The Principles of Effective Correctional Treatment Also Apply To Sexual OffendersA Meta-Analysis (original) (raw)
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A meta-analysis of the effectiveness of treatment for sexual offenders: Risk, need, and responsivity
2009
The effectiveness of treatment for sexual offenders remains controversial, even though it is widely agreed that certain forms of human service interventions reduce the recidivism rates of general offenders. The current review examined whether the principles associated with effective treatments for general offenders (Risk-Need-Responsivity: RNR) also apply to sexual offender treatment. Based on a meta-analysis of 23 recidivism outcome studies meeting basic criteria for study quality, the unweighted sexual and general recidivism rates for the treated sexual offenders were lower than the rates observed for the comparison groups (10.9% [n = 3,121] versus 19.2% [n = 3,625] for sexual recidivism; 31.8% [n = 1,979] versus 48.3% [n = 2,822] for any recidivism). Programs that adhered to the RNR principles showed the largest reductions in sexual and general recidivism. Given the consistency of the current findings with the general offender rehabilitation literature, we believe that the RNR principles should be a major consideration in the design and implementation of treatment programs for sexual offenders.
The Principles of Effective Correctional Treatment Also Apply To Sexual Offenders
Criminal Justice and Behavior, 2009
The effectiveness of treatment for sexual offenders remains controversial, even though it is widely agreed that certain forms of human service interventions reduce the recidivism rates of general offenders. The current review examined whether the principles associated with effective treatments for general offenders (risk-need-responsivity; RNR) also apply to sexual offender treatment. Based on a meta-analysis of 23 recidivism outcome studies meeting basic criteria for study quality, the unweighted sexual and general recidivism rates for the treated sexual offenders were lower than the rates observed for the comparison groups (10.9%, n = 3,121 vs. 19.2%, n = 3,625 for sexual recidivism; 31.8%, n = 1,979 vs. 48.3%, n = 2,822 for any recidivism). Programs that adhered to the RNR principles showed the largest reductions in sexual and general recidivism. Given the consistency of the current findings with the general offender rehabilitation literature, the authors believe that the RNR pri...
Legal and Criminological Psychology
Purpose. Relapse prevention is an important goal in correctional settings. Although there is strong evidence for the effectiveness of certain treatment programs for juvenile offenders, those for adults lack such evidence. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a risk-need-responsivity (RNR)-based intervention. Methods. A quasi-experimental, observational study design and cox regression analysis were used to compare treated violent and sexual offenders (n = 171) with untreated offenders (n = 241). Results. Both groups were observed for an average of 7.9 years. Recidivism rates of treated offenders (11.7%, n = 20) were similar to those of control offenders (15.8%, n = 38; p = .25). When controlling for confounding variables, the hazard of recidivism in the treatment group was 5.2% lower than that in the control group. Subdividing the treatment group resulted in lower hazard ratios for offenders still in therapy when released and offenders cancelling therapy. However, none of the group differences was statistically significant. Conclusion. Our results show that control and RNR-based treatment groups had comparable recidivism rates with a trend towards a positive treatment effect, especially for people in outpatient treatment. However, criminal history, age at the start of followup, and actuarial risk of recidivism were significantly associated with recidivism. Future research needs to apply elaborate methodological approaches to detect robust treatment effects and consider different criteria of treatment effectiveness. Furthermore, the influence of prison climate, motivational factors, intervention quality, and factors supporting the success of outpatient treatment should be considered in future studies of larger offender samples.
The Impact of Prison-Based Treatment on Sex Offender Recidivism
Sexual Abuse, 2009
Using a retrospective quasi-experimental design, this study evaluates the effectiveness of prison-based treatment by examining recidivism outcomes among 2,040 sex offenders released from Minnesota prisons between 1990 and 2003 (average follow-up period of 9.3 years). To reduce observed selection bias, the authors used propensity score matching to create a comparison group of 1,020 untreated sex offenders who were not significantly different from the 1,020 treated offenders. In addition, intent-to-treat analyses and the Rosenbaum bounds method were used to test the sensitivity of the findings to treatment refuser and unobserved selection bias. Results from the Cox regression analyses revealed that participating in treatment significantly reduced the hazard ratio for rearrest by 27% for sexual recidivism, 18% for violent recidivism, and 12% for general recidivism. These findings are consistent with the growing body of research supporting the effectiveness of cognitive—behavioral treat...
Sexual offender recidivism revisited: A meta-analysis of recent treatment studies
Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 1995
To assess the effectiveness of different treatments for different types of sexual offender. Searching PsycLIT, PsycBOOKs, and reference lists of previously published reviews of outcome data on treatment for male sexual offenders, were searched from 1988 onwards for published studies not included in a previous review by Furby et al. (see Other Publications of Related Interest). Other restrictions, such as publication language, were not stated. Study selection Study designs of evaluations included in the review Published studies with 10 or more participants, a comparison or control group, and reported recidivism data were included. Limited information was provided on study designs included. The length of treatment varied from 4.5 to 60 months (mean 18.54 months; standard deviation, SD, 20.304) and followup from 1 to 20 years (mean 6.85 years; SD 5.95). Specific interventions included in the review The treatment modalities included behavioural, cognitive-behavioural, family therapy, group psychotherapy, hormonal (anti-androgen drug or castration), interpersonal, institutional programmes, individual psychotherapy, no-treatment comparison and medroxyprogesterone acetate. Participants included in the review Male sexual offenders, usually persons arrested for sexually aggressive behaviour including adolescents and men over the age of 17 years. Offences committed against women and children included rape, sexual assault, paedophilia, sodomy, exhibitionism and voyeurism. Studies were undertaken in outpatients and institutionalised care. Included studies were characterised by significant levels of participant exclusion from the analysis. Of the 80.9% (5,552 of 6,865 participants) excluded, the majority were associated with one study as a result of the non-matching of participants in treatment groups; removing this study left 35.8% of participants (620 of 1,733) excluded from the analysis. Excluded participants tended to be the most pathological participants, e.g. have extensive offences history, psychotic behaviour, organic brain syndrome, denied offences, or management problem in prison, or withdrew from the treatment programme. Outcomes assessed in the review Recidivism, i.e. additional sexually aggressive behaviour after a treatment period for participants who did and did not receive treatment, that led to official legal charges. Supporting evidence was provided by self-reports, or informal reports from agencies. How were decisions on the relevance of primary studies made? The author does not state how the papers were selected for the review, or how many of the reviewers performed the selection. Assessment of study quality The authors do not report the criteria used to assess validity, or how the validity assessment was performed. Data extraction The author does not state how the data were extracted for the review, or how many of the reviewers performed the data
Responsivity issues in the treatment of sexual offenders
Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 2005
have presented a model of effective correctional programming focusing on risk, need, and responsivity factors for a general criminal population. When applied to sexual offenders, the first two issues (risk assessment and treatment targets such as cognitive distortions) have received a great deal of research attention. However, little attention has been paid to responsivity issues: those factors that influence the extent to which clients benefit, or fail to benefit, from treatment programs. This article presents a review of several potential responsivity factors related to sexual offender treatment and outlines areas that require further research attention.
Sex Crime Recidivism: Evaluation of a Sexual Offender Treatment Program
Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 2003
Evaluations of programs for sex offenders report mixed results, are costly and require validation. This study examines recidivism following a sexual offender treatment program in an Australian male offender population over an average at-risk period of five years and one month in the community. The group format cognitive behavioural program was offered to a subgroup of adult male prisoners. Subsequent re-offence types and rates for program completers, dropouts and controls were compared. No statistically significant recidivism reduction was observed following participation in this Sexual Offender Treatment Program, whereas recidivism appears to be related to a history of violent or sexual offences. The initial promise of sexual offender treatment programs must be further examined by individual and meta-analytic studies. Limited follow-up, missing data and fidelity of the program may have contributed to the null result. Monitoring treatment programs to ensure inclusion of proven interventions may enhance future program effectiveness.
The treatment of offenders: Current practice and new developments with an emphasis on sex offenders
2008
Despite some dissenting views, most recent comprehensive reviews of what works in the correctional domain agree that some types of rehabilitation programmes are particularly effective in reducing the reoffending rate. In this paper, we review rehabilitation and treatment approaches utilized historically and presently, with a specific focus on Vhat works'. We examine the most widespread and successfully used rehabilitation principles (e.g., the Risk/Need/Responsibity Model), and then we tum our focus to specific treatment methods that are effective in reducing recidivism with sex offenders, paying particular attention to the relapse prevention model, and recent adaptations to this model (e.g., the self-regulation model).