Inside the Black Box of Treatment--An Empirical Examination of Program Design

• In Event: Evaluations on Correctional Programming

Abstract

A large body of literature exists on effective treatment strategies. This body of literature supports the principles of risk, need and responsivity (RNR) to guide decisions in developing correctional programming. Beyond RNR, correctional programs must make many design decisions, such as length of stay of the program, what curricula to use, number of groups offered, etc. There is limited empirical knowledge about the degree to which such ancillary program decisions affect treatment outcomes. This study uses data from over 20,000 adult offenders that participated in 64 residential correctional programs to examine detailed treatment characteristics. Results contribute to a growing body of literature on effective program characteristics that could assist practitioners to make effective design decisions.

Authors

• Lori Brusman Lovins, University of Houston - Downtown

• Edward J. Latessa, University of Cincinnati