Treating mental illness is imperative to help reduce criminal justice involvement within the juvenile population. Receiving mental health care will help decrease the likelihood for youth to reoffend, ultimately reducing recidivism rates. Past studies showed there are risk factors associated with juveniles and recidivism; however, very few studies have examined what factors are prevalent after services have been received. The purpose of this study was to identify factors that increase the risk of recidivism among juveniles who have received psychiatric stabilization in Harris County, Texas. Risk factors that were assessed included age, gender, ethnicity, and criminal offense. The psychodynamic perspective guided this study and archival data were obtained from the Harris County Psychiatric Center Database. Several statistical analyses were used in this study to include a t test, chi square analysis, and a binary logistic regression analysis. Results from this study found no significant relationship with mental health diagnosis and recidivism nor did it find a significant difference in the length of stay at the psychiatric center. This study did find that simple demographics were stronger than any predictor, concluding that younger Black males were more likely to recidivate. Based on the findings from this study, juvenile justice representatives will be able to evaluate and develop programs specifically targeted to the risk factors found to be associated with recidivism.

Research on juvenile offender treatment and intervention has called for a shift from a deficits-based to a strengths-based approach (Marshall, Ward, Mann, Moulden, Fernandez, Serran, & Marshall, 2005; Wormith, Althouse, Simpson, Reitzel, Fagan, & Morgan, 2007; Zeldin, 2004). One potential approach to treatment fosters a sense of psychological empowerment in youth. Although research has yet to explore the experience of psychological empowerment within incarcerated youth, theory on empowerment suggests that it could help youth to create both cognitive (e.g., increased self-esteem, increased confidence) and behavioral (e.g., improving quality of life, social integration) changes in their lives (Cargo, Grams, Ottoson, Ward, & Green, 2003; Holden, Crankshaw, Nimsch, Hinnant, & Hund, 2004a). Empowerment-based programming may also help youth develop specific psychosocial capacities, such as competence, confidence, and self-efficacy, which are necessary skills for future success and community reintegration. The purpose of the current study was to establish a measure of psychological empowerment (PE) and explore potential behavioral correlates of PE for young men within Oregon Youth Authority (OYA) correctional and re-entry facilities. Using a cross-sectional, non-experimental design, quantitative data from self-report surveys of incarcerated youth on PE in three settings within correctional facilities as well as OYA staff ratings of behavioral success in five skill areas was collected. Confirmatory factor analyses did not support the three-factor structure of PE. A single-factor structure of Intrapersonal PE was found to fit the data in three correctional settings. The present study has implications for the reconceptualization and reoperationalization of psychological empowerment in this unique context. Using the confirmed sub-scale, results of hierarchical linear models indicated that Intrapersonal PE was a significant predictor of behavioral success in two of the five OYA domains. Even with an imperfect operationalization of PE, there was partial evidence for the predictive ability of Intrapersonal PE.

Höga nivåer av återfall i brottslighet och misslyckade återintegreringar efter avtjänadefängelsestraff är ett socialt problem i dagens samhälle. Syftet med studien är attundersöka erfarenheter och upplevelser hos män som avtjänat två eller flerfängelsestraff för att identifiera faktorer som leder till återfall i brott samt vilka faktorersom leder till återintegrering i samhället. Föreliggande studie har en kvalitativ ansatsmed ett hermeneutiskt perspektiv och det empiriska materialet har samlats in genomsemistrukturerade intervjuer. Urvalet är målstyrt och utgörs av 8 manligaåterfallsförbrytare där tiden sedan frigivning varierar mellan deltagarna. Den mestframträdande orsaken till återfall i brottslighet visas vara missbruk, inte minst för att deti sin tur leder till ytterligare kriminella handlingar för att kunna finansiera missbruket.Andra framträdande faktorer är avsaknad av familj, missförhållanden under uppväxtensamt antisocialt beteende i form av våldsamhet och kriminalitet som urartat i tidig ålder.Negativa upplevelser under tiden på anstalt och bristfälligt stöd vid frigivning har ocksåen inverkan på återfallsrisken. Gällande faktorer som leder till återintegrering efteravtjänat fängelsestraff framkommer det att självinsikt och ansvarstagande verkarfrämjande. Sysselsättning i form av arbete bidrar till ökad självkänsla såväl somekonomiskt kapital vilket är avgörande i en gynnsam återintegrering. Ett stabilt socialtnätverk med familj är ytterligare en framträdande faktor som minskar risken att återfallai brott och snarare gynna en återintegrering i samhället. Studiens resultat pekar mot attdet finns många olika orsaker till återfall i brott och att vägen till återintegrering kan seut på många olika sätt, vilket tyder på att det finns ett behov av individanpassadeinsatser för att minska återfallsrisken och främja återintegrering. / High levels of recidivism and failed reintegrations after serving a prison sentence is asocial problem in today's society. The purpose of this study is to look into theexperiences of men who have served two or more prison sentences in order to identifywhich factors that lead to recidivism as well as which factors that lead to reintegrationinto the society. The presented study has a qualitative approach with a hermeneuticperspective and the empirical material has been collected through semi-structuredinterviews. The selection is goal-directed and consists 8 male recidivists where the timesince release date varies between the participants. The most prominent cause ofrecidivism appears to be addiction, especially for it leads to further criminal acts inorder to finance the addiction. Other factors are deficient family relations, abuse duringchildhood and antisocial behavior in forms of violence and criminality that degenerateat an early age. Negative experiences during prison sentences as well as insufficientsupport upon release also has an impact on the risk of recidivism. Regarding factors thatlead to reintegration after serving a prison sentence, it emerges that self-awareness andtaking responsibility seems to be highly important. Employment in forms of workcontributes to increased self-esteem as well as economic capital, which is crucial in apositive reintegration. A secure social network with family is another prominent factorthat reduces the risk of recidivism and supports integration back into society. The resultsof the study point to the fact that there are many different reasons for recidivism andthat one path to reintegration can look very different from another, which indicates thatthere is a need for individually tailored interventions to reduce the risk of recidivismand promote reintegration.

Of the 700 offenders that are released from prison each year, seven in ten will be rearrested. There are a number of barriers face by released offenders that inhibit their successful reentry. These barriers include: mental health illness, limited work experience, lower education, substance abuse, lack of transportation, homelessness and poverty strain of family ties and/or close relationships. This paper explores the impact of social support on recidivism rates through a systematic review of the literature surrounding prosocial support. The implications for social work practice and research are also discussed.

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To decrease the steady rise in the prison population, we must deter ex-offenders from re-offending and recidivating, once they have been released. For ex-offenders, finding employment is critical to successful post-release re-integration which can help reduce the chances of them recidivating. Ex-offenders who are consistent in their employment patterns are less likely to return to a life of crime. This study investigated the relative importance and significance of 11 selected variables on four separate levels of employment consistency. The selected variables were chosen based on what has been identified in the literature as effecting employment patterns of ex-offenders and the general population, and what data was reliable and available. The study group consisted of 2,314 male Virginia ex-offenders released in fiscal year 2001. The results revealed that the variables of time served, career and technical education program completions, educational level, age at release, race, and being convicted of a violent offense were positive predictors of employment consistency. On the other hand, having a record of minor infractions and being a repeat offender were associated with decreasing employment consistency in the analysis. The findings of the study suggest that it is important for offenders to make changes in the ways they think and their attitudes. This can be accomplished by taking advantage of opportunities in prison to participate in rehabilitative services and educational programs. In addition, as offenders get older they tend to abandon criminal ways of thinking, and once released they are more apt to stay employed. Furthermore, the influence of the race variable did not affect the study group of ex-offenders as anticipated. / Ph. D.

In recent years, criminal justice reform has become a hot-button issue in public policy realm. Public officials, academics, and activists alike have brought issues like police brutality, mandatory sentencing laws, and illicit drug policy to the forefront of the American political conversation. In an effort to contribute to this ongoing conversation, this thesis will explore three main topics within the criminal justice reform debate in the United States and provide potential solutions that policymakers can implement. The topics include illicit drug policy, mass-incarceration, and policing methods.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis examines the psychological and social reasons for recidivism among women offenders of the law and explores the impact halfway houses could have on reducing recidivism in SA. Despite the problem of high crime and offender recidivism in SA there is a lack of research into projects within the country that are attempting to address the situation. This paper ascribes to be an authentic voice from one who has had the unique opportunity of observing the SA prison system from within, over a period of 15 years, and one who has sought to assist ex-offenders in their reintegration from prison to society by providing support once outside of prison over the past 10 years. The thesis is auto-ethnographic in design and method. This research examines the reasons for criminal acts among women and seeks to investigate and determine the unique complexities surrounding women and crime. A high prevalence of sexual and physical abuse is corroborated as common precursors to conduct problems in female offenders, while mental ill health is found to be marked among women in prison. Recommendations are made for the establishment of halfway houses in SA and strategies are suggested for the development of such halfway houses. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie verhandeling ondersoek die sielkundige en sosiale redes vir residivisme onder vroue oortreders van die wet en ondersoek die impak wat halfweghuise kan hê op die vermindering van residivisme in Suid-Afrika. Ten spyte van die probleem van hoë misdaad en residivisme in Suid-Afrika is daar nie baie geskryf oor projekte in die land wat probeer om die situasie aan te spreek nie. Hierdie verhandeeling is geskryf om 'n outentieke stem te wees van ‘n persoon wat ‘n unieke geleentheid het om die Suid-Afrikaanse gevangenis stelsel van binne af te sien oor 'n tydperk van 15 jaar, en wat poog om die probleem wat ex-oortreders vind met herintegrasie uit die tronk deur middel van ondersteuning buite die tronk vir die afgelope 10 jaar. Die verhandeling is outo-etnografies in ontwerp en metode. Hierdie tesis neem die redes in ag van kriminele dade onder vroue en poog om die unieke kompleksiteit rondom vroue en misdaad te ondersoek. Die navorsing staaf 'n hoë voorkoms van seksuele en fisiese mishandeling as 'n gemeenskaplike voorloper probleem in vroulike oortreders. Geestesgesondheid is waar geneem onder vroue in die tronk. Die idee van halfweghuise in die Suid-Afrikaanse gemeenskap is op die been gebring. Die artikel stel verder strategie vir die ontwikkeling van die halfweghuise in Suid-Afrika voor.