Research supports rehabilitative programming addressing youths’ risk to reoffend, criminogenic needs and responsivity factors with the goal of reducing reoffending. However, the Risk-Need-Responsivity (RNR) framework takes a ‘gender neutral’ approach that critics assert overlooks the unique needs of females. It remains largely unknown whether matching treatment to RNR needs is as effective for female youth as it has been shown to be for male youth. Comparative analyses of 39 male and 37 female justice system-involved youth indicate that across RNR categories, females and males were similar in quality and quantity of needs, and had them met through probation services at a similar rate. However, while the RNR assessment tool predicted risk for recidivism equally well, the matching of services to RNR needs appears to be far more potent in reducing recidivism for boys than girls, suggesting a moderating effect of sex on the relationship between RNR matched treatment and re-offending.

Research supports rehabilitative programming addressing youths’ risk to reoffend, criminogenic needs and responsivity factors with the goal of reducing reoffending. However, the Risk-Need-Responsivity (RNR) framework takes a ‘gender neutral’ approach that critics assert overlooks the unique needs of females. It remains largely unknown whether matching treatment to RNR needs is as effective for female youth as it has been shown to be for male youth. Comparative analyses of 39 male and 37 female justice system-involved youth indicate that across RNR categories, females and males were similar in quality and quantity of needs, and had them met through probation services at a similar rate. However, while the RNR assessment tool predicted risk for recidivism equally well, the matching of services to RNR needs appears to be far more potent in reducing recidivism for boys than girls, suggesting a moderating effect of sex on the relationship between RNR matched treatment and re-offending.

nÃo hà / A prisÃo como uma instituiÃÃo busca a reintegraÃÃo social e a prevenÃÃo da reincidÃncia, por meio de polÃticas sociais que procuram prevenir a exclusÃo social e a vulnerabilidade vivenciada pelos detentos. A personalidade, o histÃrico criminal, o suporte social para o crime e as cogniÃÃes antissociais, entre outras, desempenham papel central na conduta criminal. A reincidÃncia, por sua vez, à compreendida como indicador do sucesso/insucesso da reintegraÃÃo, porquanto se espera que o egresso do sistema prisional seja reintegrado à sociedade, e nÃo volte a cometer novos crimes. Assim, a presente pesquisa objetiva avaliar o risco de reincidÃncia criminal em internos do sistema penitenciÃrio, especificamente traÃar e comparar o perfil dos indivÃduos reincidentes e nÃo reincidentes, elaborar um Ãndice de avaliaÃÃo do risco de reincidÃncia, bem como comparar o risco de reincidÃncia entre homens e mulheres. Para tanto, serÃo utilizados os dados do Censo PenitenciÃrio do CearÃ, que contou com 12.040 participantes de estabelecimentos prisionais. Os dados foram coletados por meio de dois instrumentos, um bÃsico e outro ampliado. O questionÃrio bÃsico objetivou levantar o perfil biossociodemogrÃfico da populaÃÃo penitenciÃria, enquanto o instrumento ampliado incluiu variÃveis psicolÃgicas, sendo esse respondido por uma amostra representativa da populaÃÃo. A partir desses dados foram realizadas anÃlises de estatÃstica descritiva, teste de comparaÃÃo de mÃdias, alÃm da criaÃÃo de um Ãndice de avaliaÃÃo do risco de reincidÃncia. Os resultados delinearam o perfil dos indivÃduos que apresentavam histÃrico de reincidÃncia penitenciÃria e permitiram a comparaÃÃo com aqueles que nÃo apresentavam reincidÃncia penitenciÃria. A avaliaÃÃo do risco de reincidÃncia proporcionou a classificaÃÃo dos participantes em funÃÃo do risco, e posterior comparaÃÃo entre os nÃveis. Desse modo, espera-se influenciar uma sÃrie de polÃticas voltadas para a populaÃÃo penitenciÃria, alÃm de movimentar a comunidade cientÃfica, principalmente a brasileira, para a investigaÃÃo e intervenÃÃo no tocante a reincidÃncia criminal. / Prison as an institution aims social reintegration and the prevention of recidivism through social politics that search the prevention of social exclusion and the state of vulnerability. The personality, the criminal history, the social support for the crime and antisocial cognitions, among others, are central to the development of criminal conduct. Recidivism is seen as an indicator of success or failure of reintegration, therefore it is expected that the individual who left the prison gets reintegrated to society, not going back to commit another felony. Towards, this research aims to evaluate the risk of recidivism in inmates, specifically attempting to build and compare the recidivists and non-recidivistsâsprofile; to elaborate an index of evaluation of the risk of recidivism as well as to compare the risk of recidivism among men and women. To reach these purposes, data of the penitentiary census of Cearà is being used, counting with 12.040 participants in prison institutions. The data was collected by two instruments, a basic one and an extended one. The basic questionnaire aimed to make a survey of the biological, social and demographical profile of the inmates, whilst the extended aimed to trace the psychological and social profile of the incarcerated individual, as it was answered by a representative sample of the population. With this data analyses of descriptive statistics were done, also a test of average comparisons, as well as the development of an index of evaluation of the risk of recidivism. The results outlined the profile of individuals with a history of reentry and allowed comparison with those who did not present reentry. The recidivism risk assessment allowed the classification of the participants according to the risk, and subsequent comparison between the levels. Thus, it is hoped to influence a series of policies focused at the penitentiary population, besides moving the scientific community, mainly the Brazilian scientific community, to the investigation and intervention in the recidivism.

Semi-structured interviews with 29 probation officers were conducted about their experiences addressing youths’ criminogenic needs in accordance with the Risk-Need-Responsivity framework. Probation officers discussed barriers they face at the individual, organizational, and systemic level (‘environmental’ issues that transcend – but impact on – the individual youth). Results revealed that challenges probation officers faced included ambiguity with respect to their role addressing certain risk-need domains, waitlist for services, having to prioritize certain noncriminogenic needs, involving parents, and the prevalence of mental illness (particularly concurrent diagnoses). Probation officers also discussed systemic barriers that they felt were out of their control but significantly impacted youths’ risk. Results are discussed in terms of implications for theory, research, policy, and practice.

Semi-structured interviews with 29 probation officers were conducted about their experiences addressing youths’ criminogenic needs in accordance with the Risk-Need-Responsivity framework. Probation officers discussed barriers they face at the individual, organizational, and systemic level (‘environmental’ issues that transcend – but impact on – the individual youth). Results revealed that challenges probation officers faced included ambiguity with respect to their role addressing certain risk-need domains, waitlist for services, having to prioritize certain noncriminogenic needs, involving parents, and the prevalence of mental illness (particularly concurrent diagnoses). Probation officers also discussed systemic barriers that they felt were out of their control but significantly impacted youths’ risk. Results are discussed in terms of implications for theory, research, policy, and practice.

Via their frequency of contact alone, Corrections Officers (COs) have maximal opportunity to role model pro-social behaviour and further rehabilitative outcomes for offenders. Yet previous research indicates that one of the barriers to COs adopting this additional and sometimes contradictory job requirement, is that COs generally maintain largely punitive attitudes towards inmates. The purpose of the current study was to determine whether one reason for CO punitiveness is that these frontline workers lack knowledge of basic forensic practice (FP) research findings which describe elements that lead to offender change. Utilizing mixed-methods, the nature of the relationship between FP knowledge and the Correctional Orientation of COs, consisting of support for rehabilitation (SR) and support for punishment (SP), was explored. Further examined was how FP knowledge, SR and SP related to COs self-reported engagement in Core Correctional Practices (CCPs) which delineate the quality of interactions that facilitate positive rehabilitative outcomes. Employing a new measure of Correctional Orientation developed and piloted on an undergraduate sample (N=148) in Study 1, Study 2 involved surveys of Corrections Workers (CWs) (N=227) employed in the four provincial adult correctional facilities in Saskatchewan. Hierarchical multiple regressions including demographic covariates confirmed a robust relationship between FP knowledge and SR, and FP knowledge and SP. Likewise, though FP knowledge was significantly positively correlated with CCPs, the addition of SR and SP to a third multiple regression on CCPs rendered the contribution of FP knowledge non-significant. SR was a better predictor of CCPs than SP. Finally, in Study 3, eight CWs varying in their survey responses were interviewed. Utilizing thematic analysis three broad models were produced which described the reasons CWs may or may not support rehabilitation or punishment and engage in CCPs. Additional themes describing how interviewees responded to FP research were also generated. In the discussion the findings of all three studies were combined. Notably, SR appears to be more responsive to FP knowledge than SP, while salient job-related experiences of CWs are likely to increase SP. Yet, CWs can increase their SR without a comparable decrease in their SP and vice versa. Interviewees felt that the largest obstacle to their engagement in CCPs were the current features of the institutional settings which generated a cynical, burnt-out and punitive staff culture whereby peer pressure was employed to maintain prescribed modes of interaction. Comprehensive recommendations for reducing stress and burnout, education and training targets, and hiring criteria which could screen out problematic applicants are provided.

Emerging research highlights the role of self-regulation in the treatment of sexual offenders. Safe Offender Strategies (SOS) is a manualized sex offender treatment program that emphasizes the role of self-regulation and self-regulatory skills development in sex offender treatment, particularly for offenders with serious mental illness and intellectual/developmental disabilities. The current study involves 156 adult male sexual offenders in an inpatient psychiatric setting who received SOS treatment for a period ranging from 6 months to 1 year. Participants’ baseline and treatment data were obtained from archival medical records describing 1 year pre-treatment and up to 2 years of treatment participation. Dependent variables included monthly count rates of verbal and physical aggression and contact and noncontact sexual offending, as well as sexual deviancy attitudes, self-regulatory ability, and cooperation with treatment and supervision, as measured by the Sex Offender Treatment Intervention and Progress Scale (SOTIPS). Data were examined via paired-samples t tests, regression, and multilevel modeling, examining the impact of overall percentage of SOS groups attended over time, comparing participants’ baseline measures to data from 2 years of treatment. The impact of predicted risk was also evaluated. Significant treatment dose effects were identified for improvements in aggression, sexual offending, and indicators of treatment compliance and change. These findings suggest that the skills-based, self-regulation approach utilized in SOS may be effective in improving clients’ aggressive and sexual behaviors, attitudes toward their offenses and treatment, and self-regulatory ability over time. Implications for further research and treatment generalizability are discussed.

No description available.

This study was interested in exploring the perceptions and experiences of social workers about the nature and contents of conducting risk assessments with child offenders. Considering the high level of crime and reoffending in South Africa, effective assessment is imperative. The goal of the research was to develop an in-depth understanding of how risk assessments of child offenders are conducted in practice. This was done by applying a qualitative research methodology. The study was conducted in the Western Cape. Data were collected by means of semi-structured interviews. Purposive sampling was employed and data were analysed according to the framework provided by Tesch. The findings indicated that although prescribed instruments are used in the risk assessment of children in South Africa, they all have definite limitations. To enhance the quality of service rendered to child offenders, the development of a standardised risk assessment instrument is needed. / Social Work / M.A. (Social Work)

L’implantation de programmes probants dans les milieux d’intervention peut comporter son lot de difficultés pour les gestionnaires ainsi que les intervenants en contexte de réadaptation pour adolescents. En effet, les contraintes auxquelles peuvent être confrontés les milieux de pratique mènent parfois à la modification des programmes, ceci en vue de faciliter leur implantation. Il devient alors important de documenter ainsi qu’identifier l’effet des éléments associés à la fidélité d’implantation lorsque les programmes d’intervention sont évalués. En plus d’évaluer l’effet du degré d’exposition au programme cognitif-comportemental implanté dans les unités d’hébergement du Centre jeunesse de Montréal – Institut universitaire (CJM-IU) sur l’ampleur des troubles de comportement des adolescentes, ce mémoire propose une nouvelle piste de recherche. Puisque la recherche empirique ne permet pas encore d’identifier les conditions selon lesquelles il serait possible de modifier les programmes d’intervention qui sont adoptés dans le contexte de la pratique, cette étude propose d’élaborer une logique d’exposition au programme qui s’inspire des principes d’intervention efficace élaborés par Andrews et ses collègues (1990). Cette approche permettrait d’adapter le niveau d’intervention aux caractéristiques de la clientèle, et ce, tout en s’assurant de l’efficacité du programme cognitif-comportemental. L’échantillon de cette étude est donc constitué de 74 adolescentes hébergées au CJM-IU pour une durée de six mois. Les résultats indiquent d’abord que les activités du programme cognitif-comportemental ont été appliquées de façon plutôt irrégulière et bien en deçà de la fréquence initialement prévue, ce qui rend bien compte des difficultés à implanter des programmes en contexte de pratique. Les résultats suggèrent aussi une diminution de l’ampleur des troubles de comportement six mois après l’admission au CJM-IU pour les adolescentes qui étaient caractérisées par une ampleur des troubles de comportement plus marquée au moment de leur admission et qui ont complété un plus grand nombre d’auto-observations durant leur placement. / The implementation of evidence-based programs into real world settings can be a difficult process for administrators and educators with adolescent clientele. Practice settings are faced with constraints that may lead to the modification of intervention programs in order to facilitate their implementation. It is therefore imperative to document and measure the effect of these modifications when programs are evaluated. However, because research hasn’t yet identified the conditions in which it is possible to modify programs for use in intervention settings, this study proposes a new approach based on the principles of effective treatment elaborated by Andrews and his colleagues (1990). This approach allows for the modification of intervention levels while ensuring the effectiveness of the cognitive-behavioral program. This study sampled 74 adolescent girls hosted at the Centre jeunesse de Montréal – Institut universitaire (CJM-IU) over 6 months in order to assess the effects of the cognitive-behavioral program dosage among behavioral disorders. The results indicate that cognitive-behavioral therapy was applied in an irregular fashion and much less frequently than originally planned, which speaks to the difficulties encountered in implementing evidence-based programs in real-world settings. The results also suggest that the adolescent girls with more characteristics of a behavioral disorder and who completed more auto-evaluations during their rehabilitation showed significantly fewer behavioral problems 6 months after the beginning of the treatment.