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Assessment of Criminogenic Factors, Program Assignment, and Recidivism

NCJ Number
152488
Journal
Criminal Justice and Behavior Volume: 21 Issue: 4 Dated: (December 1994) Pages: 454-467
Author(s)
G K Dhaliwal; F Porporino; R R Ross
Date Published
1994
Length
14 pages
Annotation
A sample of 107 federally incarcerated male offenders in Canada was followed to examine the outcome of a classification approach, Case Management Strategies (CMS).
Abstract
CMS has been adopted both in probation supervision and in treatment planning with Federal offenders who are either incarcerated or on community supervision. The objectives of the CMS are to provide guidance on particular program planning strategies for particular types of offenders. The classification system consists of three components: a semistructured interview schedule, an assessment of 12 criminogenic factors, and a correctional treatment plan. In this study, cases were tracked from point of reception to 6-month and 18-month postrelease to assess how criminogenic factors were matched to programs, whether and how these program recommendations were acted on, and whether completion of appropriate programming affected postrelease outcome. The results largely failed to support the efficacy of this case management and program assignment process in classifying offenders to correctional programs as part of the rehabilitation process. Only about half of the program assignments were judged appropriate in targeting criminogenic factors. Only a small proportion of the recommended programs actually were completed by the offenders. Finally, the completion of program interventions, based on appropriate targeting of criminogenic factors, was unrelated to postrelease outcome after 6-month and 18-month followups. 1 table and 21 references