EIGHT EVIDENCEBASED PRINCIPLES FOR EFFECTIVE OFFENDER INTERVENTION

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EIGHT EVIDENCE-BASEDPRINCIPLES FOR EFFECTIVE
OFFENDER INTERVENTION
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Acknowledgements

• This presentation draws on information provided
  by Implementing Evidence-Based Practice in
  Community Corrections The Principles of
  Effective Intervention published by the National
  Institute of Corrections, Community Corrections
  Division, U.S. Department of Justice. April
  2004.
• With additional information provided by
  Principles of Effective Offender Intervention
  from the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections
  Office of Planning, Research, Statistics
  Grants. February 2007.

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Principles of Effective Offender Intervention
What They Are

• Findings from hundreds of studies and
  meta-analyses of criminal justice interventions
  indicate that good programs - those that reduce
  recidivism have common features.
• These common features can be summarized as
  Principles of Effective Offender Intervention.

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Clarifying Terms

• The terms best practices, what works, and
  evidence-based practice (EBP) are often used
  interchangeably. However, subtle distinctions
  exist between these terms
• For example, best practices are often based on
  the collective experience of the field rather
  than scientifically tested knowledge, and do not
  imply attention to outcomes, evidence or
  measurable standards.
• What works implies linkage to general outcomes,
  but does not specify the kind of outcomes desired
  (e.g. just desserts, deterrence, rehabilitation,
  etc.).

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Clarifying Terms (continued)

• Evidence-based practice implies the following
• There is a definable outcome(s).
• It is measurable.
• It is defined according to practical realities
  (recidivism, victim satisfaction, etc.).
• Consequently, EBP is more appropriate for
  outcome focused human service disciplines.

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OVERVIEW

• Assess Actuarial Risk/Needs
• Enhance Intrinsic Motivation
• Target Intervention
• Risk Principle
• Need Principle
• Responsivity Principle
• Dosage
• Treatment Principle
• Skill Train with Directed Practice
• Increase Positive Reinforcement
• Engage Ongoing Support in Natural Communities
• Measure Relevant Processes/Practices
• Provide Measurement Feedback

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1. Assess Actuarial Risk/Needs

• Develop and maintain a complete system of ongoing
  offender risk screening / triage and needs
  assessment.
• Screening and assessment tools that focus on
  dynamic and static risk factors, profile
  criminogenic needs, and have been validated on
  similar populations are preferred.

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Why Assess?

• Offender treatment programs that conduct
  thorough, rigorous and objective assessment of
  offenders and use the assessment information to
  inform treatment planning decisions have been
  proven to have much better outcomes than programs
  that do not engage in such assessment.
• Assessment maximizes treatment resources (staff,
  money, time) by targeting them where they will
  produce the best outcomes, rather than wasting
  them on offenders who will derive little benefit.

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Level of Service Inventory--Revised (LSI--R).

• The LSI--R can be thought of as something like a
  medical triage decision making tool it provides
  insight into which offenders should receive the
  highest priority for treatment, regardless of
  their specific problem areas.
• The 54 items are grouped into ten domains that
  represent key criminogenic risk factors.

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LSI--R Domains (number of items in each domain in
parentheses)

• Criminal History (10)
• Education/Employment (10)
• Financial (2)
• Family/Marital (4)
• Accommodation (3)
• Leisure/Recreation (2)
• Companions (5)
• Alcohol/Drug Problems (9)
• Emotional/Personal (5)
• Attitudes/Orientation (4)

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2. Enhance Intrinsic Motivation

• Staff should relate to offenders in
  interpersonally sensitive and constructive ways
  to enhance intrinsic motivation in offenders.
• Research strongly suggests that motivational
  interviewing techniques, rather than persuasion
  tactics, effectively enhance motivation for
  initiating and maintaining behavior changes.

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3. Target Interventions

• A. Risk Principle
• B. Need Principle
• C. Responsivity Principle
• D. Dosage
• E. Treatment Principle

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a) Risk Principle

• Prioritize primary supervision and treatment
  resources for offenders who are at higher risk to
  re-offend. Research shows that resources that
  are focused on low-risk offenders tend to produce
  little net positive effect on recidivism rates.
• Research shows that resources that are focused on
  low-risk offenders tend to produce little net
  positive effect on recidivism rates.

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Risk Level and Treatment Outcomes

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b) Criminogenic Need Principle

• Address offenders greatest criminogenic needs.
  These criminogenic needs are dynamic risk
  factors, that when addressed, affect the
  offenders risk for recidivism.
• Examples of criminogenic needs are criminal
  personality antisocial attitudes values, and
  beliefs low self control criminal peers
  substance abuse and dysfunctional family.

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Criminogenic Needs

• Anti-social attitudes, beliefs, values
• Rationalization everybody does it, so whats
  the problem, I have the right to do what I
  want.
• Minimization nobody got hurt, so its OK,
  they got insurance.
• Denial of responsibility I was framed, Ive
  already been punished enough.
• Criminal thinking Im too smart to get
  caught.
• Anti-social associates well, you see, my buddy
  knew this guy.
• Low levels of educational/vocational achievement.
• Poor self-control/self-regulation I got
  frustrated with my PO, so I
• said to hell with it.
• Substance abuse.

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c) Responsivity Principle

• There are important interactions between the
  learning and personality style of the offender
  and their setting or situation.
• Therapists skills should be matched with
  appropriate program type.
• Offenders strength and limitations should be
  considered in program plans- for example, an
  offender with limited literacy may not be
  appropriate for a program requiring extensive
  reading or journaling.

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d) Dosage

• Providing appropriate doses of services,
  pro-social structure, and supervision is a
  strategic application of resources.
• During the initial three to nine months
  post-release, higher risk offenders require that
  40-70 of their free time be clearly occupied
  with delineated routine and services (e.g.,
  outpatient treatment, employment assistance,
  education, etc.).

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e) Treatment Principle

• Treatment, particularly cognitive-based
  behavioral types, should be applied as an
  integral part of the sentence/sanction process.
  Targeted and timely treatment interventions will
  provide the greatest long-term benefit to the
  community, the victim, and the offender.
• Targeted and timely treatment interventions will
  provide the greatest long-term benefit to the
  community, the victim, and the offender.

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The Cognitive-Behavioral Approach

• Changing thinking is the first step towards
  changing behavior offenders behave like criminal
  because they think like criminals.
• Effective programs attempt to alter an offenders
  cognitions, values, attitudes and expectations
  that maintain anti-social behavior.
• Emphasis on problem solving, decision making,
  reasoning, self-control and behavior
  modification, through role playing, graduated
  practice and behavioral rehearsal.

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4. Skill Train with Directed Practice

• Prioritize, plan, and budget for evidence-based
  programming that emphasizes cognitive-behavioral
  strategies and is delivered by well trained
  staff.
• Skills are not just taught to the offender, but
  are practiced or role-played and the resulting
  pro-social attitudes and behaviors are positively
  reinforced by staff.

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5. Increase Positive Reinforcement

• When learning new skills and making behavioral
  changes, human beings appear to respond better
  and maintain learned behaviors for longer periods
  of time, when approached with carrots rather than
  sticks.
• Research indicates that a ratio of four positive
  to every one negative reinforcement is optimal
  for promoting behavior changes.

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6. Engage Ongoing Support in Natural Communities

• Realign and actively engage pro-social supports
  for offenders in their communities.
• Research indicates that many successful
  interventions with extreme populations (e.g.,
  inner city substance abusers, homeless, etc.)
  actively recruit and use family members, spouses,
  and supportive others in the offenders immediate
  environment to positively reinforce desired new
  behaviors.
• Community Reinforcement Approach

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7. Measure Relevant Processes/Practices

• Accurate and detailed documentation of case
  information, along with a formal and valid
  mechanism for measuring outcomes, is the
  foundation of evidence-based practice. Agencies
  must routinely evaluate offender recidivism if
  services are to remain effective.
• Staff performance should also be regularly
  addressed.

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8. Provide Measurement Feedback

• Once a method for measuring relevant
  processes/practices is in place, the information
  must be used to monitor process and change.
  Providing feedback to offenders regarding their
  progress builds accountability and is associated
  with enhanced motivation for change and improved
  outcomes.
• The agency should also conduct regular
  performance audits and case reviews with an eye
  toward improved outcomes.

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What doesnt work! - Famous programs based on
flawed theories/models

• Scared Straight deterrence theory make them
  fear prison.
• Nearly every study over the past 25 years has
  found dismal results, many even showing higher
  recidivism rates for Scared Straight
  participants. Has been characterized as criminal
  justice malpractice.
• Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) didactic
  model kids dont know drugs are bad for them.
• Most studies have found neutral effects for DARE.
  More recent versions of DARE, based upon
  cognitive-behavioral principles, have been more
  promising
• Sheriff Joe Arpaios (Maricopa County Jail,
  Arizona) Tent Cities and Chain Gangs more
  deterrence theory make them hate prison.
• By the jails own admission, its recidivism rate
  exceeds 60 percent.