The criminogenic needs of prison inmates are assessed to help guide their treatment plans, but inmates are often not matched to corresponding services to address those needs. A sample of 69,129 inmates in a state prison system was examined to identify those who completed treatment programs matched to their assessed needs and those who did not complete such programs. The odds of returning to prison within 3 years after release were compared for both groups. Of the eight need-specific domains examined, significant differences in the odds of prison returns were found for individuals identified with a Community Functioning need and for those identified with a Personal/Emotional need. That is, persons with either of these needs who completed suitable programs were less likely to return to prison compared with those with the same needs who did not complete suitable programs. Implications for future research are discussed.
It is essential to learn as much as possible from justice interventions—even those that do not appear to be successful. Data came from a sample of youths participating in drug courts in nine sites across the United States and a comparison group of probationers ( N = 1,372). Measures were drawn from case records. Path models with direct and indirect effects were analyzed. Aspects of the juvenile drug court process appear to heighten the likelihood of youth failure in the program and recidivism. The ratio of incentives to sanctions was protective as drug court youth who experienced more of the former had a reduced likelihood of recidivism. The article concludes that it is important to examine mechanisms that impact the success of justice interventions.
Inmate misconduct is a focal concern among those who live and work in prisons, and is committed primarily by a few offenders with discernable backgrounds. The current study examines the most prolific rule violators (the top 1 and 10%) among a large sample of inmates housed across Ohio correctional facilities. We focus on the characteristics that predict membership into these categories and whether differences in their rates of occurrence exist between males and females. Findings show more similarities than differences between groups. Implication for theory and practice are discussed, as well as suggestions for future research.
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