The Application of Contingency Management in Community Supervision Settings: An Examination of Probationer Outcomes

• In Event: Evaluating Evidenced Based Practices in Community Settings

Abstract

Over the past several decades, there have been many attempts to integrate evidence-based practices into probation and parole settings. Contingency management is one model that has recently gained some attention as an effective behavioral modification approach. This involves the administration of incentives to strengthen desirable behaviors and sanctions to suppress undesirable behaviors. Much of the prior literature examines how this type of intervention can help reduce substance use or institutional misconduct, with much less attention being devoted toward explaining its effectiveness among a broader population of offenders. Even fewer studies have explored the potential differential effects of the model based on offender and officer characteristics, and type of incentive/sanction. Using data obtained from a Midwestern state, we examine the effectiveness of a contingency management system (CMS) in reducing recidivism among a sample of 638 adult probationers and assess for potential differential effects of contextual characteristics and response type.

Authors

• Lindsey M. Mueller, University of Cincinnati

• Paula Smith, University of Cincinnati