Community Based Residential Facilities and Recidivism

• In Event: Impacting Criminal Justice Outcomes: A Review of New Research on Supportive Practices

Abstract

Halfway houses (HWHs) and community based correctional facilities (CBCFs) are often used as alternatives to incarceration but there is a dearth of rigorous research on their relative effectiveness for lowering prison return rates. These types of community based facilities are widely used due to the belief that they pose little to no risk to communities while facilitating an individual’s transition from prisons into communities by providing access to employment, education, mental health services, and skills training. The current study assessed the effects of these facilities on the odds of prison returns for samples of justice involved individuals in Ohio. Using propensity score and case control matching techniques, we compare justice involved individuals placed in a HWH or CBCF in 2017 to matched groups of individuals placed on post release control or intensive supervision probation (respectively) in the same year. Overall, results demonstrate HWHs are much more effective for reducing prison returns whereas CBCFs are not more effective. These findings are discussed in terms of the Ohio context, and implications for research and practice are presented.

Authors

• Natasha Khade, University of Cincinnati Corrections Institute

• John Wooldredge, University of Cincinnati

• Christopher D'Amato, University of Cincinnati Corrections Institute

• Andrew Krebs, University of Cincinnati Corrections Institute