How Does Program Fidelity Impact the Effects of Participation in Correctional Programs?

• In Event: What Can 105,000 Incarcerated Offenders Tell Us about the Effects of Participation in Correctional Programs?

Abstract

Program fidelity is rarely a focal point for correctional programs in both practice and research. Programs often jettison quality assurance processes when budget cuts occur or competing demands overwhelm available resources. In research, program evaluators often concentrate their efforts on examining the outcomes of programming but not the processes that create those results. Generally, many researchers do not “control” for fidelity, which may negatively impact interpretation of research findings. Using evaluations of treatment programs conducted using the Evidence-Based Correctional Program Checklist – Group Assessment (CPC-GA) completed during a statewide evaluation of prison programming, this paper will examine the importance of program fidelity in prison programming from both treatment and research perspectives. Specifically in this study, most programs scored poorly in the quality assurance domain of the CPC-GA. As such, the researchers are able to “control” for fidelity, therefore providing more detailed and nuanced research findings. This study will demonstrate how important it is for programs to invest in monitoring program fidelity and for evaluators to look inside the “black box” of programming when studying program effectiveness.

Authors

• Erin Harbinson, Council of State Governments

• Mirlinda Ndrecka, University of New Haven

• Amanda Pompoco, University of Cincinnati

• Carrie Sullivan, University of Cincinnati