，因其更能体现实质正义，兼容个案量刑情节差异；但须排除危害国家安全、恐怖活动、黑社会性质组织犯罪三类特殊犯罪。封存程序遵循双轨启动机制：缓刑犯由司法行政机关依职权封存；实刑犯由法院依申请封存，并设定差异化考验期，同时与社区矫正、认罪认罚从宽制度联动。封存后犯罪记录的查询须严格限制于司法机关办案必要及法定从业禁入领域，防止泛化查询架空制度功能。出现“新的故意犯罪”应当恢复前科。

自醉驾入刑以来，轻微犯罪占比逐渐攀升，而犯罪附随后果的过度扩张直接导致轻罪不轻。轻微犯罪记录封存制度，为轻罪治理和当事人正当权益的司法保护提供了方向。轻微犯罪记录封存制度能够阻隔大部分非规范性评价带来的负面效应，有助于行为人回归社会。在制度设计上应以社会危险性为首要标准并秉持有限封存的理念，在启动方式上采取“依职权 + 依申请”双轨制，同时取消现有针对轻微犯罪人的前科报告义务，对因被封存犯罪记录泄露导致的机会丧失，允许向检察机关申诉，由检察机关向有关单位送达检察建议。

假释是对被判处徒刑或监禁刑的服刑罪犯，在审判机关宣告的刑期尚未执行完毕的过程中，因符合法定条件予以附条件提前释放出狱的一种刑罚制度。它是对受刑罚处罚的犯罪分子执行刑罚的一种特殊制度，被正式采用至今已历时多年。长期的刑罚执行实践证明，假释是非监禁性、开放性执行刑罚的一种卓有成效的形式。

管制刑是我国一种特殊的刑罚方式，通过限制犯罪分子的一定自由，对其进行社区矫正。犯罪分子需要依法履行义务，不得未经批准擅自脱离监管。然而，目前针对管制犯违反相关义务逃离管制的行为，现行法律缺乏明确的制裁规定。为增强管制刑的效果，维护刑法尊严，本文从可行性和必要性的角度分析认为，该行为满足拒不执行判决、裁定罪的构成要件，并且依法对逃离管制行为进行严厉制裁符合罪刑相适应原则和相关法律法规规定，有利于完善社区矫正制度。因此，应将逃离管制行为定性为拒不执行判决、裁定罪。

近代以来，随着科学技术飞速发展，犯罪低龄化程度不断加深，未成年犯罪情形愈演愈烈。刑法修正案(十一)就刑法中部分法条做出修改，适应社会发展的需要，对承担刑事责任所要求的年龄进行下调。修正案中规定，当年满十二周岁未满十四周岁的青少年出现故意杀人、故意伤害行为时，如果致人死亡或者以特别残忍手段致人重伤出现严重残疾时，我国现存的少年司法制度无法及时针对此种现象做出调整，最高检核准后，同意进行追诉处理的，未成年犯罪嫌疑人应当承担刑事责任。这就意味着将会有更多的未成年人面临刑事处罚。因此，需要完善出一套行之有效的未成年司法制度，对未成年犯罪人根据不同的情形进行不同的处理。犯罪后的刑罚并不是少年司法制度的重点，更为重要的应该是使他们在刑罚中能够得到教育，知法懂法，预防犯罪，从而在源头上杜绝未成年犯罪对未成年人成长的阻碍。少年是国之未来，只有建立完善且健全的少年司法制度，才能使他们在犯罪后得到及时有效的矫正，在积极向上的环境中重塑自我，成就国之栋梁。本文通过对国内外少年司法制度现状进行研究，分析刑事责任年龄下调的深层次原因，以附条件不起诉制度和未成年人帮教制度的适用为例，探究我国未成年人犯罪制度的发展方向及完善方法。为我国未成年人犯罪制度的完善研究提供理论及技术支持，全面推进依法治国的实施，加强对涉案未成年人的保护。

中国现行的犯罪前科制度与之前我国所实施的严打的刑事政策相呼应，而本文所中提到的前科消灭制度则就适应了宽严相济的刑事政策的理念，不仅体现了保护人权的精神，并且还深刻的体现了刑罚的谦抑性。前科消灭制度与法律的双重规制机能有着相应的契合度。我国对于未成年人的前科管理制度方面是一直有在尝试，并且随着学者以及大量的理论研究、关于社会矛盾的研究的分析，随着宽严相济的刑事政策的理念和政策性的到来，前科消灭制度就可以由此而进行考量、综合评价再进行构建。不仅要有理论的支撑，还要有严格程序模式以及严格的特定方式。

“少捕慎诉慎押”的刑事司法政策在未成年人司法实践中占据重要地位，是保护未成年人的合法权益的重大举措。然而，在实践中该项政策的落地面临存在司法理念亟需转型、社会危险性评估体系不科学、帮扶矫治机制不足、司法机关衔接不畅等困境。为此，应构建新型办案理念、科学评估体系，强化矫治教育，加强部门配合，为政策实施提供理论支撑与参考。

目的：调查未成年暴力犯的暴力再犯风险及其心理行为特点。方法：通过访谈、他评、自评结合的方式对206名未成年暴力犯进行暴力再犯风险、反社会人格障碍、品行障碍、冷漠无情特质、冲动性、共情等方面的调查。结果：高暴力再犯风险者的比例为32%，品行障碍的检出率为76.21%，反社会人格障碍的检出率为77.67%。累犯、不完整家庭者、入所前非在校生的暴力风险显著高于初犯、家庭不完整者及入所前在校生。共情总分与暴力再犯风险显著相关，冷漠无情特质、冲动性水平与各个暴力风险得分皆呈现出显著正相关。结论：该群体暴力风险水平较高，个体的冷漠无情特质、冲动性、共情水平对于暴力风险有较好的预测作用。

少年行为偏差问题已成为影响个体发展、家庭和谐与社会稳定的突出社会现象，而家庭系统功能对少年行为模式塑造具有基础性作用。基于此，本研究立足家庭系统理论视角，以L市家事少年法院涵盖盗窃、抢劫、寻衅滋事等不同行为偏差类型的3个典型个案为研究对象，综合运用案例分析法、文献研究法与访谈法，深入剖析家事少年行为偏差的成因并探索干预路径。研究发现，家庭系统中的家庭结构缺陷、家庭成员互动关系问题及家庭功能缺失，是诱发少年行为偏差的重要因素，据此提出，通过结构家庭治疗法、联合家庭治疗法优化家庭内部系统，结合家校合作及司法机关、社会组织、社区等外部资源联动形成干预合力，可有效改善该问题。本研究的意义在于聚焦家事少年群体，突破单一因素分析局限，将家庭内部系统优化与外部多元资源联动相结合，为少年行为偏差问题的干预提供了兼具理论支撑与实务操作性的干预经验。

当下，我国犯罪结构呈现“双升”“双降”趋势，实务中短期自由刑大量涌现，短刑犯在监狱中比例越来越大。短期自由刑的弊端早已被国内外的大量研究充分证实，但其本身所具备的诸多价值却不容忽视。相较于直接废除，保留并完善短期自由刑才是妥当之举。在诸多改革措施中，提前释放短刑犯有助于从根本上解决交叉感染等短期自由刑的弊端，而短刑犯自身较小的再犯可能性、人身危险性、主观恶性以及教育刑实际效果的不佳更是让提前释放短刑犯具备可行性，而司法实务中短刑犯却因诸多原因不易减刑、假释，导致大量短刑犯只能羁押在监，承受短期自由刑的弊端。通过对比国外的相关制度。本文设想采取减刑假释合二为一的提前释放制度。通过事前给予，事后根据不良表现撤销的方式，一方面提高了执行机关操作的便捷性，扩大假释的适用范围，大幅减少在监短刑犯的数量；另一方面有助于激励短刑犯改过自新，提高教育矫正的效果。

神经科学作为一个相对较新，正在飞速发展的领域，在刑事司法实践中已经显示出巨大的应用潜力，并由此催生出了神经法学(Neurolaw)这一交叉研究领域，旨在探讨神经科学领域对于个体的决策、行为能力等方面的研究发现对现行法律规则和判断标准的影响。神经法学不仅关注神经科学技术如何适用于解决现有的法律体系中存在的多种难题，从案件的立案、侦查，到案件审判，最后到罪犯的矫正与释放后的再犯风险预测，同时也关注神经科学技术应当在司法程序的哪些环节使用、是否应该使用等伦理与规范性问题。而本文着重探讨了神经科学在刑事司法系统两个关键领域中的应用情况和未来的发展方向，包括刑事责任能力判定和服刑人员的风险评估与矫正。神经法学的研究不仅加深了我们对于犯罪行为背后的神经机制的理解，在深入研究并加强两个领域学者间交流的前提下，神经科学还能够进一步改进刑事司法实践，提供更加个性化和科学的罪犯评估和矫正计划，使得刑事司法实践更加公正且人性化。

《最高人民检察院关于加强新时代未成年人检察工作的意见》中指明，要完善涉罪未成年人帮教机制建设，引入人格甄别、心理干预等手段，提高帮教的精准度、有效性。本研究立足探究心理评估与心理辅导这两种手段在罪错未成年人心理帮教工作的应用措施，旨在为司法机关进一步完善心理帮教机制提供一定的理论基础，同时也为处在帮教第一线的工作者提供新思路，以期从根源上帮助罪错未成年人积极矫正，时刻内省，不断更正自己的认知，重新融入正常的社会生活，为国家建设做出应有贡献。心理评估作为帮教的前提，可分成基础性评估、矫治性评估和预测性评估；心理辅导作为帮教的形式，可通过开展心灵伙伴、文化浸润、个体咨询、团体辅导和家庭课堂活动实施。

随着社会的快速发展，未成年人犯罪的形势日趋严峻，犯罪类型多样化、犯罪手段智能化等特点日益凸显。检察机关作为未成年人犯罪的司法处理机关，既要依法打击未成年人犯罪，更要注重预防与矫正工作，帮助未成年人走出犯罪阴影，重返社会。因此，本文从我国未成年人犯罪的预防与矫正工作现状出发，阐述检察机关在未成年人犯罪预防与矫正中的职责及其实际工作中存在的不足，进而针对检察机关未成年人犯罪的预防与矫正工作提出优化建议，认为结合实际情况推进专门机关普及、加强未成年人犯罪案件办理人才队伍建设、深入领会与合理运用“少捕慎诉”办案原则、深入做好法制宣传教育工作在此方面可以起到效果。

The recent establishment of Chinese Community Corrections (CCC) has been heralded as a lenient turn in China's criminal policy, and a welfarist approach to promoting the well‐being of offenders through state‐sponsored rehabilitation services. Despite growing research on the operational meaning and functions of the CCC, the effect of offenders' participation in rehabilitation on their satisfaction with justice has yet to be adequately explored. Based on ethnographic observations and interviews with offenders in community corrections, and guided by the procedural justice framework, this study examines the lived experiences of offenders and the impact of their participation in rehabilitation on their perceptions of justice. The analysis reveals that offenders experience a process of what we call “manufacturing compliance,” navigating complex bureaucratic requirements derived from the state's priority of maintaining stability. This calls into question the presumed therapeutic effect of offenders' involvement in the CCC and further suggests an unintended negative impact of unmet expectations. The implications of these findings for the administration of the CCC as a genuine channel of penal welfare are discussed.

The recent establishment of Chinese community corrections (CCC) has drawn considerable attention to the question of why offender rehabilitation remains unfulfilled in China, a phenomenon known as the “rehabilitation disjuncture.” Yet, the peculiar organizational logic of the CCC, which structures offender-officer relations and frames their interactions, has received little explicit attention regarding its relationship to the rehabilitation gap. Drawing on ethnographic data from Chinese urban community corrections settings, the study examines the organizational structure, culture, and processes that cause the operation of CCC to deviate from the rehabilitation ideal. The analysis reveals that excessive formalism, an obsession with security, and narcissistic image-building permeate the daily rehabilitation work of correctional teams, collectively undermining the institutional commitment to benevolent care and thus compromising offender well-being. The article concludes with the argument that to truly achieve the welfarist goal, the organizational processes that underpin the practical implementation of offender rehabilitation cannot be neglected.

No abstract available

Based on a recent ethnographic study of community corrections in two large Chinese cities, this study examines how the rehabilitation work, as the cornerstone of Chinese community corrections, is deployed as a people-processing apparatus that counts offenders’ bodies but almost excludes their agency. In practice, offenders are instrumentalized and disciplined to make up the Chinese community corrections machinery, whose subjectivity is either completely muted or selectively mediated. Given justice actors’ adherence to bureaucratic hierarchy and preoccupation with administrative requirements, offenders are mostly marked as counts and treated more as penal objects utilized to fulfill intricate metrics-related requirements. Justice agents’ formalistic pursuit of, rather than substantive investment in, the well-being of offenders renders their participation in Chinese community corrections symbolic and strenuous. It further breeds offenders’ commitment to self-rehabilitation, a process of relying on self-discipline and personally discovered resources for compliance and reintegration. We contend that the current operation of the Chinese community corrections apparatus, under the rehabilitative guise, exacerbates offenders’ structural disadvantages and reinforces their stigmatized identities. Policy and research implications of this study are discussed.

No abstract available

The recent formalization of Chinese community corrections (CCC), with its explicit emphasis on the professional provision of rehabilitative services to offenders, signals Chinese policymakers striving to create a penal modernist project. It also instigates antagonism between justice and service-oriented professionals, who seek to assert and carve out respective jurisdictions over rehabilitative work. There is a dearth of research touching on the ways in which potential tensions, or contractionary professional identities, are managed in practice. Drawing on a set of ethnographic and interview data gleaned from a large Chinese city, which pioneered and implemented the professional model of community corrections, this study examines the negotiation of professional power and interprofessional dynamics in rehabilitative work. The analysis suggests that during professional contestation, CCC actors deploy strategies to maintain identity boundaries, while making compromises and ceding jurisdictional authority to the opposing group. The negotiated order is accomplished in this hybridized institutional field, primarily through variegated demands of professionals involved for capacity enhancement, legitimacy reinforcement, or pragmatic survival. A symbiotic, but continually fractious, configuration is thus forged, blurring professional boundaries and breeding reciprocal benefits that sustain collaboration. Implications for ameliorating CCC's rehabilitative work are discussed.

No abstract available

In China, the widespread implementation of community corrections is a key strategy designed to reduce the burden on the criminal justice system. This strategy prominently features social participation as a critical element. This study delves into the effects of social participation on correctional practices by conducting in-depth interviews with a diverse group of stakeholders, including community corrections officials, judicial police, community workers, and counselors. Our findings reveal a predominant government-led approach to social participation, where government-funded social organizations play a major role. The research also highlights significant role conflicts and jurisdictional ambiguities within the system, which may arise from unclear criminal policies. These conflicts and ambiguities underline the challenges in the current implementation of community corrections. By examining these dynamics, the study suggests that refining the government-led model of social participation could provide more effective strategies for enhancing civic engagement and improving the efficacy of community correction.

Community corrections agencies across the United States are adopting racial equity as a priority in their polices, practices, and staff training, though how racial equity can be translated into the routine practices of probation and parole officers has not been widely discussed. This study examines the associations of perceived racial equity priorities on the supervision strategies reported by probation and parole officers in an online survey (N = 1054). Approximately one-third of officers reported that their agencies prioritized racial equity. Racial equity scores were stronger in juvenile agencies and in agencies that prioritized evidence-informed practices. Racial equity was associated with reduced accountability-oriented case management practices. Results of this study suggest that racial equity policies and practices may impact client outcomes through changes in general supervision strategies. More research is needed to identify race-conscious strategies that community corrections officers can employ to meet the needs of people involved in the legal system.

Background: Community correctional experiences among individuals receiving methadone treatment (MT) for opioid use disorder (OUD) are poorly understood. We qualitatively investigated perceptions of community corrections and treatment experiences among individuals with criminal-legal system experience currently receiving outpatient MT. Methods: From January to December 2017, we recruited 42 individuals with history of criminal-legal system involvement enrolled in outpatient MT at a low-barrier nonprofit organization operating multiple clinics in Connecticut. An experienced qualitative research team conducted one-to-one, in-person, semistructured interviews about incarceration and treatment experiences with individuals receiving MT. Participants completed a demographics survey. The interviews were audiorecorded, transcribed, de-identified, and independently coded using NVivo. Results: Participants described the community corrections system as restrictive and abstinence-focused. Most participants described positive perceptions of and experiences with community corrections officers (CCOs), yet described negative perceptions of and experiences with the community corrections system overall. Participants perceived CCOs to have limited knowledge of OUD and MT. Participants described a range of CCO judgment toward their OUD, with some appearing understanding and nonjudgmental while others were perceived to have stigma and prejudice. Few participants noted assistance from CCOs with seeking MT or community-based substance use disorder care. Some participants desired improved treatment facilitation, but viewed forced or coercive treatment negatively. Conclusion: To our knowledge, this is the first qualitative study to examine community corrections experience among people receiving outpatient medication for OUD. While individuals receiving MT have negative experiences with the community corrections system, they perceive individual CCOs positively. Interventions addressing gaps in CCOs knowledge of OUD and MT are needed to optimize support for individuals on probation or parole with OUD. Provision of OUD treatment facilitation appears desirable to some individuals in community supervision.

No abstract available

The COVID-19 pandemic forced community corrections agencies worldwide to use remote technologies to prevent the spread of the virus. A growing body of the literature suggests that video-conferencing is poised to be a core practice within community correctional settings. However, little is known about the best practice strategies for incorporating videoconferencing into routine supervision. We address this gap by interviewing and conducting focus groups with a sample of community correction officers from the US (N = 16). We identified the presence of the law enforcement—social work dichotomy in remote settings, reflected in challenges and opportunities when holding clients accountable and establishing client–officer relationships. Our findings show that officers relying on evidence-based practices (EBPs) were able to use videoconferencing tools to overcome remote challenges. We suggest that establishing in-person relationships, adapting EBP, and taking care of logistics are critical steps to strengthen remote accountability and client–officer relationships. We conclude by discussing future research areas.

This article explores one US residential community corrections facility and the ways that case managers navigate working with transgender women under supervision in a facility that relies on the sex binary for housing placement. Similar to other research on this population in prisons that has been conducted both within and outside of the US context, we find that case managers contend with significant uncertainty in their work with these clients because of a lack of specific and formal training. To contend with that uncertainty, case managers reported relying on Gender Responsive Training and the Prison Rape Elimination Act to guide their understanding of and work with trans clients. However, we also found a great deal of discretion in the ways case managers managed programming for their trans clients that disrupted the gendered organization of the facility. We conclude with specific programmatic recommendations based on these findings.

ABSTRACT Early scholarship on community corrections officers suggested that officers’ perceptions of their professional role influences how they carry out supervision. While some research has supported this contention, the studies examining the relationship have provided minimal attention to juvenile probation and parole, rarely considered actual as well as intended supervision behaviors, and analyzed samples with limited generalizability. The present study sought to fill this gap. Data were collected through the use of an online questionnaire from a sample of juvenile and adult probation and parole officers employed in seven different agencies in five states during spring 2015. The study found client type to be a significant predictor of both officer actual and intended behaviors, with juvenile PPOs preferring more frequent surveillance techniques and less frequent rewards for probationer progress toward goals. Professional orientation was also a significant predict of both types of behavior. Implications of these findings are discussed.

The purpose of the current study was to conduct an initial international exploration into mental health in community corrections. The qualitative analysis revealed seven themes that highlighted many barriers and identified necessary building blocks for success for justice-involved individuals as they reintegrate into the community and on their path to desistance. These include meaningful collaboration, rapport, trust and an emphasis on housing and employment. Much depends on meeting the client where they are, as people go through the stages of adaptation at different times and speeds. Ultimately, despite different practices, participants agreed on the value of person-centered, community-integrated approaches.

This mixed-method study examined changes implemented in Pennsylvania community corrections agencies during the early phases of the COVID-19 pandemic. We surveyed (N = 54; 83% response rate) and interviewed (N = 10) county Chiefs of probation and parole regarding changes to agency policies, processes of this change, and expected sustainability. Findings revealed meaningful changes to community corrections policy initiated by the pandemic through new modes of supervision contact —such as “curbside probation”— and new policies regarding violations of supervision that align with evidence-based principles. The moment’s urgency provided a rare but effective impetus for reform, but perceptions of sustainability varied across Chiefs’ role orientations. Our findings demonstrate how this moment expanded the footprint of evidence-based practice through local criminal justice reform and reveal new insights into capacities for and processes of change.

No abstract available

Appropriate supervision strategies are the backbone of community corrections. The success of community supervision is dependent upon the attitudes of both officers and offenders. Despite this, research on offenders’ attitudes toward community corrections supervision is surprisingly very limited. The current study investigated attitudes of officers and offenders toward and predictors of four different community supervision strategies based on data collected in Hubei, China, in 2103 and 2016. The study found that among demographics, community variables, and value factor, the mutual trust value factor was the most important predictor of community supervision strategies by both officers and offenders. Additional findings and policy implications are discussed.

Little research has assessed community corrections staff members’ perceptions of the dangerousness of their job or experiences that make them fear for their safety. Although not the same as a prison environment, there are nonetheless dangerous aspects of working with probationers and parolees in community corrections. The purpose of this study is first to determine predictors of both perceived dangerousness and experienced fear among a sample of probation/parole officers and residential officers. Then we assess the differential impact of perceived dangerousness and experienced fear on the negative workplace outcomes of burnout (comprised of three components: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment), secondary trauma, job stress, and job satisfaction. The findings indicate both overlapping and distinct predictors of perceived dangerousness and experienced fear. Also, higher perceptions of job dangerousness were associated with lower job satisfaction, while more experienced fear was related to greater emotional exhaustion and secondary trauma.

There are 4.5 million adults in community corrections (e.g., probation and parole), nearly twice the number of people incarcerated in jails and prisons combined. Research suggests that more than half of men in jail have experienced at least one traumatic brain injury (TBI). Very little is known about TBI history in probation. This study reviewed TBI history, cognitive and psychosocial data, and judicial records. Results showed that 47% of persons on probation report TBI. People on probation with TBI also had comorbid behavioral health conditions like mental illness, substance abuse, trauma history, and attempted suicide. They were more likely to be determined to be high risk by probation officers, had a higher rate of felony convictions, had lower rates of successful probation completion, and were significantly more likely to re-offend. Attention to responsivity factors like TBI may help probation provide accommodations that support successful engagement in probation and treatment.

Adopting an offender-centric approach, this paper advances the understanding of the enactment of the rehabilitation ideal inscribed in the newly established Chinese community corrections (CCC). Building on conceptual tools from cultural criminology/sociology, we introduce the concept of “rehabilitation frames” to capture the multifaceted perceptions of and experiences with the CCC’s rehabilitation services. These frames are the interpretive structures and processes through which offenders understand their participation in the CCC, conceive individualized treatment from service professionals, and organize their responses to fulfill compliance requirements. Using ethnographic data, mainly from interviews with participants, gleaned from urban community corrections in China, we identify three main rehabilitation frames: rehabilitation-as-antidote , rehabilitation-as-affirmation , and rehabilitation-as-inception . These frames collectively assemble offenders’ ambivalent experiences into coherent dynamics related to their enrollment in rehabilitation. Our findings underscore the significance of agentic, dynamic, and relational perspectives on the rehabilitation aspiration within the evolving CCC.

The COVID-19 pandemic occurred in the midst of a reform movement in probation and parole supervision in the United States. Because social distancing orders created significant disruptions in probation and parole, the pandemic provides an opportunity to explore the innovative ways that probation and parole officers adjusted their supervision strategies with clients. We surveyed probation and parole officers in the United States (N = 1,054; 65% female, 66% probation) in May–June 2020 about the supervision strategies they used with people on their caseloads before and immediately after the pandemic’s onset. Data indicate that overall rates of contact did not change, but that in-person contacts were replaced with remote communication strategies. Client access to electronic communication platforms, especially video conferencing, facilitated more frequent contact and more reliance on behavioral tactics and treatment-oriented case management approaches in the post-COVID period. Results reveal the potential role for video conferencing as an integral element of probation and parole reform.

The aim of the current research was to examine the contribution of crime type and severity as well as offender, observer, and victim characteristics to prediction of perception of community correction (CC) as an appropriate punishment. We conducted a telephone survey among Israeli citizens. A random and representative sample of 573 respondents, aged 20 to 74, evaluated the seriousness of crime scenarios and the appropriateness of CC for each scenario. In different versions of crime scenarios, we manipulated offence type as well as offender and victim characteristics. The results of a logistic regression indicate that perceived lower crime severity, a crime that is not murder, older offender age, and being a secular observer are related with an increased likelihood of supporting community corrections. The discussion addresses these findings in the context of punitive goals (e.g., revenge, retribution), public perception of offender dangerousness, and social identity theory.

The assessment and collection of monetary sanctions (fines, fees, and restitution) have become a common element of the U.S. criminal justice system, especially in community corrections. Although the application of monetary sanctions is often dictated by state-level legislation, court rules, and agency policy, little research has sought to organize and systematically examine a set of these policies to compare them across several community corrections contexts more broadly. As such, this study fills a gap in the literature by using thematic content analysis to examine legislative policies governing the use of monetary sanctions in six states from across the United States. Laws and policies regarding the assessment, waiver, and collection of monetary sanctions utilized by agencies of varying size and jurisdictional scope were considered to identify common themes. We conclude with a discussion of whether the policies and laws examined align with rehabilitative and punitive goals of community supervision and highlight emerging opportunities for research and policy reform.

No abstract available

Many criminal justice institutions implement evidence-based reforms. While most scholars are aware of implementation challenges, we still know relatively little about sustainability. Using longitudinal data from criminal legal staff implementing an evidence-based reform, this paper considers: What happens during the implementation of an organizational reform that affects continued use of these reforms? Guided by an organizational change framework, findings suggest sustainability aligns with key organizational goals including legitimacy, efficiency and effectiveness. While all sites saw the reformed practices as legitimate enough to initially consider adoption, two sites never adopted, four sites toyed with reform, and two sites continued to use the reform after the study was over. This paper explores sustainability and identifies legitimacy as an important factor that affects the routinization of new practices. Transformation of organizational change initiatives into routine practices should consider efforts to build legitimacy in lieu of primarily rationalizing on the values of efficiency and effectiveness.

The traditional community correction model adopts the method of artificially formulating correction strategies, which has problems such as strong subjectivity and inconsistent judicial level. Because of the wide distribution of community corrections personnel, the uneven standards for correction strategy formulation by local judicial personnel and the problem that it is almost impossible to form effective correction strategies in poor and remote areas, and the amount of data for correction personnel information is large, the way to manually formulate correction strategies The efficiency is low. This paper proposes a clustering algorithm for correcting personnel status information based on feature subspace, localizes the high-dimensional data search problem in related dimensions, solves the problem of automatic labeling of correction strategy tags, and provides some references for judicial personnel to formulate correction strategies.

The penal system in Indonesia must undergo reforms, considering the complexity of legal violations and the demands for the protection of human rights. The transformation from a prison-based system to a correctional system aims to improve the approach toward prisoners, focusing on rehabilitation and social reintegration. This research employs a descriptive qualitative approach. One of the major issues in the correctional system is overcrowding, which results from repressive penal regulations that do not prioritize the principle of ultimum remedium. To address this, alternative approaches such as Community-Based Corrections (CBC) are being explored. Through this program, prisoners can be rehabilitated outside correctional facilities under community supervision, which reduces pressure on prisons and accelerates the social reintegration process. However, the implementation of CBC faces challenges related to unclear regulations and complex bureaucracy

The relationship between the working alliance and rates of recidivism for individuals on probation or parole has been underexplored, and what information has been reported provides inconsistent findings. This study sought out to explore this relationship further by examining the degree to which client perceptions (N = 145) of the working alliance were related to, and predicted, general and violent recidivism measured as reconviction. Results revealed that working alliance ratings were not significantly different between clients who recidivated and those who did not and did not predict future recidivism. Results also revealed that client age and risk predicted subsequent recidivism, while client perceptions of the working alliance did not. Implications for supervising officers in community corrections and recommendations for future research are discussed.

Prison overcrowding leads to serious problems for prison authorities. It is related to serious health hazards and disturbs penal rehabilitation and reformation programs. As a result, security problems, terrorism, and subversive actions may occur. If prison is overcrowded hard and soft criminals interact with each other, which may lead to connecting mild offenders to hardcore criminals. Overcrowded prisons cause stress for prison officials and further strain prisoners as they live in unacceptable conditions. In Sri Lanka, we have very few non-institutional treatment methods, and those methods have not been effective due to administration problems and provisions. Therefore, it is time to improve the treatment of offenders through the enhancement of community-based corrections process alternatives to incarceration. Many countries have probation, parole, and community service which are commonly known as traditional alternatives to imprisonment. These non-institutional treatment methods are widely used in many developed and developing countries. The non-institutional measures are mostly community-based corrections. The concept has evolved with the thinking that correction if linked to the community, will be less costly, more humane, and more effective than imprisonment in dealing with offenders convicted of minor offenses. There is a need in the field of community corrections for a systematic and orderly development having due regard for local conditions and local needs. In developing such a system, it is necessary to ensure that no individual who does not require incarceration for the protection of others is confined in an institution and that no individual is subjected to more supervision or control than required. On the other hand, the creation of community-based programs should ensure that they respond not only to the needs of the offenders but also to the interest of the community. If they are not administered properly it will amount to the criminal justice system going soft on crimes and criminals. (Glaze, 2011). The research leads to identifying the effectiveness of community-based corrections when the initial threat is recidivism. Recidivism means the person who relapses in the rehabilitation process frequently. And how it’s developed through the community-based corrections functions. There are several direct and indirect causes of recidivism from a psychosocial perspective, but this research focused on community corrections itself because community-based corrections emerged as an alternative to prisons. When utilizing community-based corrections resources in an effect should be possible to reduce recidivism (Bouffard and Muftic 2006). The introduction clearly explains the evaluation of community corrections through the ancient period and then the rationale of the study explained the justification of the topic to the support conceptual study. To collect information and data about this problem a researcher able to use primary data and secondary data, to get primary data researcher use observation, focus group discussions and interview with clients & professionals. For secondary data researcher used a community-based corrections performance annual report. This data collection and data findings were clearly explained accordingly than explained the way of findings and the way of choosing the sample size and to analyze the whole data about the research and researcher used thematic analysis to find out the accurate problem which they are having when engage in proving services for respondents. Finally, it will focus on the social work interventions in the effective discharge planning for offenders, roles of professionals, specifically social workers, in discharge planning/re-entry planning, issues surrounding recidivism, community-based programs, and evaluation of the work surrounding them. I hope this research helps to study future researchers to do better involvement in their research and it’s allowed to empower Community based corrections parliament Act, policies, and programs in the process that especially focus on the challenges faced by community-based corrections officers and recidivists.

People involved in the criminal justice system have higher rates of opioid use disorder (OUD) and are less likely to receive recovery services. Medications to treat OUD, such as extended-release naltrexone, have been found to reduce relapse and recidivism. We hope to provide practical lessons learned from the evaluation process of the Department of Corrections’ Extended-Release Naltrexone Program and considerations for incorporating medications to treat OUD into a reentry program. The program evaluation followed participants for 1 year and conducted interviews and surveys on health, well-being, and community reintegration. The program experienced significant barriers to effective implementation; few participants received extended-release naltrexone after release, and no case management was provided after release. Despite barriers to implementation, participants reported the need for medications to support treatment of OUD. Results of this program evaluation reveal barriers and opportunities to inform longer-term strategies for similar programs, including considerations for programs pre- and postrelease, participant follow-up, and treatment options. In addition, the lack of reentry planning and coordination between the correctional system and the community introduced barriers. Opportunities exist for holistic supportive reentry starting with needs identification and coordination among correctional facilities, discharge planners, and community providers.

A key component of community supervision officers’ (CSOs) roles is to support clients on probation or parole, assessing them for risk of re-offending and indicators of desistance. To better understand officers’ discretionary decision-making, we conducted nine virtual focus group interviews with a total of 48 CSOs across one state; analyses of these interviews yielded two main themes. The first theme captured officers’ perceptions of signs of risk, as CSOs shared insights as to how unemployment/under-employment, non-compliance or evasiveness, overcompliance, substance use, outside information, and antisocial associations raised flags for the potential of re-offending. The second theme detailed how pro-social and proactive attitudes, open and frequent communication, appropriate compliance, and stability (e.g., employment, housing, relational) acted as positive signs of desistance. Understanding these perspectives illuminates the multifaceted considerations that influence officers’ evaluations of risk and desistance in their caseloads and provides insights into means for enhancing the effectiveness of community supervision.

ABSTRACT Therapeutic approaches in community corrections have become common practice toward an evidenced based approach. Core correctional practices have been transformed into manualized training programs to support probation officer use of these evidence based practices. This study sought to determine how probation officer use of a manualized training program, specifically Effective Practices in Community Supervision (EPICS), impacted offender recidivism one-year post probation completion. Findings demonstrate that EPICS is most impactful with high risk offenders while individual EPICS skills such as behavior chains and cost benefit analysis had no impact on recidivism.

The current study aims to assess probation and parole officers' (PPOs) adherence to the Made-in-Ontario Core Correctional Practice (CCP) model of community supervision with justice-impacted people. Case notes from 5 PPOs (for 45 clients) were coded to examine if evidence of CCP strategies used during PPO and client interactions could be reliably detected in PPO case notes. Preliminary findings indicate promising evidence for the detection of CCP strategies within case notes. Inter-rater reliability was also found to be high. Future considerations include expanding the study to a larger sample, refining the coding manual, and examining potential covariates. These insights contribute to understanding the integration and effectiveness of CCP practices into community supervision settings.

No abstract available

With over 4 million adults under community supervision and an average of 30% that do not fare well, an unanswered question is which strategies reduce the likelihood of technical, absconding, and new arrest violations during the early phase of supervision. Utilizing data on 32,335 moderate to high-supervised individuals on supervision in North Carolina, the study found that success during the first 6 months is due to probation officers’ use of incentives to promote positive behavior and swift community-based consequences to address negative behavior, prioritizing treatment services or cognitive programs, increasing monitoring requirements, and using skill-building worksheets to increase engagement and build rapport. Officer actions are more important than individual characteristics, and can promote success for those that are under the age of 31, have more complex needs, and are identified as at-risk for violating supervision. Future studies should explore these concepts more directly regarding their relationship with recidivism.

Community supervision is the most frequently used correctional sentence, requiring individuals to adhere to court-ordered conditions. Using a sample of 304 adults under probation supervision, this study investigated the influence of the type and number of special conditions on probation outcomes. Our findings revealed that the type of special conditions significantly predicted probation outcomes. Specifically, individuals ordered to a higher number of treatment conditions were more likely to experience negative outcomes, including technical violations, rearrest, and revocation. Individuals ordered to more control conditions had a higher number of technical violations and were over five times more likely to be revoked. Requiring a higher total number of court-ordered conditions increased the likelihood of technical violations, and greater odds of rearrest and revocation. Findings illustrate the importance of evaluating the imposition of court-ordered conditions, highlighting the potential for the excessive use of conditions to inadvertently undermine the effectiveness of the probation system.

People with mental illnesses are overrepresented in criminal legal systems internationally, making addressing mental health among this population a global public health concern. Across the world, community supervision agencies (i.e., probation and parole) have implemented a variety of innovative and evidence-informed approaches to improve outcomes for people with mental illness. However, the demonstrated success of these approaches in one region or country does not guarantee effectiveness in another due to significant variations in the implementation context, including differences in governance and administration, society and culture, and resource constraints. Applying implementation science methods throughout the phases of intervention (design and development, implementation, and evaluation) provides tools that can help translate innovations within and across different agencies, countries, and contexts. To highlight how implementation science methods can be used to adapt and implement health interventions within criminal legal system settings, this perspective uses the example of specialized mental health community supervision in the USA. Drawing on general implementation science principles and the Exploration, Preparation, Implementation, Sustainment (EPIS) framework, we articulate key questions and steps agencies can take to translate health interventions from theory into practice.

No abstract available

ABSTRACT Probation remains at the forefront in relation to criminal justice supervision strategies. Many variations of probation exist, including intensive forms of community supervision for individuals classified as higher risk. Debate remains ongoing as to the efficacy of such forms of supervision, but most scholars agree that paired with services and treatment, community supervision at a variety of levels holds promise though the degree to which those under supervision agree remains in question. The current study examines the perceptions of those under an intensive supervision and services program, highlighting the experiences of 90 individuals participating in an intensive supervision with services program. Utilizing flexible coding and thematic analysis of responses to open-ended questions regarding the nature of supervision experiences, the results lend insight into what is perceived to be working – or challenging – regarding participation. Most participants indicated the structure, clarity, and service access promoted overall well-being and potential desistance, though structural challenges and time demands could limit the longer-term effectiveness of this type of supervision. These findings suggest probation programs may incorporate specific components to better supervision outcomes.

Martinson (1974) argued that Nothing Works in the rehabilitation of justice impacted individuals. In response, Andrews and Kiesling (1980) developed a set of core correctional practices (CCPs) that could be used by probation and parole officers to enhance correctional outcomes for justice impacted individuals. More recently, trauma responsive approaches have emerged as another hypothesized effective strategy for dealing with justice impacted individuals who experience high levels of trauma (Miller & Najavits, 2012). This study investigates the nature and prevalence of probable traumatic experiences among justice impacted individuals on probation with a focus on gender differences (N ≈ 329). The study also investigates if probation and parole officers who were recently trained in a model of community supervision that blends trauma responsiveness with core correctional practices—the Ontario Ministry of the Solicitor General’s Made-in-Ontario Core Correctional Practices (CCP) Model of Community Supervision- are more likely to apply trauma, diversity and inclusivity (TDI) principles in their interactions with clients after the training. The study uses client case notes prepared by probation and parole officers. Results showed that despite women reporting significantly higher probable trauma, trauma-informed approaches were applied similarly across gender groups. In addition, TDI implementation was consistent regardless of trauma status in the context of CCP. This highlights the need for more targeted trauma-informed approaches based on individual needs rather than a generalized application of trauma-informed intervention. The opinions and views expressed in this report reflect those of the author and not the Ontario Ministry of the Solicitor General. Sohaila Abdelhadi contributed intellectually to the research, prepared the poster from their thesis work, and managed its submission. All authors contributed to data collection and coding.

Abstract Effective reentry programs for individuals on probation and parole successfully support participants’ transition from state supervision back into the community, reduce re-offense and re-incarceration, and foster long-term reintegration. Given the large number of individuals on probation and parole, it is crucial to identify which types and amounts of reentry services are associated with better reentry outcomes over time. This retrospective cohort study examines associations between participation in Missouri’s Community Reentry Initiative (CRI) and reentry outcomes, specifically re-offense during the CRI year and 5-year return to prison, for individuals on probation (n = 1,407) and parole (n = 1,521). Results indicated that 13.7% of CRI participants re-offended during their first year of supervision (8.4% of those on probation and 18.6% of those on parole) and 52.4% returned to prison within the 5-year study period (47% of those on probation and 57.5% of those on parole). Aligning with prior research, findings suggest that employment and education services are linked to reduced re-offense for those on parole and reduced rates of reincarceration for those on probation. Results also indicate that receipt of essentials services (e.g., housing, transportation) reduced the likelihood of reoffending within the first year for both groups.

With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, community supervision agencies were forced to incorporate drastic changes to traditional supervision techniques, which shifted the daily roles of probation officers (POs). Research on the pandemic identifies rapid adaptations to supervision strategies and increased demands on POs during the pandemic. Using qualitative data from interviews with POs across the United States, the goal of this study was to examine the experiences of POs working during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results suggest POs had to alter their supervision approach, both physically and ideologically. POs discussed shifts to both remote supervision in place of in-person work coupled with a need to use an “agent of change” approach given limited access to formal, punitive responses to noncompliance, with a priority on the highest risk/need clients. Findings suggest several implications for practice, including factors to consider regarding community correction reform efforts in a post-pandemic world.

Efforts to divert people with mental illnesses from the criminal legal system are widespread among mental health and criminal justice authorities. Most diversion efforts focus on directing individuals with mental illnesses to treatment; however, these treatment-focused interventions are an insufficient approach to diverting people with mental illnesses from the criminal legal system and fail to adequately address organizational and system-level factors that impact criminal legal system involvement. This study uses a social ecological approach to identify multilevel supervision challenges that probation officers face in diverting people with mental illnesses from future criminal legal system involvement. Twenty-six probation agency representatives from across the United States were interviewed as part of a larger study about supervising people with mental illnesses on probation. Salient themes indicate diversion targets related to (1) probation officer and agency capacity, (2) interorganizational relationships and roles, and (3) resources and systems in the local community. A comprehensive framework for diversion must include a both-and approach that maintains focus on individual-level supports and predictors of recidivism and violations, while also targeting the macro- or system-level factors that create the conditions for recidivism at the individual level.

Abstract Can stricter community supervision (i.e., parole and probation) requirements lead to an increase in recidivism? I investigate this question by constructing a law enforcement model in which individuals can incur costs to increase their degree of self-control. The analysis reveals that stricter community supervision can, in fact, increase recidivism if these investments lead to ego-depletion. This possibility therefore warrants empirical investigation, and policy makers ought to be mindful of it when determining the strictness of community supervision conditions.

Abstract Though research in aging and the criminal legal system is growing, there is still limited data on how the carceral system impacts this population. In this presentation, I will discuss my dissertation research on older adults on parole and probation (community supervision). This qualitative research study examines both the experiences of older adults under community supervision and the experiences of the officers who supervise this population. This data is collected through semi-structured interviews with community supervision officers and older adults under supervision. In addition to learning about the unique experiences of older adults impacted by the criminal legal system, this research aims to better understand a “person-centered model of community supervision” in the Southeastern United States. The interviews inquire about how this model is implemented, perceived, and understood by the participants. This research aims to inform policy and practice of community supervision and stimulate additional research in this area. In this presentation, I will discuss the study’s relevance to Gerontology, the research methodology, and the findings from the participant interviews. I will also discuss how this research can inform practice and future studies.

Background The mortality rate among people under probation supervision in the community is greater than that among incarcerated people and that among the general population. However, there is limited research on the distinct vulnerabilities and risks underlying the causes of death in this population. In this retrospective cohort study, we examined the individual and criminal justice-related factors associated with different causes of death. Factors were assessed in relation to the type of supervision, distinguishing between those under post-custodial release and those serving a community sentence. Results The study utilised the official data held by His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service in England and Wales on the deaths of men and women under probation supervision between 01 April 2019 and 31 March 2021 where the cause of death had been definitively recorded ( n  = 1770). The high risk of deaths primarily caused by external factors (i.e., suspected suicide (10%), homicide (5%), and drug-related death (26%)) in this population was confirmed. A Gaussian Graphical Model (GGM) demonstrated unique relationships with suspected suicide and drug-related deaths for known suicide risk, history of drug use and recent (< 28 days of death) enforcement action due to a breach of probation conditions. Our findings suggest that that familial violence and abuse may be relevant in suicide and drug-related deaths and that minority groups may experience disproportional risk to certain types of death. Conclusions This study identified unique risk indicators and modifiable factors for deaths primarily caused by external factors in this population within the health and justice spheres. It emphasised the importance of addressing health inequalities in this population and improved joint-working across health and justice. This involves ensuring that research, policies, training, and services are responsive to the complex needs of those under probation supervision, including those serving community sentences. Only then can we hope to see lower rates of death within this population.

No abstract available

Associations with substance-involved peers, difficulties with daily tasks, and financial struggles are recidivism risks for women under community supervision. Relationship strength between such women and their supervising officers is an emerging area of interest in community corrections, as is exposure to adverse childhood experiences. This research uses longitudinal data on 402 women convicted of substance-related felonies and on probation or parole to examine how their perceptions of relationship strength with supervising officers and exposure to adverse childhood experiences correlate with cohabitation with substance-involved people, experiencing substance-related difficulties with work or school, and financial distress. Better relationships with supervising officers and less exposure to adverse childhood experiences mitigated recidivism risks. Implications for practice are discussed.

Evidence suggests that steady employment is a key component in reducing the likelihood that people under community supervision will return to prison. Largely unexplored, however, is the extent to which employment outcomes and self-perceptions of employability among people under community supervision are affected by stipulations mandated upon release from prison. These stipulations include measures like visits with a probation office, court appearances, or drug and mental health treatments. This article review research on the relationship between the stipulations of community supervision and employment outcomes. It presents evidence from a new study that explores relationships between release stipulations, probation officer support, feelings of employability, and employment outcomes. The new evidence suggests that there is a negative relationship between community supervision and employment outcomes and perceptions of employability. I argue for alternative policies that could productively reshape community supervision.

This article explores how probation officers (POs) in France employ evidence-based practice in the real world. Using 78 audio tapes of 11 POs and 33 offenders in 2 probations services, we assessed PO skills with an adapted version of the Jersey Checklist. Our results suggest that French probation officers generally possess good communication skills, and use – to a certain extent – core correctional practices. They do, however, underperform with regard to cognitive behavioural techniques.

Advocates for reform have highlighted violations of probation and parole conditions as a key driver of mass incarceration. As a 2019 Council of State Governments report declared, supervision violations are “filling prisons and burdening budgets.” Yet few scholarly accounts estimate the precise role of technical violations in fueling prison populations during the prison boom. Using national surveys of state prison populations from 1979 to 2016, the authors document that most incarcerated persons are behind bars for new sentences. On average, just one in eight people in state prisons on any given day has been locked up for a technical violation of community supervision alone. Thus, strategies to substantially reduce prison populations must look to new criminal offenses and sentence length.

Studies of implementation of evidence-based supervision policies and procedures often report minimal to moderate adherence to evidence-based models. The few studies that exist examine the degree to which characteristics of probation officers, individuals on supervision, and supervision processes have an impact on rearrest (outcomes). Using administrative data on 7,326 probationers and surveys from 161 probation officers employed by five agencies, hierarchical linear models were used to identify the features of supervision processes that are most important to reduce recidivism. The findings clarify that no one evidence-based supervision feature (i.e., a validated risk and need assessment tool, case planning, treatment, compliance management, etc.) can achieve recidivism reductions. The best results can be achieved by using all features, although a risk-based case management approach that prioritizes employment and/or reducing the criminogenic needs creates similar outcomes. This article discusses the implications of prioritizing which supervision processes are used to impact positive supervision outcomes.

The key objective of the study was to examine the effectiveness of the probation system and community correctional services which are provided during the probation period in Pakistan. So the main focus of the study is that how the probation system does play a significant role for rehabilitation and reintegration of offenders to the society as better citizens. The Universe of the research is the probationers in jails of Pakistan. It is a survey based study. So, the multi stages sampling method has been applied. Hence seven districts have been selected by using simple random sampling techniques. Resultantly two hundred and ten probationers have been finalized through applying a proportionate sampling method. The result of the study showed that rehabilitation of probationers has been linked with supervision of probation officers. This relationship has been measured through change in the behavior of the probationers during their probation period and the role of the officers for their rehabilitation.

Background Women involved in the criminal legal (CL) system in the United States have much higher levels of chronic and infectious illness than women in the general population. Over 80% of women in the CL system are on community supervision, which means they receive health care in community settings. While the use of Emergency Department care among CL involved populations has been examined fairly extensively, less is known about engagement in routine and preventive medical care among people on community supervision. Methods We conducted a longitudinal study of health care utilization among women with Medicaid who were currently or previously sentenced to probation in Alameda County, CA ( N  = 328). At baseline, 6- and 12-months, we interviewed participants about every medical care visit in the six months prior, and about potential influences on  health care utilization based on the Behavioral Model for Vulnerable Populations (BMVP). Associations between BMVP factors and utilization of routine or preventive care were estimated using Poisson regression models with robust standard errors. Generalized estimating equations (GEE) were used account for repeated measures over time. Results A diagnosis of one or more chronic illnesses was reported by 82% of participants. Two-thirds (62%) of women engaged in routine or preventive care in the six months prior to interview. A quarter of women engaging in routine or preventive care did not have a primary care provider (PCP). Having a PCP doubled the likelihood of using routine or preventive care (adjusted Relative Risk [adjRR] 2.27, p  < 0.001). Subsistence difficulty (adjRR 0.74, p  = 0.01) and unmet mental health care need (adjRR 0.83, p  = 0.001) were associated with a lower likelihood of using routine or preventive care. Conclusion Findings underscore the importance of meeting the basic needs of women on community supervision and of connecting them with primary health care providers.

Probation is a sentence served in the community and includes a number of supervision conditions. If the conditions are violated, individuals could receive a sanction, including revocation. Not every violation, however, may receive a consequence. Probation officers have discretion for how they manage individuals on the caseloads. This study used qualitative data from two departments in a MidWest state in the United States, one rural and one urban, to explore officer decision-making in supervision. It is critical to examine these factors due to the high number of individuals revoked from probation each year. The study findings illustrate the factors officers use in monitoring conditions, as well as in violations and revocations.

The purpose of this article is to analyse the experiences of probation officers who supervise women in the community in Catalonia. To this end, qualitative research involving 15 semi-structured interviews with probation officers in Barcelona and Girona was carried out. The results show that professionals agree that there are important gender differences in relation to: (a) personal and penal characteristics and (b) supervision style. The perceptions of practitioners and existing empirical data are broadly consistent. Women who serve community sentences have a wide range of problems, needs and responsibilities compared to men, which is often reflected in the fact that women's attendance is much more irregular, an issue that presents multiple challenges for practitioners. Probation officers already carry out different gender-responsive practises, however, they face different challenges in a gender-insensitive probation system. Furthermore, given the great heterogeneity of the female service users compared to the men, service provision for women in the community also needs to be intersectionally-responsive. Based on these disparities, the elements of probation that the professionals believe work better with women and those that could be improved are discussed.

This research compares how English and French desisters experience and perceive probation supervision. In this qualitative study, desisters of both countries were interviewed to collect narratives of change within the context of punishment in the community. The aim of this research was to explore and compare the role of probation in desistance processes, in different national, socio-economic, and criminal justice settings. The findings demonstrate similarities in perceptions of probation officers as people with resources. Differences emerged in the types of resources engaged with and the perceived punitiveness of mandatory supervision.

The intersection of mental health, substance use, and the criminal justice system presents significant challenges for probation and parole officers (PPOs), particularly when supervising justice-impacted persons (JIPs) with complex needs. Grounded in the risk-need-responsivity (RNR) model (Andrews et al., 1990), this research explores the relationship between core correctional strategies (e.g., teaching clients to reframe thinking styles) and client outcomes while on probation (e.g., less substance use, employment stability) and whether gender and Indigeneity moderate these effects. The study also explores if the presence of acute mental health crises and substance misuse influences the relationship between probation and parole officers’ use of Core Correctional Practice (CCP) strategies and client outcomes. The study analyzes 193 probation case notes following the introduction of the Ontario Solicitor General’s Made-in-Ontario Core Correctional Practices (CCP) Model of Community Supervision. A subset of six items from the Client Change Scale (CCS, Serin & Lloyd, 2018) is used to assess behavioural change across key life domains (e.g., employment, substance use, program engagement). Findings will inform evidence-based training enhancements and policy reforms to improve probation outcomes for diverse populations. The opinions and views expressed in this report reflect those of the author and not the Ontario Ministry of the Solicitor General. This project was done with the support of the Ontario Ministry of the Solicitor General.

This Article addresses disability discrimination in community supervision programs, a large—but frequently overlooked—component of the criminal legal system and important contributor to America’s mass incarceration crisis. The long-standing concerns of legal scholars and advocates about disability discrimination in prisons and policing, particularly against people with mental health disabilities, apply with equal measure to probation and parole. This Article examines the experiences of people with intellectual/developmental, cognitive, and mental health disabilities to understand how disability discrimination manifests in probation and parole programs and identifies numerous policies and practices that likely run afoul of two major federal disability rights laws: the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act. In explaining why such disability discrimination goes seemingly unchecked, this Article identifies major jurisdictional barriers to enforcement in the federal courts: the Preiser-Heck bar on certain civil rights litigation, abstention doctrines that insulate state criminal court decisions from review, and Eleventh Amendment limits on damages actions against state entities. Given those barriers, this Article suggests that supervision programs ensure robust compliance with disability discrimination laws by utilizing a universal design approach, providing appropriate accommodations to supervisees, and eliminating discriminatory standards. It further argues that defense lawyers and other criminal justice actors should receive training about disability discrimination laws, so they are better able to recognize and remediate disability discrimination. Finally, it suggests the expansion of diversion programs for people with disabilities, particularly those who may struggle to comply with traditional probation programs.

The study examines the evolving framework of probation and parole within India’s new criminal justice architecture under the Probation of Offenders Act, 1958, the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023. It explores how the legislative shift from purely custodial to community-based sanctions redefines correctional policy, embedding non-custodial measures such as community service, structured supervision, and reparative obligations. Through doctrinal and interpretative analysis, the paper evaluates whether these reforms can alleviate prison overcrowding while maintaining victim protection and due process. The Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam is examined for its evidentiary role in validating electronic supervision records, whereas the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 introduces vital privacy safeguards for data management in community corrections. Judicial and administrative developments, including Supreme Court and High Court rulings, have strengthened procedural accountability by standardising timelines, conditions, and recall mechanisms. The research also integrates criminological rationales—rehabilitation, restorative justice, and proportionality—with victimological considerations to promote balanced reform. The findings underscore the importance of harmonising constitutional clemency powers with statutory frameworks, digital data compliance, and victim-centric safeguards. Ultimately, the study advocates a national, data-governed model of probation and parole that enhances transparency, reinforces supervision integrity, and establishes community service as a credible, restorative alternative to imprisonment within the Indian correctional paradigm.

No abstract available

Purpose This study aims to summarise the evidence regarding factors that signal raised risk of reoffending among men convicted of sexual offences under probation supervision in the community and, in doing so, identify means of better supporting desistance among this group. Design/methodology/approach A narrative literature review was conducted to identify factors associated with a greater likelihood of sexually reoffending while under supervision in the community. A search of electronic databases was conducted, sourcing literature from between 2000 and 2024. A total of 87 papers were identified and read for the review. Findings A series of factors were identified which are linked to a greater likelihood of sexually reoffending while under community supervision, including younger age, offence-related sexual interest, significant criminal history including history of burglary, antisocial orientation and high levels of childhood adversity. The evidence suggests that within our supervision and risk management, we should use a strengths-based approach, routinely reassess risk and needs using appropriate tools, be alert to periods of stress and change, attend to reintegration factors, ensure good communication between agencies, attend to a person’s full criminal history, observe behaviour in different settings and focus on defensible decision-making. Research limitations/implications There are limitations to this study; for instance, most of the studies included were retrospective, and studies of reoffending rates underestimate the true level of offending. Practical implications The review found a body of evidence on what managing risk well and promoting desistance look like. The implications contribute to supporting desistance in those being supervised in the community. Originality/value This review adds to the evidence base by its focus on providing practical guidance to staff supervising men convicted of sexual offences in the community to enhance the likelihood of desistance. Attending to the factors identified may make it more likely that we can spot when someone is struggling and provide the support they need to desist and not lapse back into offending.

Drug testing—either random, scheduled, or for-cause—is a common condition of community supervision. This study investigates the utility of drug testing measures in predicting arrest or revocation outcomes for individuals on probation. Results were generated during the development of a set of new risk classification algorithms for individuals on probation or parole in Georgia. Multiple analytic approaches and predictive factors were tested in the development of these models that were built using data for approximately 154,000 individuals who began probation or parole between January 1, 2016, and December 31, 2019. Accuracy at predicting rearrest was improved by implementing time-period-specific models; using recent rather than lifetime criminal history; and incorporating dynamic measures of both protective and risk factors, including drug test results and absence of testing. Models were estimated separately for men and women, for different supervision statuses (probation-only, split-sentence probation, and parole), and for three consecutive time periods (first quarter, next three quarters, one-plus years). Positive test results were predictive of future arrest or revocation, while negative results and absence of testing in latter-period models were associated with reduced risk. Results are presented for the probation-only models for men and women, but similar results obtained for the split-probation and parole models.

This study investigated the detectability of trauma, diversity, and inclusivity (TDI) training in probation and parole officer (PPO) case notes following the implementation of the Made-in-Ontario Core Correctional Practices (CCP) Model of Community Supervision. Adherence to TDI principles pre- and post-CCP training was examined and interrater scores were calculated to measure reliability. Case notes from five PPOs, covering 45 clients, were analyzed pre-training (n = 30) and post-training (n = 15).  Results suggested that after training, officers trended towards using more TDI skills and principles over the course of supervision, but effect sizes were small. Greater inter-rater reliability was observed for TDI skills than for TDI principles. However, challenges in coding adherence to general TDI principles were noted. Implications include the need for larger sample studies and refined coding manuals to improve reliability. 

Community-based corrections has become an alternative approach in the criminal justice system to address the challenges arising from the conventional incarceration approach. This approach not only aims to rehabilitate offenders through social integration, but also reduces recidivism rates and prison overcrowding. However, its implementation faces various obstacles, including complex legal issues, such as differences in regulatory interpretation, policy gaps between countries, and limited legal resources. This study aims to analyze the implementation of community-based corrections from a legal perspective using a global survey. The research methodology includes data collection from various countries to identify legal challenges, best practices, and innovations in the community-based corrections system. The results show that the success of the implementation of this approach is greatly influenced by the existing legal framework, policy support, and community engagement. This abstract provides insight into the importance of a holistic approach involving updating the legal framework, improving coordination between institutions, and strengthening community capacity to support the sustainability of community-based corrections. This global survey also recommends more inclusive and adaptive policies to address differences in legal contexts across jurisdictions.

Corrections play a vital role within the integrated justice system, providing a recovery process for law violators. Correctional institutions aim not only to punish but also to rehabilitate and guide offenders toward social reintegration. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of assimilation programs in restoring the lives and livelihoods of prisoners and to explore how correctional institutions implement community-based corrections through these programs. A qualitative research approach was employed, utilizing data from relevant journals and regulations. An empirical legal analysis was conducted to examine the impact of assimilation programs on the rehabilitation of prisoners. The findings indicate that assimilation programs significantly enhance the self-improvement and social reintegration of prisoners. These programs provide essential skills training and community engagement opportunities, which are crucial for reducing recidivism. The study concludes that assimilation programs are effective in facilitating the recovery of prisoners and promoting their reintegration into society. This underscores the need for on-going support and enhancement of such programs within correctional institutions to ensure their success and the safety of the community.

In 2021, the National Institute of Justice — the research arm of the United States Department of Justice — released the “Recidivism Forecasting Challenge” (“the Challenge”) with the stated goals of “increas[ing] public safety and improv[ing] the fair administration of justice across the United States,” providing “critical information to community corrections departments...,” and ultimately “improv[ing]” the ability to forecast recidivism using person-and place-based variables” [68]. The Challenge was also designed, in part, to encourage “non-criminal justice forecasting researchers to compete against more ‘traditional’ criminal justice researchers” [68]. Challenge contestants had the opportunity to win part of the $723,000 in prize money for their submitted models. In this work, we highlight how the Challenge was underpinned by a techno-solutionist framing (emphasizing technical interventions without addressing underlying structural problems) [66] and plagued by serious ethical and methodological issues, including (1) the choice of training data and the selection of an outcome variable extracted from racially biased and inaccurate law enforcement data systems, (2) data leakage that may have seriously compromised the Challenge, (3) the choice of a faulty fairness metric, leading to the inability of submitted models to accurately surface any bias issues in the data selected for the Challenge, (4) the inclusion of candidate variables that created the potential for feedback loops, (5) a Challenge structure that arguably incentivized exploiting the metrics used to judge entrants, leading to the development of trivial solutions that could not realistically work in practice, and (6) the participation of Challenge contestants who demonstrated a lack of understanding of basic aspects of the U.S. criminal legal system’s structure and functions. We analyze the Challenge and its shortcomings through the lens of participatory design, applying emerging principles for robust participatory design practices in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) development to evaluate the Challenge’s structure and results. We argue that if the Challenge’s designers had adhered to these principles, the Challenge would have looked dramatically different or would not have occurred at all. We highlight several urgent needs and potential paths forward for any future efforts of this nature, recognizing the real and significant harms of recidivism prediction tools and the need to center communities directly impacted by policing and incarceration when thinking about whether to develop risk assessment tools.

The purpose of the article is to present the insights used by support workers in the community who assist Indigenous women involved in the Canadian correctional system (e.g., social workers, addictions counsellors, cultural support workers). Recognizing the disproportionately high rates of incarceration and recidivism for Indigenous women within the Canadian context, the authors contend more must be done to support Indigenous women. The paper presents a qualitative arts-based study that examines support workers' experiences; specifically, navigating racists systems (i.e., corrections), engaging in accompaniment as an approach to support, and the significance of self-care. The discussion emphasizes a need for collective healing, with calls to: 1) Increase culturally-relevant services within the prison by developing and maintaining partnerships with outside agencies and Indigenous communities with women involved in corrections; 2) Reconsider the focus on rehabilitation, which is argued to be a mechanism of colonization; and 3) Create an Indigenous-women-centred place of healing.

In the 35 years since the RNR principles were first published the RNR model remains the foremost framework for reducing recidivism for people in prison. Yet many prison environments have changed little in that time, remaining places of and for punishment, based on outdated and unaffordable ideas about how best to respond to offending. Efforts to improve safety of prison environments for staff and residents, and to enhance community outcomes through rehabilitation are significantly compromised by misalignment with the core philosophy and operating model for prisons. The RNR model has been criticized for failing to substantially reduce the number of people returning to prison. But arguably its implementation has been shaped around an environment intent on harming people rather than helping them. In this paper I suggest that the RNR model could never be the panacea that “reformed” both prisoners and prisons. Yet politicians and correctional executives often use claims of providing “RNR-based rehabilitation” as a defense against more fundamental change, while critics blame the RNR model itself for its modest impact. Creating safe, fair and decent prisons is a foundational activity of immediate importance to the safety and wellbeing of staff and prisoners alike, but the RNR’s model—of reducing reoffending risk by providing human service to those who can most benefit from learning ways to weaken criminogenic needs and live a prosocial life—cannot be that foundation but needs to rest on it. The fundamental prison reform society needs cannot be achieved from inside the system alone. But the development of units, wings or prison regimes with a consistently positive social climate remains an important activity in the interim, along with providing RNR-based interventions in such environments rather than in hostile contexts, so that participants can ingrain new habits of thinking, feeling and behaving, rather than keeping them in a “deep freeze” until they are released.

Many forms of supervision strategies traditionally utilized by probation and parole officers emphasize service brokerage, case management, and compliance. Conversely, there is a growing evidence-base that demonstrates how community corrections practices can be (and have been) improved through supervision frameworks of behavior change oriented around criminogenic needs. Toward this end, recent advances in penology have applied the tenets of environmental criminology theories to community corrections practices, seeking to identify and modify each individual’s opportunity-based risks for reoffending. In this article, using data from an Australian experimental trial, we explore the utility of an “Environmental Corrections” approach to the supervision of domestic and family violence perpetrators serving probation and parole orders, an offending cohort with growing political and public pressures. Quantitative analyzes indicate that this opportunity-reduction supervision framework was effective in reducing recidivism among all offenders. Amongst probationers and parolees on community corrections orders for domestic and family violence offenses only, rates of reoffending were 15.41% lower for offenders at the treatment site compared to the control site, although this difference was not statistically significant. A thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with these clients highlights that through the Environmental Corrections trial, they learned strategies for identifying, avoiding, and resisting opportunities to reoffend. Combined, this evidence suggests that opportunity-reduction supervision tactics may hold promise for limiting recidivism amongst domestic and family violence perpetrators, although further research is required.

Circles of Support and Accountability (CoSA) is a program used in several countries that has demonstrated success in reducing recidivism and improving community reintegration with people who have committed serious sexual offences. The program is community-based and uses principles of restorative justice. This paper describes the program, reviews evidence on its success and discusses some of the implementation challenges. CoSA is cost-effective and merits wide adoption as a way of dealing with a serious issue in criminal justice.

Objectives Placing low-risk individuals into residential community-based correctional programs often results in minimal or iatrogenic impacts upon recidivism. Contamination through exposure to higher-risk program participants is a mechanism that has been used to explain these effects. This study empirically explores this phenomenon. Methods A series of survival models examine data from low-risk paroled people released from a state’s prisons from 2005 to 2011 (n = 3,862) to assess the impact of residential community-based program participation upon recidivism. The daily rate of exposure to higher-risk people while attending programs is modeled for a subset of program participants (n = 202) to assess impacts upon time to failure within 18-months of program completion. Results Program participation increased the hazards of failure by approximately 66% for low-risk paroled people. Exposure to higher-risk people did not have significant impacts upon recidivism. Conclusions The current study coincides with past work demonstrating that policy makers and practitioners should be mindful of the potential iatrogenic or minimal recidivism effects associated with treating low-risk people through residential community-based programs. The mechanisms by which these effects are produced are in need of further exploration. Particular attention should be paid to whether programs can disrupt pro-social aspects of low-risk peoples’ lives.

BACKGROUND Recidivism presents significant barriers to occupational performance and community reintegration. Individuals transitioning from incarceration often face structural stigma, limited access to meaningful occupation, and disrupted occupational identity. These challenges fall within the scope of occupational therapy, yet the profession's role in reentry remains underexplored in the literature. OBJECTIVE In this study, we set out to explore the lived experiences of formerly incarcerated individuals and examine how recidivism affects occupational performance and community participation. METHODS This qualitative study used a phenomenological design with in-depth, semi-structured interviews conducted with nine formerly incarcerated individuals. Data were analyzed thematically using an inductive approach, with rigor supported by bracketing, member checking, and peer debriefing. RESULTS Five central themes emerged, (1) occupational disengagement and mental health barriers; (2) environmental barriers and systemic stigma; (3) structured occupational engagement as a protective factor; (4) the role of social support and mentorship; and (5) the need for individualized rehabilitation approaches. In addition, one intersecting theme was identified across all narratives: the scarcity of resources and support systems post-release. Participants described diverse reentry experiences but consistently emphasized systemic and occupational barriers to reintegration. CONCLUSION Occupational therapy has the potential to play a critical role in supporting reentry through trauma-informed, identity-driven, and community-integrated interventions. Addressing structural stigma and building therapeutic alliances may be essential strategies for both practice and advocacy.

The high rate of recidivism in Indonesia is caused by the legal paradigm and politics of society which place imprisonment as a premium remedium. Consequently, various problems arise in prisons, such as prison overcapacity and other problems. The government has made an effort to countermeasures by issuing a new Correctional Law and Criminal Code which carries a new sentencing paradigm through restorative justice; however, the panitentiary has not had a breakthrough that is in line with the new paradigm. Community-based correction which was first recognized in New Zealand is deemed appropriate to be applied in Indonesia with adjustments according to philosophical, sociological, and juridical foundations to fill the void in norms in arranging community-based correction as a form of fostering prisoners in jails. This study is a normative legal research with a literature study. This study uses statute, case, fact, and comparative approaches. Community-based correction implemented in New Zealand bears similarities to the fostering of convicts implemented in Indonesia, such as probation, parole, work release, and residential center or the halfway house program. In the future, the concept of fostering convicts based on the principles of restorative justice will be implemented using the pattern of community-based correction. Community-based correction is conceptualized in two forms, namely as an alternative to conviction and an alternative to imprisonment. As an alternative to conviction, the concept can accommodate the implementation of supervision and social work punishments that are regulated in the new Criminal Code. As an alternative to imprisonment, community-based correction can take the form of optimization of the function of open prisons by providing an opportunity for convicts with a maximum sentence of three years to be placed in open prisons from the start of serving their sentence. Keywords: community-based correction, conviction, imprisonment, restorative justice

The present investigation examined a group of 90 clients receiving treatment for issues related to sexual offending in The Central District (Ontario) Sex Offender Treatment Program operated by Correctional Service Canada (CSC). Treatment was provided in line with the Integrated Risk Assessment and Treatment System (IRATS) Model developed by the authors. A group of 55 individuals who had not received sexual offense–specific treatment but who received standard correctional programming offered by paraprofessionals were used as a basis of comparison. Risk assessment data were available for all clients included in the analyses. Results indicated that there were no differences between groups on the RRASOR (an actuarial instrument designed to assess risk of sexual offense recidivism) with reference to sexual offender recidivism risk. With reference to sexual offense recidivism, only one of the treated clients recidivated sexually over 8.17 years of follow-up versus four of the 55 comparison group who were followed for a significantly shorter period of time (i.e., 6.9 years).

The criminal justice system in Indonesia has long played an important role in shaping societal norms and values, preventing crime, and ensuring public safety, thus fostering a secure and conducive environment. The concept of Community-Based Correction (CBC) has emerged as a progressive alternative that emphasizes a balance between rehabilitation principles and social justice. The purpose of this study is to analyze philosophical aspects, including reintegration and rehabilitation, restorative justice practices, community involvement and support, as well as the challenges and ethical considerations of community-based correction. The method used in this study is a normative juridical approach with philosophical analysis. The research concludes that the philosophy of community-based correction offers a glimmer of hope in the evolving criminal justice landscape. It emphasizes reintegration, rehabilitation, and restorative justice, challenging the punitive model as a comprehensive preventive solution. As society grapples with the complexities of criminal justice, community-based correction presents a promising way forward—an approach aimed not only at rehabilitating offenders but also healing communities and addressing systemic inequalities, ultimately creating a safer and fairer society.

This study explores the shift from conventional incarceration systems to Community-Based Correction (CBC) as a more humane and effective approach to offender rehabilitation. Traditional prisons often fail to reintegrate inmates and instead exacerbate issues such as overcrowding, violence, and prisonization. CBC offers an alternative grounded in restorative justice through non-custodial methods such as community service, electronic monitoring, and probation. Using a post-positivist qualitative method, the study analyzes secondary data from legal texts, academic journals, and case studies across several countries. The Netherlands integrates community service as a primary sentence within a flexible legal framework; Canada emphasizes probation and offender accountability through restorative justice; New Zealand applies structured programs like community work and electronic supervision; while Indonesia’s CBC is limited to assimilation and open prisons, with minimal public involvement. The findings highlight CBC's success in reducing recidivism and prison overcrowding

Problems related to children in conflict with the law impact the quality of children as the next generation and national assets. With the high number of children in conflict with the law, proper handling is also needed so that the judicial process for children does not violate the rights inherent in the child, which will negatively impact the child's growth and development process in the future. This study aims to determine how Community-Based Correction is an effort to implement the assimilation rights of child prisoners in Special Child Development Institutions. The research method used in this writing is empirical Juridical research. Legal research on implementing or implementing normative legal provisions in action in every specific legal event that occurs in society. The results of the discussion of this study show that the Special Child Development Institution has a very important role, namely in carrying out guidance for children in conflict with the law. This includes skills training, religious guidance, and intellectual, physical, and spiritual health. One of the guidance programs for prisoners is Community Based Corrections; prisoners are allowed to return to the community and remain under supervision by the Correctional Center. As in the example of external Assimilation, foster children are allowed to participate in skills training and other activities outside the LPKA. So that foster children can mingle with the community and do social work before their detention period ends.

This study analyzes the implementation of restorative justice in handling theft committed by individuals with mental disorders in rural Indonesia, focusing on its compatibility with human rights and social rehabilitation principles. The research was motivated by the recurring challenge of criminalizing mentally disordered offenders without adequate medical and social considerations, leading to ineffective deterrence and recurring offenses. Using a normative juridical method with a qualitative descriptive approach, the study examines statutory provisions, legal doctrines, and empirical practices involving the prosecution and correctional systems. The findings reveal that restorative justice offers an alternative framework that emphasizes accountability, rehabilitation, and social reintegration rather than punitive measures. However, its application remains inconsistent due to limited institutional understanding, a lack of coordination between law enforcement and mental health institutions, and inadequate legal infrastructure in rural areas. The novelty of this research lies in its integration of restorative justice with mental health protection as a model for humanizing criminal law enforcement. The study concludes that the restorative justice approach can effectively bridge the gap between criminal responsibility and medical treatment, thereby promoting a more humane, inclusive, and community-based justice system in Indonesia.

The study examines a two-year recidivism rate among 6,172 offenders released in a U.S. state, finding it to be around 45 percent. A detailed analysis shows a significant age-related trend: those under 25 have a recidivism rate of 58 percent, while those 45 and older see a rate of 36 percent. The distribution of prior convictions is skewed to the right, with an average of 3.2, and nearly 25 percent of the sample had five or more previous convictions. Despite the sample being predominantly male (81 percent) and African-American (51%), data integrity is maintained with minimal missing values and outliers, providing a solid basis for further analysis. In comparing logistic regression, decision tree, and polynomial logistic regression, all methods achieve predictive accuracies ranging from 66.7 to 68.8 percent on the test set, with an AUC of approximately 0.72, which is notably higher than the 55 percent baseline. The classification tree, optimized with a maximum depth of five, entropy splitting, and 70 percent random feature sampling, strikes a balance between accuracy and interpretability. Both logistic and polynomial models provide consistent coefficients for the number of priors, age categories, and their interactions. Notably, the impact of prior convictions increases nonlinearly; offenders with five or more priors have an odds ratio six times that of first-time offenders. The findings consistently show a positive effect for the under-25 age group and a negative effect for the over-45 age group, supporting life-course theory. Economically, the study suggests that recidivism risk is largely influenced by the accumulation of crime-specific human capital and the varying opportunity costs associated with age, rather than demographic labels alone. By integrating age and prior convictions into sentencing support tools, high-risk cases can be identified without relying on race. This approach offers judges transparent and auditable probability estimates, directing limited correctional resource.

We synthesize 53 meta-analyses on the effectiveness of correctional treatment applied to a wide variety of offender groups delivered in either custodial or community-based settings. Those meta-analyses revealed positive overall effects on reoffending of correctional treatment delivered in both settings. However, the treatment setting is also associated with complex moderator effects. With respect to effect size, for most groups, community-based correctional treatment is associated with statistically significant larger reductions in reoffending than treatments delivered in custodial settings. With respect to effect precision, custodial treatments report more consistent effects on reoffending than community-based treatments. The findings extend and develop the insight that treatment flexibility, such as is found among community-based treatments, can optimize program effectiveness. Likewise, the opportunities for monitoring and treatment fidelity that custodial settings enable can homogenize outcomes. Nonetheless, the promising results observed among treatments delivered both inside and outside institutional settings implicate a complex policy tradeoff between prioritizing strong performance and consistent effects.

The US justice system unfairly targets youths of color; systemic reform plus interventions to keep youths out of the justice system are needed. The Juvenile Justice Collaborative provided care coordination and wraparound services to adolescents in a diversion program from 2017 to 2019 in Cook County, Illinois. Youths showed increased strengths and decreased needs by program's end. Youths who successfully completed the program showed reduced recidivism compared with nonprogram youths. Community-based alternatives to incarceration may decrease life disruption, promote positive health and social outcomes, and reduce further justice involvement. (Am J Public Health. Published online ahead of print July 7, 2022:e1-e4. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2022.306946).

There are clinical practice and operational reasons why it may be appropriate to primarily focus on general risk factors when supervising people convicted of sexual crime in the community. General risk domains may be particularly relevant when supervision officers engage in frequent reassessment of acute dynamic risk factors. We tested the ability of a case management tool, the Dynamic Risk Assessment for Offender Re-entry, to discriminate community based, short-term general (all outcome) recidivism versus nonrecidivism among people convicted of sexual crime (n = 562). We tested the predictive discrimination validity of each DRAOR item and then subscale scores in univariate and multivariate models (also controlling for general static risk). DRAOR scores were associated with general recidivism outcomes and effect sizes were generally similar or stronger compared to models with people convicted of nonsexual crime (n = 2854). DRAOR Acute scores were consistently and incrementally related to general recidivism outcomes beyond other scores. In practice, case managers should remain aware that people convicted of sexual crime are at risk for nonsexual recidivism outcomes and assess problematic functioning broadly alongside problems in sexual domains. Clinically, interconnection among domains potentially provides multiple avenues for effective intervention.

The juvenile justice system has long struggled with practices for understanding, preventing, and intervening in delinquency. Debates concerning youth delinquency, diversion efforts, and effective rehabilitation have consistently been examined. However, the answers to most of these fundamental approaches remain unresolved. Mental health is a major concern for juveniles under a correctional treatment program, but the juvenile justice system lacks individualized mental health services, having devastating and unfair results on youth in need. Through research, professional development, and advocacy, youth who are especially vulnerable to experiencing the undesired outcomes that result from receiving inadequate and inappropriate services will gain better outcomes.

Military veterans with sexual offenses committed after discharge are often eligible for Veterans Affairs (VA) services including health care. There are few, if any, studies of sexual recidivism among military veterans with sexual offense histories to guide clinical management. This study examined diagnostic and postrelease sexual and nonsexual recidivism among military sexual offenders released from California sexually violent predator (SVP) commitment. The sample consisted of 363 males; 131 were identified as military veterans and 232 as civilians. The rates of recidivism were assessed for two follow-up periods: a fixed 5-year and a total 21-year follow-up. Recidivism was operationalized as any new sexual, violent, or general criminal arrest or conviction occurring after discharge to the community in California. We found a low risk for sexual reoffense for both groups. Specific to veterans, the rates for sexual and nonsexual violent recidivism were under 7% for both follow-up periods. Diagnostically, veterans had a significantly higher rate of pedophilic disorder and lower rate of antisocial personality disorder than civilians; neither were predictive of sexual recidivism or any other recidivism. On average, veterans were 61 years old at discharge; and older age at discharge was associated with a significantly lower likelihood of recidivism of any type. A relatively high proportion of veterans had a history of childhood sexual abuse and head trauma. Trauma-informed care may be a particularly valuable treatment approach for veterans with sexual offenses. These data may aid the VA and other providers in forming evidence-based decisions regarding the management of veterans with sexual offenses. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Juvenile crime in India is a pressing issue that requires tailored rehabilitation approaches. This paper explores the application of the "Risk-Need-Responsivity (RNR) model" as a conceptual model for treating juvenile offenders within the Indian legal context. The study reviews correctional practices and highlights the need for structured offender treatment based on the 'RNR model's' core principles of 'risk,' 'need,' and 'responsivity.' Drawing on criminological theories and empirical evidence, the paper emphasizes the significance of addressing criminogenic factors to reduce recidivism. By analyzing existing literature on juvenile justice, the paper demonstrates how the RNR model, typically employed in Western contexts, can be adapted for India's socio-cultural environment to enhance the effectiveness of juvenile rehabilitation. The findings suggest that integrating RNR-informed interventions into the juvenile justice system can improve long-term rehabilitation outcomes and reduce re-offense rates among young offenders.

While there are multiple ways in which eHealth interventions such as online modules, apps and virtual reality can improve forensic psychiatry, uptake in practice is low. To overcome this problem, better integration of eHealth in treatment is necessary. In this perspective paper, we describe how the possibilities of eHealth can be connected to the risk-need-responsivity (RNR) model. To account for the risk-principle, stand-alone eHealth interventions might be used to offer more intensive treatment to high-risk offenders. The need-principle can be addressed by connecting novel experience-based interventions such as VR and apps to stable and acute dynamic risk factors. Finally, using and combining personalized interventions is in line with the responsivity-principle. Based on research inside and outside of forensic psychiatry, we conclude that there are many possibilities for eHealth to improve treatment—not just based on RNR, but also on other models. However, there is a pressing need for more development, implementation and evaluation research.

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is an umbrella term used to describe a range of significant neurodevelopmental, brain-based disorders and impairments that result from prenatal alcohol exposure. FASD is a high prevalence but underdiagnosed group of disorders affecting between 17 and 36% of individuals in criminal justice settings. Despite being a high-impact disorder associated with lifelong impairments with a significant need for services and interventions, little research has been completed on how to best support individuals with these conditions in criminal justice settings. This article proposes a renewed focus on applying and adapting the Risk-Need-Responsivity (RNR) approach to individuals with FASD in criminal justice settings. This will assist in better determining the needs and interventions likely to effect change and reduce recidivism for this prominent criminal justice-based population. The RNR approach has been used with multiple corrections populations to determine the need and most appropriate interventions, as well as how to best allocate scarce resources. As the prevalence of FASD becomes better understood and recognized, evidence-based approaches to addressing this specific sub-population are necessary to effect change and reduce recidivism and ongoing involvement in the criminal justice system.

Transgender women are at least twice as likely as cisgender people to be incarcerated in their lifetimes, and, in custody, they experience harassment, abuse, and denial of affirming healthcare. Despite several legal and policy changes intended to improve these conditions, there has been little discussion about the need for evidence-based rehabilitation with the population. This article examines the use of the risk–need–responsivity (RNR) model with transgender women in the criminal justice system and discusses how it can be beneficial for tailoring rehabilitation services to address the unique needs of the population, thereby improving opportunities for successful community reintegration.

No abstract available

OBJECTIVE Juvenile courts that apply the risk-need-responsivity (RNR) model should periodically reassess youths and observe reductions in risk. There is a gap in knowledge concerning the reliable implementation of the specific responsivity principle of the RNR model, which emphasizes considering youths' unique characteristics to support rehabilitation success. In the present study, we aimed to identify whether specific responsivity factors (i.e., age, gender, and race/ethnicity) and supervision experiences (i.e., time under supervision and participation in judicial programs) effect changes in risk scores. HYPOTHESES We anticipated that (a) time under supervision would be negatively associated with dynamic risk, (b) participation in judicial programs would be positively associated with dynamic risk, and (c) race/ethnicity (not age or gender) would moderate the relationship between supervision experiences and dynamic risk. METHOD The sample consisted of 360 youths who served probation in a midwestern court. We tested multilevel models to determine differential impacts of supervision experiences on dynamic risk across responsivity factors, controlling for initial risk scores and offense seriousness. RESULTS Partially confirming our hypotheses, results showed that spending longer periods on probation and being referred to judicial programs were both associated with negative changes in risk scores (i.e., risk scores increased over time). There was no effect of age or gender; however, race/ethnicity predicted dynamic risk. The average change in risk score was 1.81 units lower for historically marginalized youths (b = -1.82, SE = 0.68, p = .01), and the magnitude of the effect was significantly driven by multiracial youths. As expected, race/ethnicity moderated the relationship between time on probation and changes in risk scores. CONCLUSIONS Findings indicate that improper application of the specific responsivity principle of the RNR model may diminish desired rehabilitation outcomes. Closing this theory-to-practice gap would improve court supervision experiences for all youths. In future studies, researchers should continue investigating specific responsivity factors and the dynamic validity of risk assessment. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

The risk-need-responsivity (RNR) model is widely used to understand criminal behavior and guide interventions to reduce recidivism. However, its implementation in China’s juvenile justice system has not been extensively explored. This research critically examines China’s adaptation of the RNR model, noting differences from the original framework. While China emphasizes rehabilitation, its juvenile justice system prioritizes stability and risk prevention. By employing participant observation, interviews, and document analysis, this study suggests that China’s selective adaptation of the RNR model supports rehabilitation rhetoric in juvenile justice while maintaining the state’s role in risk management and promoting social stability.

Traditional risk assessments for sexual offending among people with intellectual disabilities (ID) have relied on clinical, deficit-focused models like the Risk-Need-Responsivity (RNR) framework. While effective for tracking static risks, these approaches often overlook individual human rights, personal aspirations, and the social contexts driving harmful sexual behavior (HSB).​ This paper advances a Person-Centered Planning (PCP) approach, integrating the Dignity of Risk, Good Lives Model (GLM), and public safety imperatives into forensic ID services. PCP empowers individuals by shifting risk formulation from clinical typologies to collaborative functional behavior analysis. Involving the person, family, and Circle of Support, it identifies unmet needs such as sexual education deficits, social isolation, or sensory processing issues that underlie HSB.​ Methodological challenges like communication barriers and ID-specific cognitive profiles are addressed by adapting tools like ARMIDILO-S with person-centered data from support circles. Resulting risk management plans prioritize proactive strategies such as skill-building, community inclusion over purely restrictive measures.​ Implementation data reveal superior outcomes: traditional restrictive plans yield stagnant incidents (8/month), while PCP frameworks achieve a 66% behavior reduction by month eight and eliminate crisis alerts by twelve months, balancing autonomy with community safety.​ Ultimately, PCP offers a sustainable, ethical alternative, reducing recidivism by promoting quality of life without compromising rights. Quality-of-life enhancement is not a trade-off for safety but its key enabler.​

The criminological approach to relapse is based, on the one hand, on the theories that explain the risk of relapse, including the risk level assessment tools, and on the other hand, on the rehabilitation theories—the Risk-Need-Responsivity (RNR) Model and The Good Live Model (GLM), which explain the mechanisms of reducing the risk of relapse in the assisted desistance paradigm. The objectives of this study focus on identifying the predictors of relapse in correlation with relapse inhibitors that combine a number of personal, psycho-emotional factors with psychopathological, socio-economic, and cultural accents. The method used is that of the case study from the perspective of clinical criminology, referring to forensic psychiatry through specific techniques and working procedures of some institutions in the correctional system—territorial structures of probation (TSP) in cooperation with the penitentiary system. The results of the study focus on the impact of standardized programs on the reduction in the risk of relapse after prison (RRR) and on personal and socio-familial factors involved in post-executional surveillance and post-criminal assistance. In conclusion, the current study highlights the need to corroborate the clinical or subjective assessment of relapse risk with the actual or objective assessment, which also includes the risk of violence in the framework of community monitoring from the perspective of community or social psychiatry.

According to official statistical data, each year a large number of the perpetrators of intimate partner violence (IPV) is under the supervision of Lithuanian probation service (LPS). This article analyses evidence-based measures applied for the management of the risk of repeated IPV, as well as Lithuanian and foreign practice of organising correctional work with the perpetrators of IPV. Analysis of recent practice shows that, compared to foreign countries, correctional work with this group of offenders in Lithuania often does not correspond to the principles of the Risk-Need-Responsivity model and does not address the heterogeneity of this specific group. Taking into account the good practice of foreign countries and the Lithuanian context, several suggestions are made to improve correctional work with this specific group: revising individual assessment procedures, preparing differentiated protocols for service provision, and adapting the means available at LPS for correctional work with IPV perpetrators.

ABSTRACT The Structured Assessment of Violence Risk in Youth (SAVRY) instrument is a popular risk-need-responsivity tool for justice-involved youth. This study conducted a multi-group (based on sex) latent class analysis model of the SAVRY items to explore heterogeneity in risk/needs among youths involved in the juvenile court in Mississippi between 2017 and 2021. Results indicated a three-class solution best with the data, with Very Low, Low, and Bimodal classes. Generally, these groups were similar across sex, though the Bimodal subgroup was proportionally larger for females than males. Subsequent analyses indicated the Bimodal group was significantly younger and more involved in future one-year recidivism. These findings suggest subgroups of risk exist and should be examined further to assess future recidivism and other risks.

Despite calls for strength-focused approaches in juvenile justice, there is little research on the role of strengths in probation case management. This is one of the first studies to examine whether strengths function as specific responsivity factors as proposed by the risk–need–responsivity model, through mediating and moderating effects, and findings lend preliminary support to this conceptualization. In a sample of 261 justice-involved youth, the relationship between strengths and recidivism was found to be partially mediated by the service-to-needs match rate, even while controlling for risk—suggesting that strengths have an important indirect effect on recidivism through their impact on youth’s engagement in and completion of services. Strengths, however, did not moderate the relationship between service-to-needs match and reoffending, suggesting that appropriately matched services are essential irrespective of a youth’s strength profile. Research corroborating these findings and examining the feasibility of front-line use of strengths information is warranted.

As an interdisciplinary field spanning criminology, criminal law, and psychology, offender psychological rehabilitation centers on deconstructing the psychological etiology of crime and explicating the logic of rehabilitative intervention. Taking individual psychological reconstruction as the entry point, it provides theoretical support for reducing recidivism and facilitating social reintegration. This paper systematically reviews the core theoretical foundations of the field, encompassing classical paradigms such as psychodynamic theory, cognitive-behavioral theory, social learning theory, and biopsychology, as well as integrative models including the modern biopsychosocial model and the Risk-Need-Responsivity model, with complementary perspectives from positive psychology and restorative justice. It further analyzes key academic controversies in theoretical development, including challenges of theoretical integration, debates over localization, tensions between law and ethics, and difficulties in empirical validation. Looking ahead, the field is expected to witness deeper interdisciplinary integration, the construction of indigenous theoretical frameworks, refinements in empirical research, and studies on the alignment of legal and ethical standards. The study concludes that offender psychological rehabilitation has developed into a diversified theoretical system; despite multiple challenges, collaborative innovation across disciplines will contribute to a more scientific, context-sensitive, and practice-oriented framework that supports social harmony and stability.

A study of parental involvement in their children’s diversion programmes has been a gap in both practice and research. This article focuses on the parents’ experiences in the implementation of diversion programmes for children in conflict with the law. This was an exploratory, descriptive, contextual and phenomenological study with a qualitative approach. A risk-need responsivity model guided the study. Purposive sampling was used. Data collection was done through semi-structured, face-to-face interviews, and data were analysed through thematic content and verified using Lincoln and Guba’s model. Ethical considerations were taken into account throughout this study. The study established that many challenges facing parents affected their involvement in their children’s diversion programmes. Keywords: children, diversion programme, implementation, parents, participation

Training probation officers on evidence-based practices (EBPs) is vital to ensuring that community supervision is maximally effective at reducing recidivism. However, after training, probation officers often have differential perceptions regarding EBPs. Thus, this study surveyed 90 adult probation officers after they participated in a training based on the Risk-Need-Responsivity model and Core Correctional Practices and examined whether their role orientation, job satisfaction, and confidence and skill proficiency using EBPs predicted their perceptions regarding the EBPs’ ease of use, usefulness, and perceived success at reducing recidivism on their caseload. Regression analyses revealed that all predictors accounted for variability in officers’ perceptions regarding the perceived success of using EBPs, explaining 41.2% of the variance, but job satisfaction (ΔR2 = .18) and officer role orientation (ΔR2 = .10) were most critical, solely explaining 28.5% of the variance. We conclude by providing recommendations for improving probation officers’ perceptions of EBPs.

Abstract The construct of psychopathy has received considerable attention from clinicians, researchers, and legal practitioners because of its demonstrated association with a range of outcomes of interest to the criminal justice system. The Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) is generally regarded as the premier assessment tool for measuring psychopathy in correctional and legal contexts, and the PCL-R is being used with increased frequency to address a variety of legal questions. This article provides a comprehensive examination and review of the PCL-R’s use in legal contexts. We begin by reviewing various uses (appropriate and inappropriate) of the PCL-R in legal contexts, using the risk-need-responsivity (RNR) model as the conceptual framework. After reviewing available data regarding the use of the PCL-R in legal contexts, we review and synthesize psychometric research with psycholegal relevance, with a focus on the PCL-R’s construct validity, predictive validity, and interrater reliability. We then discuss the scientific acceptability and clinical utility of the PCL-R’s structural, predictive, and measurement properties for credibility in court, followed by sample cross-examination questions. We conclude with a review of admissibility issues relating to the use of the PCL-R in various legal proceedings.

ABSTRACT New South Wales has the largest population of incarcerated people in Australia, with increasing levels of community supervision. Corrective Services NSW offers eligible people the EQUIPS suite of offender treatment programs, which follow the Risk-Need-Responsivity model of offender rehabilitation. Referrals to the programs are also targeted to meet the specific reoffending needs of individuals, including EQUIPS Foundation, Aggression, Addiction and Domestic Abuse. This study examined the profile of people targeted for treatment in NSW by examining demographic, sentencing and criminogenic characteristics within a cohort of 18,963 individuals allocated to attend EQUIPS programs in custody and in the community between 2015 and 2018. Most individuals allocated to EQUIPS programs (80%) had a history of criminal justice system involvement, were male, with low education and most often from major cities or inner regional areas. Around a third were Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander. Less than half of those referred to EQUIPS participated in at least one treatment session and only one quarter completed the course of treatment. Recommendations for improved program delivery include: 1) more timely risk assessment and allocation to programs during individual’s sentences; and 2) enhancing equitable allocation between custodial and community settings based on individual risk and the types of programs available.

Recidivism in property crimes (theft, robbery, and receiving stolen goods) linked to problematic drug use remains a recurring challenge for public safety and correctional governance. It often manifests as a short cycle of arrest–release–reoffending, with repeated victimization, increased institutional costs, and limited preventive impact when the State response relies primarily on episodic incapacitation. This theoretical-analytical article, grounded in a narrative review and document analysis, frames “Law and Order” as the State’s capacity to deliver protection through legality, proportionality, and procedural legitimacy. Four analytical pillars are integrated: (i) the drugs–crime nexus through Goldstein’s tripartite model, emphasizing economically compulsive dynamics; (ii) routine activity theory as an opportunity-structure explanation; (iii) the Risk–Need–Responsivity (RNR) correctional paradigm as a proportional targeting framework; and (iv) evidence on therapeutic jurisprudence and drug courts. The core argument is that purely punitive strategies often address symptoms without reshaping underlying mechanisms, whereas integrated approaches—combining accountability, risk triage, graduated supervision, and structured access to treatment—are more likely to reduce property-crime recidivism and strengthen operational predictability. 

A criminal record limits employment opportunities of those released from prison. Entrepreneurship, or starting one's own business venture, has been suggested as a way to overcome the employment barriers of a criminal record, given that many justice-involved persons have entrepreneurship experiences, often through illegal ventures. Sparse research has investigated how legal or illegal business experience translates to legal entrepreneurship attitudes. Using social cognitive career theory-career theory (SCCT), and concepts from the Risk Need Responsivity (RNR) model, the role of illegal and legal business exposure were investigated. Findings indicated that both legal and illegal business exposure had a positive influence on entrepreneurship goals through entrepreneurship self-efficacy and entrepreneurship outcome expectations. Legal experiences had a stronger influence. Criminal thinking, a significant risk factor for return to criminal behavior, was investigated in its role in entrepreneurship attitudes. Findings indicated that criminal thinking had an indirect effect on entrepreneurship goals through entrepreneurship self-efficacy.

Purpose: The aim was to test whether dynamic criminogenic risk factors change after participation in a new cognitive-behavioral treatment program adhering to the Risk-Need-Responsivity (RNR) model, within a group of adult men convicted of a sexual offense in Sweden. Methods: Three psychometric tests from approximately 26 participants were completed. Therapists rated 46 participants using the Therapist Rating Scale-2 (TRS-2). Results: Participants reported a significant decrease in hypersexuality, small to medium effect size, a non-significant, increased, internal locus of control, but no change regarding attachment styles, posttreatment. Therapists rated significant decrease in all treatment needs posttreatment, medium to large effect size. Conclusions: The significant reduction of several criminogenic risk factors posttreatment indicates the treatment program may reduce problems related to increased risk of recidivism, especially hypersexuality. Moreover, treatment did not appear to have negative effects, motivating further implementation. However, to evaluate the effectiveness, more research is necessary.

The use of risk assessment tools such as the level of service/risk-need-responsivity (LS/RNR) has spread in criminal justice systems across the world. Although risk assessments have been implemented in many European jurisdictions, there is still a need for empirical knowledge on the applicability of the instruments in these geographical contexts. In this study, we follow the first cohorts of Danish prisoners who were assessed with LS/RNR (N = 4075) and evaluate the predictive validity of recidivism within 24 months from prison release. The results suggest that LS/RNR is a medium-strong predictor of recidivism when evaluated with standard methods. However, we also find large differences in recidivism outcomes between subgroups (defined by age and minority background) within identical risk levels, and we discuss the implications of these findings for research and practice.

No abstract available

This study examined the feasibility of and fidelity to risk/needs assessment, mental health screening, and risk-need-responsivity (RNR)-based case planning within juvenile probation in two states. The researcher-guided implementation effort included the Massachusetts Youth Screening Instrument-2 (MAYSI-2), Structured Assessment of Violence Risk in Youth (SAVRY), and policies to prioritize criminogenic needs while using mental health services only when warranted. Data from 53 probation officers (POs) and 553 youths indicated three of five offices had high fidelity to administration and case planning policies. The interrater reliability (n = 85; intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC][A, 1] = .92 [Northern state] and .80 [Southern state]) and predictive validity (n = 455; Exp[B] = 1.83) of SAVRY risk ratings were significant. There was an overreliance on mental health services; 48% of youth received these referrals when only 20% screened as having mental health needs. Barriers to fidelity to RNR practices in some offices included assessments not being conducted before disposition, lack of service availability, and limited buy-in from a few stakeholders.

With a sample of 125 adults under community supervision (71.20% male, 76.00% White, mean age = 33.17 years), this study evaluated need-to-service matching using an evaluation framework from implementation science. Need-to-service matching is a case management strategy intended to align service referrals in case plans with justice-involved persons' criminogenic needs. The results indicated that need-to-service matching reached a high percentage of its target population at 81.70%. Within criminogenic need areas, good match frequencies ranged from 80.00% in family/marital problems to 98.29% in alcohol/drug problems. Clinical staff also met the adherence benchmark applied by the current study, which required a 75.00% match between individuals' criminogenic needs and the services they received. Justice-involved persons had, on average, 90.46% of their criminogenic needs matched with at least one service referral. Over-prescription of services (i.e., recommendation of services that were not needed) was high, with frequencies in need areas ranging from 60.98% in education/employment to 82.21% in antisocial patterns. Methods from implementation science are useful for structuring evaluations of need-to-service matching, understanding implementation success and failure, and generating recommendations for improving implementation practice. The field would benefit greatly from benchmarks for need-to-service matching evaluation elements.

Individuals in the criminal justice system engage in behaviors that put them at high risk for HIV. This study sought to identify characteristics of individuals who are under community corrections supervision (eg, probation) and at risk for HIV. Approximately 25,000 individuals under community corrections supervision were assessed for HIV risk, and 5059 participants were deemed high-risk or no-risk. Of those, 1519 exhibited high sexual-risk (SR) behaviors, 203 exhibited injection drug risk (IVR), 957 exhibited both types of risk (SIVR), and 2380 exhibited no risk. Sociodemographic characteristics and drug of choice were then examined using univariate and binary logistic regression. Having a history of sexual abuse, not having insurance, and selecting any drug of choice were associated with all forms of HIV risk. However, the effect sizes associated with the various drugs of choice varied significantly by group. Aside from those common risk factors, very different patterns emerged. Female gender was a risk factor for the SR group but was less likely to be associated with IVR. Younger age was associated with SR, whereas older age was associated with IVR. Black race was a risk factor for SR but had a negative association with IVR and SIVR. Living in a shelter, living with relatives/friends, and being unemployed were all risk factors for IVR but were protective factors for SR. Distinct sociodemographic and substance use characteristics were associated with sexual versus injection drug use risk for individuals under community corrections supervision who were at risk for HIV. Information from this study could help identify high-risk individuals and allow tailoring of interventions.

Returning to the community after incarceration is a particularly vulnerable time with significantly increased risk of death in the first 2 weeks. The elevated risk of death persists as long as 2 years, with cardiovascular disease (CVD) among the leading causes. African-Americans, especially African-American men, have higher rates of incarceration and community supervision (e.g., probation and parole) and an earlier onset of hypertension compared to Whites. Few studies have objectively assessed the cardiovascular health profile of criminal justice involved individuals. This study is designed to determine the cardiovascular health profile among men in community corrections and/or transitional housing, identify the prevalence of key CVD risk factors, and assess if risk varies by race/ethnicity. We recruited 100 adult men (mean age = 42.7, SD = 11.35, 60% White, 40% non-Hispanic White) with a history of incarceration in jail or prison of ≥ 6 months during their most recent incarceration and enrolled in a community corrections program. Using the American Heart Association's Life's Simple 7™ (LS-7), measures of each of the LS-7 components (body mass index, blood pressure, lipids, blood glucose, smoking, diet, and physical activity) were obtained, and LS-7 scores were generated for each measure using AHA-defined categories of poor (1 point), intermediate (2 points), and ideal (3 points) and summed to yield a total score ranging from poor for all (7 points) to ideal for all (21 points). Mann-Whitney U tests were performed to assess differences in LS-7 scores (poor, intermediate, ideal) by race/ethnicity. Additionally, an independent samples t test was conducted for race/ethnicity and LS-7 total score. Mann-Whitney U tests for LS-7 categories and race/ethnicity indicated a greater number of non-Whites had poor blood pressure (p < .01) and diet (p < .05) as compared to Whites. The independent samples t test demonstrated significantly lower LS-7 scores for non-Whites compared to Whites. To our knowledge, this is the first study to evaluate cardiovascular health among individuals with a history of incarceration using the LS-7 metric, which included objective measures for four of the seven LS-7 metrics. Non-Whites, which included African-Americans, Hispanics, and American Indians, were more likely than Whites to fall into the poor category for both diet and blood pressure and had significantly lower total LS-7 scores than Whites, indicating they have worse scores across all seven of the LS-7 measures. Similar to what is found among non-incarcerated samples, non-Whites with incarceration histories are at elevated risk for cardiovascular events relative to their White peers.

Several studies have demonstrated the importance of agonist therapies such as methadone and buprenorphine for preventing relapse for individuals being released from jail or prison to the community. No studies have examined the impact of methadone for increasing the completion of community supervision requirements and preventing opioid relapse for individuals under community corrections supervision. This observational study compared the community corrections completion rate and opioid relapse rate of individuals receiving methadone maintenance therapy (MMT) to individuals who did not. Of the 2931 individuals enrolled under criminal justice supervision in the community, Treatment Accountability for Safer Communities (TASC), and who met criteria for opioid dependence, 329 (11%) individuals reported receiving MMT in the community. The majority of participants were White (79.8%) and male (63.5%), with a mean age of 31.33years (SD=9.18), and were under supervision for 10.4months (SD=9.1). MMT participants were less likely to fail out of supervision compared to individuals not in MMT (39.0% vs. 52.9%, p<0.001), and had a lower rate of relapse (32.9%) and longer time to relapse (average days=89.7, SD=158.9) compared to the relapse rate (55.9%) and time to relapse (average days=60.5, SD=117.9) of those not on MMT. While the observational nature of this study prevents causal inferences, these results suggest that utilization of MMT in community corrections may increase the likelihood of completing supervision requirements and delay time to opioid relapse. Providing agonist therapies to opioid dependent individuals under supervision appears to be a critical strategy in this important population.

The reentry process from prison to the community is rife with obstacles. Substance use problems, in particular, can present significant barriers to successful reentry. However, little research has examined the various roles that substance use plays during reentry from the perspective of those reentering the community. The current study explores reentry experiences of people who have been recently released from prison with a specific focus on their experiences with substance use during the reentry process. Using thematic analysis, the present study explored substance use experiences from 26 semi-structured interviews. Seven main themes emerged: recovery and sobriety, substance use programs, relapse, substance use exposure, triggers and other challenges, impact of incarceration on substance use, and reflections about substance use. Within each of these broad themes, additional subthemes emerged. Findings suggest complex histories of substance use spanning ecological contexts, including family, neighborhood, and corrections facilities as well as provide support for the pervasive and persistent nature of substance use among previously incarcerated individuals. Implications for practice and policy are discussed as well as potential future directions for research.

Preoccupation of criminologists with juvenile-onset criminal careers overshadows the fact that offenders who begin their criminal careers in adulthood comprise a substantial portion of adult offender populations. Little is known about adult-onset offenders, generally, and even less about first-time adult-onset offenders. Using a large sample of adult felons on probation supervision, this study explores differences between first and repeat offenders. With respect to risk factors at intake, timing of rearrest, and frequency and nature of supervision failures over 3 years, first-time adult-onset participants exhibited statistically significant differences in relation to both repeat adult-onset and juvenile persistent offenders, with largest differences occurring in analyses involving the latter. With respect to risk factors at intake and rearrest, events in adulthood played a more dominant role among first-time adult-onset offenders compared with other groups, where criminal lifestyle factors were in greater evidence. The article concludes with a discussion of community supervision practices to prevent the progression of the first-time adult-onset offender's criminal career, social reforms to assist this group, and avenues for relevant future research.

While there are different approaches to dealing with offenders sentenced to community corrections, the three major ones are law enforcement (surveillance), therapeutic (rehabilitation), and crime opportunity prevention. Using the study of U.S. community corrections staff by Miller as a guide, the current study examined the supervision strategy used by Chinese community corrections staff in the Hubei province of China. Chinese community corrections staff were more likely to use the therapeutic and crime opportunity prevention approaches than the law enforcement model. Predictors of each of the three offender supervision approaches differed. The results from Chinese staff were similar in many ways to that found among U.S. staff reported by Miller but differed in some areas.

The purpose of this review was to better understand the impact of community notification, known as "Megan's Law," on sex offenders' reintegration into the community. Eight quantitative studies that examined the social and psychological impact of community notification on adult sex offenders (N = 1,503) were reviewed. The pattern of results across studies showed considerable similarities despite marked variability in the populations examined, survey methods used, and response rates obtained. Sex offenders rarely reported being the target of vigilante attacks. Substantial minorities reported exclusion from residence and job loss as social consequences of being publicly identified as sex offenders in their communities. The majority of offenders reported negative psychological consequences of notification but also identified benefits of knowing that others were monitoring their behavior. More intrusive notification strategies were associated with higher rates of socially destabilizing consequences. Results are discussed in terms of their policy and research implications.

Antisocial personality disorder is a major health and social problem, but scepticism about its treatability has restricted development of the evidence base for psychological treatments. Mentalisation-based treatment (MBT) tailored for antisocial personality disorder (MBT-ASPD) can address problematic behaviours by improving the ability to understand and regulate the negative effects of thoughts and feelings. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical and cost-effectiveness of MBT-ASPD compared with probation as usual in reducing aggressive behaviours from baseline to 12 months of follow-up. The Mentaliziation for Offending Adult Males (MOAM) trial was a multicentre, two-group, pragmatic, assessor-masked, randomised controlled superiority trial in England and Wales. Eligible participants were male, aged 21 years or older, convicted of an offence and under National Probation Service supervision at one of 13 sites, identified through the Community Personality Disorder Pathways Service, met DSM-5 criteria for antisocial personality disorder, and scored at least 15 on the Overt Aggression Scale-Modified (OAS-M). After a three-stage screening process, consenting participants were randomly allocated (1:1), stratified by site, age, probation order type, and remaining probation duration, to either MBT-ASPD plus probation as usual, or probation as usual alone. Participants in the MBT-ASPD group were offered 12 months of weekly 75-min group therapy sessions and monthly 50 min individual sessions. Probation as usual lasted up to 12 months, after which participants continued under National Probation Service supervision for the remainder of their term. Investigators and data collectors were masked to treatment allocation. The primary outcome was aggression measured by the OAS-M at 12 months after random allocation. Data were collected by a hybrid team of traditional researchers and researchers with lived experience of the criminal justice system. The primary analysis was conducted in the intention-to-treat population using a linear mixed-effects model, adjusted for baseline at each follow-up timepoint (months 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, and 24). This trial is registered with ISRCTN (ISRCTN 32309003), and all pre-planned follow-ups are complete. Between Jan 2, 2016, and Aug 31, 2018, 1946 individuals were referred to the study; after the screening process, 313 participants were randomly allocated (156 [50%] to probation as usual and 157 [50%] to MBT-ASPD plus probation as usual). Participants had a mean age of 34·2 years (SD 9·3); the majority of participants (247 [79%]) identified as White British, Irish, or White Other; followed by Black British (Caribbean, African, or Other; 30 [10%]) or Mixed (29 [9%]). At 12 months after random allocation, mean OAS-M scores were significantly higher in the probation as usual group (mean score 186 [SD 153]) than in the MBT-ASPD group (90 [126]), with an adjusted mean difference between groups of -73·5 (95% CI -113·7 to -33·2); p<0·0001, with a medium-to-large effect size of 0·74. During the trial, seven participants died, and one presumed death occurred, all in the probation as usual group after random allocation, with none of the deaths deemed related to trial procedures. MBT-ASPD holds promise as an effective intervention for individuals with antisocial personality disorder within a forensic population. Future research should explore these findings' generalisability and the sustainability of treatment gains. National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment programme.

In recent decades, the United States has seen the simultaneous rise of mass incarceration and homelessness. The two crises interact with and worsen one another. Mass incarceration and homelessness are driven by the same structural factors and exacerbate one another in a feedback loop. People on community supervision face many barriers to housing, putting them at high risk of experiencing homelessness in the months following release. People experiencing homelessness are at heightened risk of criminal justice involvement, including violating the terms of their community supervision, for engaging in survival behaviors in public spaces. This paper presents evidence-based approaches to improving housing strategies for reentry populations, preventing homelessness among those in community supervision, and rehousing members of the reentry community experiencing homelessness. It concludes with recommendations for policymakers interested in improving housing outcomes and overall reentry success for people on community supervision.

After four decades of steady growth, U.S. states' prison populations finally appear to be declining, driven by a range of sentencing and policy reforms. One of the most popular reform suggestions is to expand probation supervision in lieu of incarceration. However, the classic socio-legal literature suggests that expansions of probation instead widen the net of penal control and lead to higher incarceration rates. This article reconsiders probation in the era of mass incarceration, providing the first comprehensive evaluation of the role of probation in the build-up of the criminal justice system. The results suggest that probation was not the primary driver of mass incarceration in most states, nor is it likely to be a simple panacea to mass incarceration. Rather, probation serves both capacities, acting as an alternative and as a net-widener, to varying degrees across time and place. Moving beyond the question of diversion versus net widening, this article presents a new theoretical model of the probation-prison link that examines the mechanisms underlying this dynamic. Using regression models and case studies, I analyze how states can modify the relationship between probation and imprisonment by changing sentencing outcomes and the practices of probation supervision. When combined with other key efforts, reforms to probation can be part of the movement to reverse mass incarceration.

There is a dearth of information on suicidal thoughts and acts or other acts of deliberate self-harm by offenders under community supervision. The objective of this study is to estimate lifetime and one month prevalence of deliberate self-harm and to determine ongoing risk among offenders in the community under probation supervision. One hundred and seventy-three randomly selected offenders under supervision by the probation service in one county in England were screened for mental illness. All 88 screened cases and a one-in-five sample of non-cases were interviewed according to the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Inventory Module-B. False negatives (n = 17) were used to weight calculations and estimate prevalence for the whole group. A third of the interviewed sample (n = 56) had a lifetime history of suicide attempts, and 9 (5%) had self-harmed in the month prior to interview. Lifetime suicide history was associated with suicidal ideation and deliberate self-harm in the prior month. Our adjusted findings indicate that 25-40% of offenders serving all or part of their sentence in the community have a lifetime history of self-harm, which is similar to the rate among prisoners, and are at very much higher risk of further such acts or completed suicide than the general population. At a time of change in delivery of probation services the implications are that rates of suicide and other forms of deliberate self-harm should be continually assessed in all probation areas, particularly with reference to service changes;the relationship between deliberate acts of self-harm, suicidal ideation and completion of suicide should be investigated prospectively in larger studies;probation services are likely to need mental health expertise to manage these risks.

Community supervision officer training programs aim to translate core correctional practices into routine practice. These training programs emphasize skill-building designed to shift supervision strategies from law enforcement/compliance-oriented to a focus on promoting and supporting behavior change. Despite evidence of their effectiveness, research finds trained officers use newly learned skills infrequently. The current study examined the impact of a policy, implemented post-training, designed to encourage trained officers to use skills emphasized by the Staff Training Aimed at Reducing Rearrest (STARR) training program more frequently. The current study examined the effectiveness of this policy on the frequency and type of skills used by officers in their interactions with individuals on their caseload. Analyses suggested the policy mandate was effective in increasing skill use, however officers still used trained skills in less than half of their interactions. Implications and considerations for increasing the use of skills are discussed.

This article presents two studies assessing the impact of mindfulness in prison (prisoners and staff) and non-custodial settings. Study 1-prisoners ( Study 1-statistically significant (increases in mindfulness skills (η The findings suggest brief mindfulness interventions could make an important contribution to offender rehabilitation and custodial staff wellbeing.

Although the harms of incarceration on health are well known, little is known about individuals' competing priorities to maintaining their health while on probation and parole after release from incarceration. We explored individuals' competing needs on probation and parole (lack of health insurance/access, hazardous alcohol use, substance use, food insecurity, un/underemployment, housing insecurity, lack of social support, length of recent incarceration, prohibitive monthly fees, criminal legal discrimination) to achieving well-being. We explored overlap between competing needs and overall well-being. This descriptive, cross-sectional analysis assesses the relationship between competing needs and current well-being of participants in The Southern Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Study. Of 364 enrolled participants, 48% were thriving. The most common competing need was substance use (73%). Of the 10 competing needs, participants experienced a median 4 (interquartile range [IQR] 3-6). Those considered to be thriving experienced a median 4 (IQR 3-5) competing needs while those not thriving experienced a median 5 (IQR 4-6;

Receipt of medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) critically reduces opioid-related mortality during the post-incarceration period. Optimal provision of this care to individuals on community supervision (i.e., probation) requires an understanding of this unique and complex system at the local level. We conducted in-depth individual interviews with key treatment providers and probation staff (n = 10) involved with the provision of MOUD to individuals on community supervision in the Northeast. Interviews explored perspectives on the provision of MOUD and support services during the community supervision period. Thematic analysis was conducted to describe inductive and deductive codes, subcodes, and themes. Stakeholders shared diverse attitudes about the benefits and drawbacks of MOUD utilization. The provision of MOUD during the community supervision period was perceived to be influenced by both treatment and probation organizational characteristics, including the structures and values of the agencies. As such, the specific context of the community supervision setting facilitated and impeded MOUD delivery. Persistent challenges to enhancing MOUD delivery to this population remain including widespread MOUD stigma, inter-agency communication issues, and structural barriers to healthcare (i.e., transportation, finances). There are opportunities to enhance access to evidence-based OUD treatment for persons on community supervision by engaging probation agencies and community treatment staff in systems change.

Pharmacotherapy for opioid addiction with methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone has proven efficacy in reducing illicit opioid use. These treatments are under-utilized among opioid-addicted individuals on parole, probation, or in drug courts. This paper examines the peer-reviewed literature on the effectiveness of pharmacotherapy for opioid addiction of adults under community-based criminal justice supervision in the US. Compared to general populations, there are relatively few papers addressing the separate impact of pharmacotherapy on individuals under community supervision. Tentative conclusions can be drawn from the extant literature. Reasonable evidence exists that illicit opioid use and self-reported criminal behaviour decline after treatment entry, and that these outcomes are as favourable among individuals under criminal justice supervision as the general treatment population. Surprisingly, there is no conclusive evidence regarding the extent to which pharmacotherapy impacts the likelihood of arrest and incarceration among individuals under supervision. However, given the proven efficacy of these three medications in reducing illicit opioid use and the evidence that, in the general population, methadone and buprenorphine treatment are associated with reduction in overdose mortality, the use of all three pharmacotherapies among patients under criminal justice supervision should be expanded while more data are collected on their impact on arrest and incarceration.

Twenty-one Community Rehabilitation Companies were set up following the division of the National Probation Services during 'Transforming Rehabilitation' in England and Wales, under a 2013 Ministry of Justice initiative. Reunification commenced in 2018. A study completed prior to these changes suggested that probation officers had had little training in recognising attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and may have been underestimating its prevalence among their clientele. Given the substantial changes in probation staffing and organisation since 2018, a new study seems warranted. The aim of the study was to understand experiences of people under a community sentence who reported having ADHD and of probation staff working with them. Using a qualitative research design, one-to-one semi-structured interviews were conducted with client facing probation staff recruited from one Community Rehabilitation Company. Service users undertaking a community sentence who had been diagnosed with or self-identified as having ADHD were then identified and recruited by these staff; those who consented were also interviewed. Transcripts were analysed using a thematic analytic approach. Thirteen probation staff and six male offenders under community sentences, agreed to participate and completed interviews. The overarching themes emerging from the two groups were similar, both reflecting on descriptions of ADHD; treatment of ADHD; experiences of having or working with ADHD in the wider community and in the criminal justice system specifically and visions of future support needs tied to the order. In addition, probation officers specifically raised the matter of payment by results. Both service users and probation staff identified gaps in knowledge, experience and services, but areas of good practice were also identified. The findings highlight the continuing under-acknowledgement of tailored clinical support for people serving a community sentence who have ADHD together with a lack of support and training about ADHD for probation staff. Return to the national organisation of probation services and recognition of need for a range of relevant skills offers a great opportunity for re-evaluating supervision and management of offenders under community sentences who have ADHD. These findings provide the basis for a template for developing knowledge and support provision for probation staff to recognise ADHD, or its likelihood, and their capacity to follow through with appropriately informed personalised supervision plans and access to specialist service advice and support.

The COVID-19 pandemic produced system-level changes within the criminal legal system and community-based substance use disorder (SUD) treatment system with impacts on recovery efforts. This study examines rural and urban clinicians' perspectives of COVID-19 on SUD treatment delivery for people on community supervision. Virtual qualitative interviews were conducted between April and October 2020 with 25 community supervision clinicians employed by Kentucky's Department of Corrections (DOC), who conduct assessments and facilitate community-based treatment linkages for individuals on probation or parole. Transcripts were analyzed in NVivo using directed content analysis methods. Clinicians were predominantly white (92%) and female (88%) with an average of over 9 years working in the SUD treatment field and 4.6 years in their current job. Four COVID-19 themes were identified by both rural and urban clinicians including: (1) telehealth increases the modes of communication, but (2) also creates paperwork and technological challenges, (3) telehealth requires more effort for inter/intra-agency collaboration, and (4) it limits client information (e.g., no urine drug screens). Two additional rural-specific themes emerged related to COVID-19: (5) increasing telehealth options removes SUD treatment transportation barriers and (6) requires flexibility with programmatic requirements for rural clients. Findings indicate the need for community-based SUD treatment providers approved or contracted by DOC to support and train clients to access technology and improve information-sharing with community supervision officers. A positive lesson learned from COVID-19 transitions was a reduction in costly travel for rural clients, allowing for greater engagement and treatment adherence. Telehealth should continue to be included within the SUD continuum of care, especially to promote equitable services for individuals from rural areas.

Four million individuals in the U.S. criminal-legal system are supervised in the community under probation or parole. Sentences to community supervision often mandate participation in substance use treatment. Yet evidence-based treatment with medication (i.e., methadone, buprenorphine, or naltrexone) is rarely offered to people under community supervision with opioid use disorder (OUD). This qualitative study explores the structural and organizational factors shaping OUD medication treatment use in community supervision. We conducted in-depth interviews with 31 community supervision professionals. Thematic analysis characterized interview participants' perceptions of the key factors shaping use of OUD medications in community supervision. Findings indicate that authorities making decisions about OUD treatment include community supervision agencies, treatment providers, judges and courts, and jails and prisons. Agencies with more rehabilitative cultural orientations are more forgiving of relapse and supportive of OUD medications. Punishment/enforcement orientations align with an emphasis on surveillance and drug testing, which can inhibit medication treatment and interrupt continuity of care. Community supervision agencies generally reported deference to the recommendations of substance use treatment providers regarding the details of treatment, including the use of medication. Given that most treatment providers do not offer OUD medication, community supervision agencies must develop a sophisticated understanding of the various services offered by local treatment providers to tailor referrals accordingly, a responsibility for which they may be inadequately trained. Efforts to improve engagement with medication treatment in U.S. community supervision settings could have a significant impact on reincarceration, morbidity, and mortality among individuals with OUD under supervision.

Substance use among criminal justice-involved adults is a significant concern for the rehabilitation and reintegration into their communities. Few have examined broader associations with substance use among those in probation or parole (community supervision) using an assessment of risks and needs with a representative sample. Using an assessment based on risk-need-responsivity principles, this research applies negative binomial analyses to examine sociodemographic, criminal, and other problem-area correlates of substance use risks and needs among a statewide dataset of adults in community supervision. Results indicated that mental health risk/need was the strongest predictor of substance use risk/need. Other risk areas, including criminal thinking, employment/education, and the presence of delinquent associates (peers/family) were associated with substance use. Implications highlight the ongoing call to develop integrated models of care that treat co-occurring disorders among adults in supervision. Additionally, diversion-oriented efforts that prevent adults with complex treatment needs from reentering the justice system are discussed.

There has long been concern about the number of people who die in custody in England and Wales, particularly in prisons or police stations. The concern is obviously heightened when people die either at their own hand, or at the hands of others. Yet there has been selective critical gaze, and people who die whilst under probation or community supervision have been neglected (Phillips, J, Gelsthorpe, L, Padfield, N., Criminology & Criminal Justice, https://doi.org/10.1177/1748895817745939 , 2017). Given that there is evidence to suggest that contact with the criminal justice system in non-custodial settings is associated with higher mortality rates than those found in the general population, such neglect is concerning. This article explores data which has been published since 2016 by Her Majesty's Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) on the deaths of offenders whilst under supervision. We draw on data which is collected by probation providers and collated by HMPPS to present original analyses, with particular focus on deaths by suicide. We calculate rates of self-inflicted deaths and rate ratios with the general population and the prison population. The suicide rates for all groups within the sample are higher than the general population. We explore the utility of the data in helping us to understand the trends regarding people dying whilst under probation supervision with a particular focus on suicide, and highlight areas where the dataset is deficient. We conclude that whilst the dataset can be used to calculate headline rates of suicide it raises many questions in terms of the extant risks that people on probation face, and we explore ways in which the data can be used more fully to understand this important social and public health issue. We consider ways in which the dataset could be matched with other datasets in future research so that health issues might be brought into the analysis, and reflect on other research methodologies which would add depth to our understanding of why the mortality rate amongst people in contact with the criminal justice system is higher than in the general population.

In the current article, we investigate the occupational stressors parole and probation officers working in provincial correctional services in Ontario, Canada experience. We examine four specific stressors that emerged thematically from participants' open-ended survey responses, and conceptualize these as

The purpose of this study was to understand the uses of telehealth with justice-involved adults under community supervision with substance use problems, including their experiences during the pandemic. Structured interviews were administered among 17 justice-involved adults under community supervision about their experiences with telehealth services to treat substance use disorders. Thematic coding was used for the analysis. We identified 5 primary themes: (1) knowledge about and experiences with telehealth services during the pandemic; (2) telehealth services available; (3) service changes during the pandemic; and (4) individual motivations around treatment-seeking behavior. Overall, our findings reveal that many individuals on probation or parole appreciate having access to telehealth and found that modality convenient for counseling services. Findings shed light on participants' understanding of telehealth, their experiences in using the modality, and how this modality may serve their needs in other ways. External and internal barriers to accessing telehealth are also discussed.

Shared decision making (SDM) can be an effective method for promoting service involvement among persons with serious mental illness (SMI). This survey study sought to identify predictors of positive attitudes toward the use of SDM with people with SMI who are living under probation and parole supervision. Supervising officers' (n = 291) perceptions of the capabilities of supervisees with SMI to contribute to their supervision plans, and their familiarity with recovery-oriented mental health services, were positively associated with attitudes toward using SDM. Training officers in common human goals and mental health recovery may advance SDM with supervisees with SMI.

No abstract

Community-based substance abuse treatment for offenders has been shown to reduce both substance use and recidivism. One strategy to ensure treatment availability for offenders is to have each state's Department of Corrections (DOC) fund treatment directly. Purchasing treatment implies regulation, but DOC as both a purchaser and regulator of community-based services has been underexamined. This national survey of administrators from the Single State Authority (SSA) and DOC in each state found DOCs purchase treatment in 35 states, with most states purchasing it directly from community-based providers utilizing a variety of funding sources. Fewer states reported DOCs purchased ancillary services than SSAs (68% vs. 81%). Although both DOCs and SSAs had workforce and program requirements, there were differences within and between states. Most (41/42) SSA administrators reported a strong relationship with DOC. This report represents the first step in describing the availability, mechanisms, and regulations of these two publicly funded community-based treatment systems.

This study examined the impact of residential aftercare on recidivism following prison-based treatment for drug-involved offenders. A matched group quasi-experimental design. Survival regression analyses were used to predict time until rearrest. A logistic regression model was constructed for predicting aftercare completion. A 9-month in-prison therapeutic community (ITC) and several community-based transitional therapeutic communities (TTCs). Data were collected from 396 male inmates (293 treated, 103 untreated). Background information (gender, ethnicity, age, education level, criminal history and risk for recidivism) was abstracted from the state criminal justice databases and a structured interview led by clinical staff. During treatment process measures were based on inmate self-ratings of their counselors, program and peers. A post-treatment interview conducted by field research staff assessed satisfaction with transitional aftercare. Post-release recidivism was based on state-maintained computerized criminal history records. ITC treatment, especially when followed by residential aftercare, was effective for reducing post-release recidivism rates. Lower satisfaction with transitional aftercare treatment was associated with not completing the residential phase of community-based aftercare. Corrections-based treatment policy should emphasize a continuum of care model (from institution to community) with high quality programs and services.

Drug-involved individuals who contact treatment services in Taiwan are mostly driven by criminal justice systems either as an alternative or adjunct to criminal sanctions for a drug offence. With a focus on justice-involved young female drug users, the present study examines the extent to which socioeconomic and motherhood characteristics are associated with receiving deferred prosecution, a scheme diverting drug offenders to community-based addiction treatment. We identified a cohort of 5869 women under the age of 30 arrested for using Schedule II drugs (primarily amphetamine-like stimulants) from the 2011-2017 National Police Criminal Records in Taiwan. Information concerning socioeconomic characteristics, pregnancy and live birth history, and deferred prosecution was obtained through linkage with the 2006-2019 National Health Insurance, birth registration, and deferred prosecution datasets. Multinomial logistic regression was used to evaluate the association with stratification by recidivism status. Within six months of arrest, 21% of first-time offenders (n = 2645) received deferred prosecution and 23% received correction-based rehabilitation; the corresponding estimates for recidivists (n = 3224) were 6% and 15%, respectively. Among first-time offenders, low/unstable income was associated with lower odds of deferred prosecution (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 0.71; 95% CI: 0.58, 0.88). For recidivists, those with low/unstable income (aOR = 1.58) or unemployment (aOR = 1.58) had higher odds of correction-based rehabilitation; being pregnant at arrest was linked with reduced odds of deferred prosecution (aOR = 0.31, 95% CI: 0.13, 0.71) and correction-based rehabilitation (aOR = 0.50, 95% CI: 0.32, 0.77). For the young women arrested for drug offences, disadvantaged socioeconomic conditions were generally unfavored by the diversion to treatment in the community. Childbearing upon arrest may lower not only the odds of receiving medical treatment but also correctional intervention. The criminal prosecution policy and process should be informed by female drug offenders' need for treatment and recovery.

The process of transitioning from prison to the community poses unique challenges for those who have been convicted of sexually based offenses. Due to the realities associated with the unique challenges facing these individuals, the community supervision process fluctuates along the correctional continuum which polarizes rehabilitative and control. The current study examines how this fluctuation relates to both the supervision process and correctional outcomes. Furthermore, the literature suggests five specific checkpoints along this continuum which are measured both qualitatively and quantitatively. The five checkpoints are Social Reintegration, Community Reentry, Status Maintenance, Statutory Compliance, and Risk Management. Overall, all five checkpoints are included in some way in the community supervision process; and analyses show significant links between the checkpoints and correctional outcomes.

Given the well-established evidence of disproportionately high rates of substance-related morbidity and mortality after release from incarceration for Indigenous Australians, access to comprehensive, effective and culturally safe residential rehabilitation treatment will likely assist in reducing recidivism to both prison and substance dependence for this population. In the absence of methodologically rigorous evidence, the delivery of Indigenous drug and alcohol residential rehabilitation services vary widely, and divergent views exist regarding the appropriateness and efficacy of different potential treatment components. One way to increase the methodological quality of evaluations of Indigenous residential rehabilitation services is to develop partnerships with researchers to better align models of care with the client's, and the community's, needs. An emerging research paradigm to guide the development of high quality evidence through a number of sequential steps that equitably involves services, stakeholders and researchers is community-based participatory research (CBPR). The purpose of this study is to articulate an Indigenous drug and alcohol residential rehabilitation service model of care, developed in collaboration between clients, service providers and researchers using a CBPR approach. This research adopted a mixed methods CBPR approach to triangulate collected data to inform the development of a model of care for a remote Indigenous drug and alcohol residential rehabilitation service. Four iterative CBPR steps of research activity were recorded during the 3-year research partnership. As a direct outcome of the CBPR framework, the service and researchers co-designed a Healing Model of Care that comprises six core treatment components, three core organisational components and is articulated in two program logics. The program logics were designed to specifically align each component and outcome with the mechanism of change for the client or organisation to improve data collection and program evaluation. The description of the CBPR process and the Healing Model of Care provides one possible solution about how to provide better care for the large and growing population of Indigenous people with substance misuse issues. [corrected].

The Hampden County Correctional Center is helping to create a model program of correctional health care. The program objective is to provide comprehensive care that will continue seamlessly upon the release of the inmate from jail. The discharge planning process recognizes the existence of other problems such as alcoholism and substance abuse and links inmates with community-based agencies. These linkages have contributed to reduced recidivism rates. The program uses health clinic staff and public health students, rather than volunteers. The National Institute of Justice reports that the Hampden County model could be replicated in about 80 percent of corrections facilities in metropolitan areas.

Sustained retention in HIV care (RIC) and viral suppression (VS) are central to US national HIV prevention strategies, but have not been comprehensively assessed in criminal justice (CJ) populations with known health disparities. The purpose of this study is to identify predictors of RIC and VS following release from prison or jail. This is a retrospective cohort study of all adult people living with HIV (PLWH) incarcerated in Connecticut, US, during the period January 1, 2007, to December 31, 2011, and observed through December 31, 2014 (n = 1,094). Most cohort participants were unmarried (83.7%) men (77.0%) who were black or Hispanic (78.1%) and acquired HIV from injection drug use (72.6%). Prison-based pharmacy and custody databases were linked with community HIV surveillance monitoring and case management databases. Post-release RIC declined steadily over 3 years of follow-up (67.2% retained for year 1, 51.3% retained for years 1-2, and 42.5% retained for years 1-3). Compared with individuals who were not re-incarcerated, individuals who were re-incarcerated were more likely to meet RIC criteria (48% versus 34%; p < 0.001) but less likely to have VS (72% versus 81%; p = 0.048). Using multivariable logistic regression models (individual-level analysis for 1,001 individuals after excluding 93 deaths), both sustained RIC and VS at 3 years post-release were independently associated with older age (RIC: adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.61, 95% CI = 1.22-2.12; VS: AOR = 1.37, 95% CI = 1.06-1.78), having health insurance (RIC: AOR = 2.15, 95% CI = 1.60-2.89; VS: AOR = 2.01, 95% CI = 1.53-2.64), and receiving an increased number of transitional case management visits. The same factors were significant when we assessed RIC and VS outcomes in each 6-month period using generalized estimating equations (for 1,094 individuals contributing 6,227 6-month periods prior to death or censoring). Additionally, receipt of antiretroviral therapy during incarceration (RIC: AOR = 1.33, 95% CI 1.07-1.65; VS: AOR = 1.91, 95% CI = 1.56-2.34), early linkage to care post-release (RIC: AOR = 2.64, 95% CI = 2.03-3.43; VS: AOR = 1.79; 95% CI = 1.45-2.21), and absolute time and proportion of follow-up time spent re-incarcerated were highly correlated with better treatment outcomes. Limited data were available on changes over time in injection drug use or other substance use disorders, psychiatric disorders, or housing status. In a large cohort of CJ-involved PLWH with a 3-year post-release evaluation, RIC diminished significantly over time, but was associated with HIV care during incarceration, health insurance, case management services, and early linkage to care post-release. While re-incarceration and conditional release provide opportunities to engage in care, reducing recidivism and supporting community-based RIC efforts are key to improving longitudinal treatment outcomes among CJ-involved PLWH.

The majority of Drug Treatment Court (DTC) research has examined the impact of DTCs on criminal recidivism. Comparatively little research has addressed the association between DTC participation and engagement with community-based health and social services. The present study investigated changes in participant involvement with outpatient healthcare and income assistance within a DTC cohort. We hypothesized that involvement with community-based (outpatient) health and social services would increase post-DTC participation, and that service levels would be higher among program graduates and offenders with histories of co-occurring mental and substance use disorders. Participants were 631 offenders at the DTC in Vancouver, Canada (DTCV). Administrative data representing hospital, outpatient medical care, and income assistance were examined one-year pre/post program to assess differences over time. Generalized estimating equations were used to investigate the association between changes in service use and program involvement. We also examined the relationship between level of service use and offender characteristics. Members of the cohort were disproportionately Aboriginal (33 %), had been sentenced 2.7 times in the 2 years preceding their index offence, and 50 % had been diagnosed with a non substance-related mental disorder in the five years preceding the index offence. The mean number of outpatient services post DTCV was 51, and the mean amount of social assistance paid was $5,897. Outpatient service use increased following exposure to DTCV (Adjusted Rate Ratio (ARR) = 1.45) and was significantly higher among women (ARR = 1.47), program graduation (ARR = 1.23), and those previously diagnosed with concurrent substance use and mental disorders (ARR = 4.92). Overall, hospital admissions did not increase post-program, although rates were significantly higher among women (ARR = 1.76) and those with concurrent disorders (ARR = 2.71). Income assistance increased significantly post program (ARR = 1.16), and was significantly higher among women (ARR = 1.03), and those diagnosed with substance use disorders (ARR = 1.42) and concurrent disorders (ARR = 1.72). These findings suggest that the DTCV was a catalyst for increased participant engagement with community health and social supports, and that rates of service use were consistently higher among women and individuals with concurrent disorders. Research is needed to investigate the potential link between health and social support and reductions in recidivism associated with DTCs.

Proponents of a pure public safety perspective on the drug problem hold that drug-involved offenders require consistent and intensive supervision by criminal justice authorities in order to stay off drugs and out of trouble. In contrast, proponents of a thoroughgoing public health perspective commonly argue that clients perform better if they are left alone to develop an effective therapeutic alliance with counselors. Both may be correct, but with respect to different groups of offenders. One approach has shown consistent promise for reducing drug use and criminal recidivism: an integrated public health-public safety strategy that combines community-based drug abuse treatment with ongoing criminal justice supervision. This article presents promising findings from programs implementing this strategy and discusses best treatment practices to meet the needs of both low-risk and high-risk clients.

As sanctions for those convicted of sex offenses have increased over recent years, the risk for reoffense presented by social isolation increases. Because most jurisdictions struggle with how best to manage and reintegrate sex offenders, this study analyzes bureaucratic and contextual issues with arranging community-based reintegration programs. Specifically, this qualitative, process-oriented study examines and compares Circles of Support & Accountability (CoSA) programs from the United States (specifically, Vermont) and New Zealand. CoSAs provide support for medium- to high-risk sex offenders as they are released to communities. The programs are compared with regard to their structures, the relationship to Corrections, the role of communities, and core members' reentry challenges. The implications of each configuration are explored. As most of the existing research on CoSAs is focused on recidivism, and as the U.S. federal government is expanding the use of CoSA, this article fills a void in our understanding of the role that communities can play in reintegrating sexual offenders and how program structures shape reentry.

Justice-involved individuals with alcohol and drug use problems reoffend at higher rates than their nonusing counterparts, with alcohol and drug use serving as an important vector to recidivism. At the daily level, exposure to stressors may exacerbate problematic alcohol and drug use; at the individual level, prior treatment experiences may mitigate substance use as individuals adapt to and learn new coping mechanisms. We conducted a daily diary study using Interactive Voice Response technology over 14 consecutive days with 117 men on probation or parole participating in a community-based treatment program (n = 860 calls) and referred to medication-assisted treatment. Participants reported daily stressors, craving for alcohol and illegal drugs, and use of alcohol and illegal drugs 1 time each day. Results of multilevel models showed significant day-to-day fluctuation in alcohol and drug craving and use. In concurrent models, increases in daily stressors were associated with increases in cravings and use of illegal drugs. Prior treatment experience modified many of these relationships, and additional lagged models revealed that those with less treatment experience reported an increase in next-day alcohol craving when they experienced increases in stressors on the previous day compared to those with more treatment experience. Collectively, these findings highlight the importance of tailoring treatment as a function of individual differences, including prior treatment experiences, and targeting daily stressors and subsequent cravings among justice-involved adults with alcohol and drug use problems. (PsycINFO Database Record

Recent research in the treatment of sexual offenders suggests that comprehensive cognitive/behavioral approaches may yield lower recidivism. This study reviewed such a program, existing in Jackson County, Oregon, since 1982. Offenders were mandated into this community-based program upon conviction of a felony or misdemeanor sexual offense, and averaged 2-3 years of participation. A group of offender who participated in the Jackson County program between 1985 and 1995 was identified through archival data from the Oregon Department of Corrections. The data revealed success or nonsuccess in treatment, and any new convictions for sexual or nonsexual offenses. A control group of nonsexual offenders in Jackson County, and a group of sexual offenders in Linn County who did not have access to any treatment program were also studied. As hypothesized, those Jackson County offenders who successfully completed treatment had lower recidivism rates than those who were unsuccessful in the program. The observed effect of the program was particularly strong for offenders who remained in treatment for 1 year or more. When review was restricted to those participants, the reoffense rate for Jackson County offenders was reduced by over 40% when compared with Linn County offenders.

Methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) is underutilized in correctional settings, and those receiving MMT in the community often undergo withdrawal upon incarceration. Federal and state regulations present barriers to providing methadone in correctional facilities. For this investigation, a community provider administered methadone to inmates who had been receiving methadone prior to incarceration. We hypothesized that inmates continued on MMT would have improved behavior during incarceration and post-release. This open-label quasi-experimental trial (n = 382) compared MMT continuation throughout incarceration (n = 184) to an administrative control group (ie, forced withdrawal; n = 198) on disciplinary tickets and other program attendance during incarceration. Post-release, re-engagement in community-based MMT and 6-month recidivism outcomes were evaluated. Inmates in the MMT continuation group versus controls were less likely to receive disciplinary tickets (odds ratio [OR] = 0.32) but no more likely to attend other programs while incarcerated. MMT continuation increased engagement with a community MMT provider within 1 day of release (OR  = 32.04), and 40.6% of MMT participants re-engaged within the first 30 days (vs 10.1% of controls). Overall, re-engagement in MMT was not associated with recidivism. However, among a subset of inmates who received MMT post-incarceration from the jail MMT provider (n = 69), re-engagement with that provider was associated with reduced risk of arrest, new charges, and re-incarceration compared with those who did not re-engage. Results support interventions that facilitate continuity of MMT during and after incarceration. Engagement of a community provider is feasible and can improve access to methadone in correctional facilities.

Although the dispositional options for delinquent youths have diversified over the past 20 years, the debate about the most effective treatment of young offenders continues. This article reviews the existing evaluations of various juvenile corrections alternatives. In contrast to the conclusions of scholars in the late 1970s that "nothing worked" in juvenile corrections, Mark Lipsey's 1992 meta-analysis of more than 400 evaluations of juvenile programs reported an average 10% improvement in recidivism rates for all the programs evaluated. Lipsey's meta-analysis found a significant advantage in community-based programs run by private providers compared with large custodial institutions, such as traditional state training schools. The most effective privately run community programs have high levels of intensity and duration, multiple modes of intervention, and a great deal of structure. Nonresidential, dawn-to-dusk educational programs that work with both juveniles and their families are good examples of this type of programming. Boot camps for juvenile offenders have proliferated because of their political popularity. A recent evaluation of eight of these programs showed that four had no effect on recidivism, one resulted in higher recidivism rates, and three showed improvements in some recidivism measures. Probation and diversion, the most common of all juvenile court dispositions, are not effective options for youths with multiple risk factors. Juvenile courts need an array of dispositional options, the ability to monitor program effectiveness, and the flexibility to find the appropriate placement for each juvenile offender.

Individuals with psychosis are over-represented in the criminal justice system and, as a group, are at elevated risk of re-offending. Recent studies have observed an association between increased contacts with mental health services and reduced re-offending, as well as reduced risk of re-offending in those who are ordered to mental health treatment rather than punitive sanctions. In furthering this work, this study examines the effect of disengagement from mental health treatment on probability of re-offence in offenders with psychosis over time. Data linkage was conducted with judicial, health and mortality datasets from New South Wales, Australia (2001-2015). The study population included 4960 offenders with psychosis who received non-custodial sentences and engaged with community-based mental health treatment. Risk factors for leaving treatment and/or reconviction were examined using multivariate cox regression. Further, a multi-state model was used to observe the probabilities associated with individuals moving between three states: conviction, disengagement from mental health treatment and subsequent re-conviction. A threefold increase was observed in the risk of re-offending for those who disengaged from treatment compared to those who did not (aHR = 2.76, 95% CI 1.65-4.62, p < 0.001). The median time until re-offence was 195 days, with the majority (67%) being convicted within one year of leaving treatment. A higher risk of leaving treatment was found for those born outside of Australia, with substance-related psychosis, and a history of violent offence. The findings argue for an emphasis on continued engagement with mental health services following release for offenders with psychosis and identify subgroups within this population for whom concentrated efforts regarding treatment retention should be targeted.

In community-based corrections, reassessment of dynamic risk factors improves the prediction of recidivism relative to initial risk assessment at the time of release. However, there is less evidence for predictions of violent recidivism. We examined whether reassessment proximity or aggregation of reassessments improved the prediction of imminent violence in a sample of paroled individuals on community supervision. We hypothesized that reassessment of dynamic risk would better predict violent recidivism than initial risk assessment at the time of release. Examination of aggregation and individual risk-factor domains was exploratory. In a prospective study of violent recidivism in a sample of individuals on community supervision in New Zealand (75,917 assessments from 3,421 participants; 92.8% men), we used supervision officers' ratings of dynamic risk (assessed using Dynamic Risk Assessment for Offender Re-entry [DRAOR]) and static risk scores (using the Risk of ReConviction × Risk of Imprisonment) to predict imminent violence (within 2 weeks). Individuals who recidivated violently had higher initial risk ratings (DRAOR Stable d = 0.36, 95% CI [0.17, 0.55]; DRAOR Acute d = 0.45, 95% CI [0.26, 0.64]) and showed more week-to-week fluctuations in risk ratings (DRAOR Stable d = 0.21, 95% CI [0.04, 0.41]; DRAOR Acute d = 0.26, 95% CI [0.06,0.46]). Total averages of faster-changing acute risk factors best predicted violence (c-index = 0.68), with changes in these factors incrementally predicting violence over well-established predictors (criminal history) and initial scores (Δχ2 = 15.54, df = 3). The constructs that best discriminated violence were consistent with social cognition explanations of violence. Because client consistency as determined through score aggregation was more important than current presentation, supervision officers should consider overall patterns of interpersonal hostility and reactivity rather than assuming the emerging presence of these factors will signal imminent violence among previously violent individuals. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

This study explores pathways into and out of the criminal justice system for Latinos with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders, emphasizing missed and successful opportunities for intervention. Using a qualitative design, we retrospectively apply the Sequential Intercept Model-a framework for identifying points of intervention along the justice continuum-to 15 in-depth life history interviews with Latinos in South Texas. By incorporating adverse childhood experiences, mental health symptoms, and substance use onset, we map trajectories across all six intercepts, from community-based services through community corrections. Findings reveal that participants experienced long-term behavioral health issues that remained unaddressed until late-stage criminal justice involvement. Early intercepts, such as community contact, law enforcement, and court diversion, represented the most frequently missed opportunities. Our findings extend prior critiques by illustrating how cultural norms, discretionary policing, and stigma produce "invisible intervention points"-unrecognized points of potential intervention obscured by social and institutional barriers. Cultural stigma, fragmented service systems, and diagnostic exclusion further constrained access to early treatment. Spanish-speaking participants typically engaged only after incarceration or court-mandated referral, whereas English-speaking participants described earlier but untreated symptoms rooted in trauma and instability. Those who received structured care during reentry or community supervision reported greater stability and reduced recidivism. This study demonstrates the utility of serious mental illness as a retrospective analytic tool for assessing service gaps and guiding reform. Findings underscore the need for culturally responsive outreach and cross-agency coordination to reduce criminal justice involvement among Latino populations. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).

The public's perception about the success or failure of psychiatric rehabilitation is frequently dependent upon information received through the news media. The primary objective of this report is to present an example of how the news media can distort public perceptions of treatment outcome. Verbatim quotations were presented from a television news series that alleged criminal recidivism by nine patients purportedly treated for various paraphilias at a large, community-based sexual disorders clinic. Brief case vignettes about each of the nine were then reviewed. This allowed for comparisons between what the media had alleged and what had actually occurred. Two of the nine cases were relatively minor instances of recidivism involving no genital contact, although the media presentation had either failed to report this or had suggested otherwise. A third case of alleged recidivism involved a patient who was evaluated but never actually treated by the clinic in the community. A fourth patient had refused recommended clinic treatment upon prison release, and a fifth patient had been discharged from treatment at the clinic because of noncompliance years before recidivating. Other cases presented contained additional misleading information. None of the nine cases was reported by the media in the context of a balanced approach that included treatment successes. Clinic staff were constrained from responding publicly to correct certain misinformation because of patient-psychiatrist privilege. Inaccurate media presentations about psychiatric rehabilitation that ignore treatment successes and focus only on alleged failures do a disservice to patients, mental health workers, and society at large.

The risk-need-responsivity model (RNR; Bonta & Andrews, 2017) has become a leading approach for effective offender case management, but field tests of this model are still required. The present study first assessed the predictive validity of the RNR-informed Level of Service/Case Management Inventory (LS/CMI; Andrews, Bonta, & Wormith, 2004) with a sample of Atlantic Canadian male and female community-supervised provincial offenders (N = 136). Next, the case management plans prepared from these LS/CMI results were analyzed for adherence to the principles of risk, need, and responsivity. As expected, the LS/CMI was a strong predictor of general recidivism for both males (area under the curve = .75, 95% confidence interval [.66, .85]), and especially females (area under the curve = .94, 95% confidence interval [.84, 1.00]), over an average 3.42-year follow-up period. The LS/CMI was predictive of time to recidivism, with lower risk cases taking longer to reoffend than higher risk cases. Despite the robust predictive validity of the LS/CMI, case management plans developed by probation officers generally reflected poor adherence to the RNR principles. These findings highlight the need for better training on how to transfer risk appraisal information from valid risk tools to case plans to better meet the best-practice principles of risk, need, and responsivity for criminal behavior risk reduction. (PsycINFO Database Record

The current study examined the impact of a mental health court (MHC) on mental health recovery, criminogenic needs, and recidivism in a sample of 196 community-based offenders with mental illness. Using a pre-post design, mental health recovery and criminogenic needs were assessed at the time of MHC referral and discharge. File records were reviewed to score the Level of Service/Risk-Need-Responsivity instrument (Andrews, Bonta, & Wormith, 2008) to capture criminogenic needs, and a coding guide was used to extract mental health recovery information at each time point. Only mental health recovery data were available at 12 months post-MHC involvement. Recidivism (i.e., charges) was recorded from police records over an average follow-up period of 40.67 months post-MHC discharge. Case management adherence to the Risk-Need-Responsivity (RNR) model of offender case management was also examined. Small but significant improvements were found for criminogenic needs and some indicators of mental health recovery for MHC completers relative to participants who were prematurely discharged or referred but not admitted to the program. MHC completers had a similar rate of general recidivism (28.6%) to cases not admitted to MHC and managed by the traditional criminal justice system (32.6%). However, MHC case plans only moderately adhered to the RNR model. Implications of these results suggest that the RNR model may be an effective case management approach for MHCs to assist with decision-making regarding admission, supervision intensity, and intervention targets, and that interventions in MHC contexts should attend to both criminogenic and mental health needs.

Recent research expanded theoretical frameworks of criminality to include biosocial perspectives. This article advances the biosocial integration into traditional criminological theories by focusing on the potential contribution of executive function (EF) to Andrews and Bonta's risk-need-responsivity (RNR) model. EF encompasses a collection of abilities critical to adaptive human functioning, many of which seem to underlie criminogenic risk and need factors. Although the assessment of EF can be elusive, research suggests that offenders with antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) experience EF deficits. Theoretical analysis on neuropsychological and forensic concepts suggests that unitary and discrete EF domains underlie the "Central Eight" criminogenic factors that are related to criminal behavior and, by extension, the RNR model of forensic assessment and treatment. Research and conceptual limitations of the current neuropsychological and forensic literature are discussed along with the limits of our theoretical analysis. A call for more theoretical and applied forensic neuropsychological research is presented.

Eligibility criteria for participation in mental health jail diversion programs often specify that, to be diverted, a candidate must not pose a level of threat to public safety that cannot be managed in the community. Risk assessment tools were developed to increase consistency and accuracy in estimates of threat to public safety. Consequently, risk assessment tools are being used in many jurisdictions to inform decisions regarding an individual's appropriateness and eligibility for mental health jail diversion and the strategies that may be successful in mitigating risk in this context. However, their use is not without controversy. Questions have been raised regarding the validity and equity of their estimates, as well as the impact of their use on criminal justice outcomes. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of the science and practice of risk assessment to inform decisions and case planning in the context of mental health jail diversion programs. Our specific aims include: (1) to describe the process and components of risk assessment, including differentiating between different approaches to risk assessment, and (2) to consider the use of risk assessment tools in mental health jail diversion programs. We anchor this review in relevant theory and extant research, noting current controversies or debates and areas for future research. Overall, there is strong theoretical justification and empirical evidence from other criminal justice contexts; however, the body of research on the use of risk assessment tools in mental health jail diversion programs, although promising, is relatively nascent.

Juvenile delinquency has been on the decline for a number of years, yet, juvenile courts continue to assess more than 1 million cases per year. Involvement with the juvenile justice system has been linked to a number of risk factors and consequences that may impact positive youth development; however, evidence-based correctional programs that divert juvenile offenders away from formal processing are limited. Teen Court is a specialized diversion intervention that offers an alternative to traditional court processing for juvenile offenders. Despite the rapid expansion of Teen Courts, there is little comprehensive and systematic evidence available to justify this expansion. This meta-analytic study examines the effects of Teen Court on the recidivism of juvenile offenders. The literature search resulted in the selection of 14 studies, which contributed 18 unique effect sizes with a total sample of 2125 treatment group and 979 comparison group youth. The findings suggest that Teen Court is no more effective at reducing recidivism than (a) formal processing or (b) other diversion programs. Implications of formal and informal court processing for low-risk, first-time young offenders are discussed. The authors draw on the Risk-Need-Responsivity model to provide recommendations for policies and practices.

Case formulations (CF) have been the cornerstone of effective practice in clinical psychology since the 1950s and now form one of the core competencies in clinical and forensic assessment. The use of CFs within forensic settings is becoming more relevant when working with offenders who have experienced significant trauma, suffered from personality disorder, and have displayed sexually abusive behavior. Furthermore, most North American and European jurisdictions insist that expert witnesses adopt an idiosyncratic approach to risk assessment and consider the characteristics of the individual as part of a wider formulation of the problem behavior. This article focuses specifically on CF incorporating risk assessment procedures of sexual offenders. While empirical support for the use of risk analysis and formulation in managing offending behavior generally, and sexual offending behavior in particular, is limited, there is mounting evidence to suggest that CF can improve understanding of an individual's problem sexual behaviors. We argue that by integrating risk formulations into the CF provides a conceptually robust link between the etiologically development of the problem sexual behavior and effective assessment and risk management of sexual offenders. As forensic treatment programs increasingly moved toward strength-based approaches, in keeping with the Risk-Need-Responsivity principles Andrews and Bonta (2004), and the Good Lives Model Ward and Stewart (Prof Psychol Res Pract 34:353-60, 2003) of offender rehabilitation, the use of CFs in the assessment, treatment, and management of sexual offenders is indispensable. We present an etiological framework for understanding risk in an individual sexual offender by integrating a case formulation model to include the use of (static, stable, and acute) actuarial and clinical risk assessment measures as well as protective risk factors, referred to as the CAse Formulation Incorporating Risk Assessment (CAFIRA) model.