What Works?Short-Term, In-Custody

Rehabilitation Programs

Presented by: Jaslene Lizama

Authored by: Jaslene Lizama, Vikram Matthews, & Sean Reyes

Re-Think Traditional Methods

• In the United States the jail/prison populations continue to grow

• But are state and local funds being spent wisely?

• The goal is to improve the criminal justice system and reevaluate the current methods

AB 109 “2011 Public Safety Realignment”

• AB 109 allows for non-violent, non-serious, and non-sex offenders to serve their sentence in a county jail

• Though AB 109 allows for longer jail sentences, much of the population is still transitory and short-term

• There is still a lack of research and evaluation on specific jail treatment programs– Much of the research comes from prison populations, which does differ from the population found in jails

Goal of Research• Evaluate:– Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)– Educational & Vocational Programs– Substance & Alcohol abuse treatment Programs– Faith-based & Mental illness Programs

Goal: Report what is found to be effective, evidenced-based, in-custody rehabilitative programs

Risk-Needs-Responsivity (RNR) Model

RISK: The probability of criminal recidivism and should not be associated with offender’s crime seriousness .

NEED: Target criminogenic needs such as anti-social attitudes or substance abuse. Treat the needs of the offender

RESPONSIVITY: Use interventions aligned with the offender’s abilities and motivations.• Design & Delivery

Characteristics/Principles of Effective, Evidenced Based, Treatment Programs

1. High program intensity2. Interactive programming focused on skill building, according to the needs of the offenders3. Incorporates cognitive-behavioral therapy4. Structured curriculum5. Multiple treatment modalities6. Trained professionals administer program7. Treatment is more successful among high-risk offenders (risk principle)8. Duration of treatment is associated with effectiveness

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy

• CBT is considered to be a “top tier” rehabilitative treatment program – Based on the premise that

offenders have distorted cognitions

• CBT positively influences offenders cognitions – Makes offender aware of

thoughts that lead to negative feelings and anti-social behaviors

Thoughts

Behavior Emotions

Goal of CBT • To help offenders develop a new way of

thinking by providing them with a chance to: – Model,– Role-Play, and – Practice pro-social skills

Core Practices of CBT

1: Reinforcing pro-social attitudes2: The use of role-play3: The use of rewards and punishments 4: Graduated rehearsals and practices 5: Appropriate modeling that introduces pro-social coping strategies6: Allowing offenders to learn in structured group format

How to implement CBT effectively

• Meeting times– 2 times a week for 16 weeks

• Carried out closer to the end of offenders sentence

• Treat high risk offenders • Fidelity of program is kept by instructor• Supplementary components are added– For example, cognitive skills training and anger

management

Pre-Packaged CBT Programs

Moral Reconation Therapy (MRT)

Reasoning and Rehabilitation (R&R)

Thinking For a Change (T4C)

1) Come with workbooks and course material 2) Short training courses for facilitators (40 hours or less)3) All have the ability to reduce recidivism

Educational & Vocational Programs

• 68% of offenders are high school dropouts

• They lack the skills to live a conventional life

• Goal:– To equip offenders with

human capital and occupational opportunities

The Effective implementation of Educational/Vocational Programs

• 1: Run over 100 days• 2:Offenders spend 22 hours in program• 3:When paired with extra educational classes• 4:When those in authority support the program• 5:Adequate supplies/materials• 6:When interruptions affecting offenders

learning is limited

Adult Basic Education (ABE)• Goal:

– Teach offenders reading below the ninth grade level basic education

• Increase chances of employment

• Increased chances of earning a higher income– When compared with GED

participants have a 57% of obtaining a job compared to 45% of non-participants

– Reduces recidivism 5-9%

General Educational Development (GED)

• Teaches offenders subjects that will help them master GED exam

• Reduces recidivism by 9%– But allows offenders to

feel a sense of accomplishment and self-efficacy

Post-Secondary Education (PSE)

Academic Classes • College education classes

– Two-year degrees and four-year degrees

• Post-secondary education

Vocational Training • Found in 7% of all jails• Include classroom based

education and apprenticeships

• Employment Rates– 62% for participants and

41% for non-participants

When combined have an 11-13% reduction in regards to recidivism

Substance & Alcohol Abuse Treatment

Substance and/or alcohol abuse plays an influential role in criminal activity

– 2/3 of jail inmates are dependent or abuse alcohol or drugs

Treatments that might reduce recidivism:

1)Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy2) Therapeutic Communities3) 12-Step4) Interactive Journaling

Substance & Alcohol Abuse Treatment

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

• Short-term (8 to 16 weeks) treatment program for substance dependence can be effective in helping inmates reduce illicit substance use

Therapeutic Communities

• Highly structured framework• Community oriented rehabilitation

programs– Residential Units– Managed by chosen leader– Can include: CBT, individual

counseling, group counseling, and 12-step programs

*Reduction in drug relapse and rearrests*

Living and learning in structured

community

Keeping each other

accountable

Challenging negative

behaviors and

attitudes

12-Step Treatment Program• Key components:– Recognize that one will always be an addict– Weekly/biweekly meetings with similar

individuals with same issues– Rely on high power– Perform service to one another– Counseling sessions (group & individual)

* inconclusive evidence to the effectiveness of reducing drug use and recidivism*

Interactive Journaling • Structured through a written self-reflection

process where participants use journals to explore and resolve their issues

Stages:– Pre-contemplation– Contemplation– Preparation– Action– Maintenance– Termination *reduces recidivism*

Faith-Based Programs

• Most facilities have a full-time chaplain – Chaplain & volunteers work with

offendersServices provided included:– Bible study– Mentoring– Preparation for life after release

*Inconclusive findings*

Mental Illness Programs• Modified Therapeutic Communities – Strategic Treatment and Reintegration Unit (STAR)-

Nebraska Model – Consist of 2 pretreatment phases, stabilization phase,

and motivational enhancement phase• After these phases are completed offender is placed in STAR

Unit

Results: STAR Unit was found to increase the functioning level of inmates prior to their discharge from the unit

Findings REDUCTION IN RECIDIVISM

INCONCLUSIVE

- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy- Educational & Vocational

programs

- Substance and Alcohol Abuse- 12 Step Program

- All faith based programs (selections bias)

- Substance and Alcohol Abuse- Therapeutic Communities

- -Substance and Alcohol Abuse- Interactive Journaling

- All mental illness treatment programs

Conclusion

What makes a program effective?• Adhere to the R-N-R Principles• Follow the 8 Principles of Effective Intervention Potential Savings:Ohio has found that “the average amount of money spent on a DRC inmates per day is $69.19 or $25,254 per year, so the resulting savings would be over $19 million per year for a 10% reduction in recidivism”

(Vandine, Rhine, and Bickle, 2010)

• To find article please visit: http://cpp.fullerton.edu/index.asp

• Or email Doctor Gardiner at cgardiner@fullerton.edu

ReferencesBahr, S., Masters, A., & Taylor, B. (2012). What works in substance abuse

treatment programs for offenders?. The Prison Journal, 92(2), 155-174.

CDCR (2011). 2011 public safety realignment: fact sheet. Retrieved from: http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/About_CDCR/docs/Realignment-Fact-Sheet.pdf

Makarios, M., & Latessa, E. J. (2013). Developing a risk and needs assessment instrument for prison inmates: The issue of

outcome. Criminal Justice & Behavior, 40(12), 1449-1471. doi:10.1177/0093854813496240Volokh, A. (2011). Do faith-based prisons work?. Retrieved from:

http://www.law.ua.edu/pubs/lrarticles/Volume%2063/Issue%201/2-Volokh.pdf