International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology最新文献

The current study explored the relations between patient characteristics and psychopathic traits in predicting treatment involvement. We rated treatment involvement using detailed archival clinical files of 218 individuals committed to the Massachusetts Treatment Center (MTC). Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) scores had been rated from a previous study on the same sample. Overall, PCL-R Facets 2 and 4 significantly predicted decreases in treatment involvement, suggesting the characteristics associated with these facets have the most disruptive effects on treatment involvement. Exploratory analyses were also conducted assessing the relations between the PCL-R facets and the individual treatment involvement components. Whereas Facet 2 significantly predicted lower levels in all three individual treatment involvement components, Facet 4 only significantly predicted lower levels in two, highlighting the differentiating effects of these facets. Identifying the components that have either positive or negative effects on treatment involvement can allow clinicians to tailor treatments to optimize treatment involvement and outcome.

Treatment satisfaction and post-treatment factors have not received focus in research on the efficacy of sex offender treatment. We aim to describe factors that are associated with treatment satisfaction and how having satisfaction with sex offender treatment is related to future health and protective factors. We solicited responses via an anonymous self-administered survey from 718 adults in the United States who were required to register on a sex offender registry. Being older, a person of color, and not sentenced to prison were associated with higher odds of treatment satisfaction. Those convicted of rape offenses had higher odds of treatment satisfaction than respondents with other types of sexual offenses. A significant relationship was found between treatment satisfaction and being in a committed relationship, being in good mental and physical health, and being self-employed. The results suggest that satisfaction with treatment is a good predictor of treatment benefits.

The present study attempts to clarify the relationship between psychopathy, the therapeutic alliance, and success of offender treatment. In a German sample of n = 89 convicted men in addiction treatment, we examined whether early therapeutic alliance ratings moderated the relationship between psychopathy, as measured by the Psychopathy Checklist - Revised (PCL-R), and treatment success within the first 6 months. Results indicated that a moderation model is appropriate, as the association between total PCL-R and treatment success differed as a function of perceived therapeutic alliance. Specifically, high psychopathy impaired treatment success when the alliance was simultaneously poor. Conversely, a good alliance seemed to buffer the adverse effects of psychopathy. No differential associations were found for PCL-R Factor 1 and Factor 2, and the moderation model held for both client-rated as well as therapist-rated alliance. Implications for improving treatment programs for psychopathic patients are discussed.

This study investigates the cognitive changes for female detainees participating in a chemical dependency program that relies on cognitive behavioral therapy to help participants understand their addiction from biological, cognitive, and social perspectives. We examined how in-detention treatment perceptions of self and social connectedness. Qualitative data, collected through essays written by participants pre-treatment and upon release from detention, suggest that the program promotes many of the cognitive changes associated with desistance described by extant theoretical models, including the Identity Theory of Desistance (ITD). Our findings expand our understanding of the identity-desistance link by demonstrating that cognitive changes can occur during detention while women simultaneously experience the "pains of imprisonment." We discuss the implications of our findings for both practice and policy.

Despite evidence that psychological treatments benefit from pre-treatment intervention, there remains no published research on the value of including a pre-treatment intervention in forensic mental health settings. The present study aimed to address this gap by examining the effects of adding a brief motivational preparatory program (MPP) to standard forensic psychiatric care. The MPP was based on hope theory and motivational interviewing within a cognitive-behavioral therapy approach. MPP participants and a waitlist control group completed a battery of self-report measures of hope and motivation to change, which were compared with respect to risk, demographic, offence history, and outcome variables. There was a significant increase in client motivation for change after completing the MPP. Additionally, those who completed the MPP evidenced modest reductions in aggressive behavior, but significantly increased engagement in subsequent forensic treatment and programming.

Many patients in substance use disorder treatment exhibit behavior that is challenging for therapy. In Germany, offenders with addiction problems may be sentenced to treatment in forensic psychiatric institutions (Sect. 64 of the German Criminal Code). In general, therapy-challenging behavior (TCB) increases the risk that forensic addiction treatment (FAT) will fail. This article identifies a set of indicators allowing therapists to assess the risk of TCB during FAT. We define TCB as any substance use, escapes/abscondence and disciplinary incidents by patients. As potential predictors, anamnestic sociodemographic data, disorder-related variables, and delinquency-related data (set A) in addition to the therapists' assessments of the therapy process (set B) were analyzed. N = 548 records of patients, who had been in treatment for at least 12 and at most 24 months, were included in this study. Patients were treated in several forensic institutions throughout Germany. N = 187 patients showed at least one type of TCB (34.1%). In a first univariate step (applying Chi²-tests or t-test) various possible predictors were identified. Their predictive values were then analyzed in three binary stepwise logistic regression models. The first comprises set A predictors, the second set B and a third inclusive model combined both sets of variables (set AB). The combination of anamnestic and treatment-related variables (AB) proved to be superior to the other models and resulted in a significant model for prediction of TCB (p < .001). It includes seven variables and explains more than one third of TCB variance. The findings allow TCB in FAT to be more quickly identified in a population at risk and offer the possibility to provide these patients with appropriate treatment.

Research suggests that multimodal programs may support positive outcomes among perpetrators of intimate partner violence (IPV), extending beyond recidivism reduction to improvements in emotional regulation and relationship skills. However, few studies have examined their impact on underlying factors associated with IPV perpetration, such as aggression. This study aims to explore the impact of the Promotion and Intervention Program with Batterers (PPRIAC) on aggression and its components (i.e., physical and verbal aggression, anger, and hostility). A sample of 55 male IPV perpetrators in Portugal was assigned to one of two conditions: the intervention condition (IC; n=38) and the waiting list control condition (WLCC; n =17). Self-reported aggression was assessed at baseline, post-test, and at a 6-month follow-up. Participants in the IC showed clinically significant reductions in overall aggression and all aggression components from baseline to post-test. These gains were maintained at the 6-month follow-up, with a further reduction in physical aggression. Moreover, the IC demonstrated significantly greater reductions in aggression than the WLCC at both pos-test and follow-up. These findings emphasize the effectiveness of the multimodal intervention program in reducing aggression among IPV perpetrators and influencing specific factors associated with IPV.

Although women represent a small proportion of the incarcerated population globally, their rate of incarceration in the United States has increased dramatically over the past four decades, outpacing that of men. As carceral trends return to pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels, jail populations continue to rise, with most incarcerated women being mothers of young children. Yet, research on motherhood behind bars has largely focused on prisons rather than jails. This study explores the mothering experiences of women incarcerated in two U.S. Midwestern jails, including both pretrial detainees and sentenced individuals. Using qualitative data from in-depth interviews with jailed mothers, the analysis examines their parenting experiences before and during incarceration. Findings reveal that many women had limited contact with their children prior to incarceration, reflecting intersecting social and structural barriers that shape mothering within the criminal legal system. The study concludes with policy implications for promoting non-custodial alternatives, supporting incarcerated mothers, and strengthening family relationships.

Self-regulation is the basic capacity to regulate one's thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. The aim of the present study is to examine the psychometric properties of the Self-Regulation Scale (SRS) among male and female Portuguese youth participants (N = 559 youth, M = 16.51 years, SD = 1.07, range = 14-20 years). The three-factor model composed of the Emotional, Cognitive, and Behavioral regulation subscales obtained adequate fit, although the fit of the second-order model was also acceptable. Internal consistency as measured by the alpha and omega reliability estimators was good. Significant associations were found with psychometric measures of relevant constructs (e.g., self-control, psychopathic traits, criminogenic cognitions), and external criterion-related variables (e.g., engaging in activities against the law, alcohol and drug abuse). Cross-gender measurement invariance was supported, with females scoring significantly higher on the Cognitive regulation subscale, and males scoring significantly higher on the Emotional regulation subscale. The findings support the use of the SRS to validly and reliably measure self-regulation in Portuguese youth.

Extensive research has consistently demonstrated that gainful employment after incarceration is a critical factor in supporting the successful reintegration of formerly incarcerated individuals into society. While recent studies conducted in Western contexts have shown that work release programs (WRPs) facilitate this reintegration, their effectiveness in reducing recidivism remains largely unexplored in Asian societies. This study analyzes archival data from Taiwan's Agency of Corrections, focusing on a 2020 parole cohort of 8,249 individuals as the study target population. Using propensity score matching (PSM), participants from 2018 and 2019, before parole release, were grouped into the WRP (Autonomous Out-Of-Prison Labor [AOPL], n = 462) as the treatment group and the non-WRP group (n = 4,620) as the comparison group. Follow-up data from 2020 through May 2023 were used to examine reoffending rates and timing. Conditional logistic regression models revealed that AOPL participation significantly reduced the likelihood of recidivism. Proportional hazards models further indicated that AOPL participants reoffended later than their non-participating counterparts, underscoring the potential of WRPs to enhance reintegration outcomes in Taiwan.