Reducing Reoffending

Question 1

What did Martinson (1974) mean by ‘Nothing Works’?

Answer 1

Martinson (1974) actually said ‘does nothing work?’ and he was trying to find out what works.

Question 2

Talk about the debate amongst people about reducing reoffending.

Answer 2

In journalistic terms, this debate is called the “law and order” debate. There has been continuing controversy over whether and how it is possible to change a person’s behaviour when they have been persistently involved in crime.

Some say “lock them away, throw away the key”
“scare them straight”

Whereas others believe they need treatment and rehabilitation.

By 2007, a total of 65 meta-analyses had been done to look at what works in reducing reoffending.

Question 3

Is research fairly conducted on males and females?

Answer 3

There is data on both females and males. However, given that most crimes are committed by men, an overwhelming majority of research uses the male population.

Question 4

Is research fairly conducted on all age groups?

Answer 4

Roughly two thirds of the reviews focus on adolescent and young offenders (14-21). This covers the peak age for delinquency in most countries.

Question 5

Is research fairly conducted on all ethnicities?

Answer 5

The pattern is not recorded. A broad mixture of ethnicities are involved.

Question 6

What is the principal outcome of interest in a meta-analysis?

Answer 6

Effect-size.

Question 7

What is an important consideration when dealing with effect size?

Answer 7

The effect size of chemotherapy on breast cancer is just 0.08. But this doesn’t mean we discount it as a treatment.

Consistently, it has been found that effect sizes are larger for adolescent and for adults than for ‘young adult’ age range.

Question 8

Does the location of the intervention matter?

Answer 8

When other factors have been accounted for, community-based interventions have larger effect sizes than those delivered in institutions. The location doesn’t matter when the delivery is bad.

Question 9

What are some examples of programmes/methods of attempting to reduce recidivism?

Answer 9

• appropriate service (Andrews et al. 1990)
• interpersonal skills training (Lipsey & Wilson, 1998)
• structured counselling
• treatment of sex offenders
• family-based interventions
• CBT
• boot camps
• scared straight
• deterrence

Question 10

What are the most effective programmes/methods?

Answer 10

Appropriate service, interpersonal skills training, structured counselling, treatment of sex offenders, family based interventions, CBT.

Question 11

What is a programme?

Answer 11

‘Programme’ might sound sinister. But really, a programme is a pre-arranged set of activities with clear objectives and learning opportunities (McGuire, 2001).

In criminal justice settings, it’s general objective is to reduce participants’ subsequent criminal recidivism.

Question 12

Which method used in programmes has been the most consistent to produce positive outcomes?

Answer 12

Methods derived from cognitive social learning theory, cognitive-behavioural interventions.

Question 13

What are the features of criminal justice interventions that maximise the likelihood of reducing re-offending?

Answer 13

• Theory and evidence base. If based on theory and evidence, they are more likely to succeed.
• Risk level. If individual’s risk levels are assessed and targeted, there is generally good practice. The most intensive types of intervention should be reserved for offenders with the highest risk of re-offending. Low-risk individuals should not be exposed to these interventions (The risk principle, Andrews & Bonta, 2003)
• Risk-need factors as targets of change. Research shows many potential reasons for delinquency. Criminogenic needs are targeted and prioritised for interventions.
• Multiple targets. Interventions that target multiple factors (multi-modal) will be more effective.
• Responsivity. If pps are motivated and engaged, they will be more likely to change (Andrews, 2011). Rehab efforts will work better if they have clear structure and objectives, must be adaptive to individuals.
• Integrity. Lipsey (1995) noted that intervention services work better when they are being actively researched.

Question 14

How often and for how long should interventions ideally last?

Answer 14

Lipsey (1995) advised that programmes should last no less than 6 months and have 2 contacts per week.

Question 15

What are some effective interventions?

Answer 15

Interpersonal skills training

Behavioural interventions

Cognitive skills training

Structured individual counselling

Teaching family homes

Question 16

What is interpersonal skills training?

Answer 16

Several exercises designed to improve pps skills in interacting with others. Working in small groups, pps identify situations in which they are not sure how to act, or which they sometimes mishandle. Suitable ways are discussed and there is practical role play and feedback .

Question 17

What are behavioural interventions?

Answer 17

Individuals and their supervisors compose a list of problem behaviours and there is a system of rewards for progress in modifying them.

Question 18

What is cognitive skills training?

Answer 18

Structured sessions, each containing exercises designed to help pps acquire or develop their abilities in thinking about and solving everyday (usually interpersonal) problems.

Question 19

What is structured individual counselling?

Answer 19

Therapy but more structured than usual.

Question 20

What is teaching family homes?

Answer 20

Residential units or group homes where trained adults work in pairs as “teaching parents”. Their role is to develop positive working alliances with residents, impart a range of social and self-management skills and provide counselling and advocacy services. Young people can continue to attend school and return to home of origin at weekends.

Question 21

What is multi-systemic therapy?

Answer 21

Comprises work with the young person, their family and school staff. (Henggeler et al., 1998)

Question 22

Why do interventions get delivered in group format?

Answer 22

Cost and time effective.

Question 23

Talk about Bill’s case study. (Marshall, 2006)

Answer 23

Bill - 38 year old lorry driver.

Offences: sexual offences against children. Molestation of girls aged 6-10.

Beliefs: sexual fantasies involving young girls, series of failed relationships with older women (his age).

Treatment: olfactory aversion therapy. Learned to associate sexual arousal to children with a foul odour.
Directed masturbation- masturbate over images of adult women. Cognitive restructuring, designed to address his attitudes and beliefs that were supportive of offending.

Outcome: Effective in altering his sexual beliefs and thoughts and feelings. Two-year follow-up, changes were sustained. Bill was in a stable relationship with an adult female partner.

(Marshall, 2006)

Question 24

What is the risk-need-responsivity framework?

Answer 24

Andrews and Bonta, 2010.

Assessment of static (age, family history, previous offences) and dynamic (anti-social attitudes, problem solving skills) risk factors.

Treatment and fidelity were later added.

Question 25

What are the principle objectives of sentencing?

Answer 25

Retribution, incapacitation, deterrence, rehabilitation and restoration.

Question 26

What percentage of prison leavers reoffend within 12 months?

Answer 26

47%.

Question 27

What was the goal (CJS) in the 60s/70s?

Answer 27

Rehabilitation, then there was a rise in crime an prison crowding so government funding shifted to policing and deterrence.

Question 28

What is the Good Lives model?

Answer 28

Ward devised the GLM. It is a strengths based approach. It’s ethical core is human rights. Aims to prevent offenders re-offending by enhancing their well-being. The idea that we need to build their strengths.

Question 29

Why did ‘What works’ begin to take off?

Answer 29

Farrington (1977) amongst other researchers concluded that risk factors must be identified and targeted. Once they were, ‘what works’ began to take off.

Question 30

What did Beck (1963) say about cognitions?

Answer 30

Beck’s (1963) cognitive distortions model of offending behaviour suggests offenders’ cognitions are different to non-offenders’.

Question 31

Which meta-analysis of intervention evaluation studies is the most prominent to date?

Answer 31

Andrews et al.’s (1990) meta-analysis of intervention evaluation studies is perhaps one of the most prominent of the what works papers to date.