There is accruing evidence that offenders who do not complete treatment are at greater risk of recidivism than those who do complete treatment. Profiles of non-completers show them to be high risk of reoffending compared with completers, and differences in reconviction may be explained by these baseline levels. What is unclear is whether non-completion actually increases the risk of reoffending over no treatment at all. The purpose of this review was to examine the recidivism of noncompleters compared with untreated offenders of comparable risk. A systematic search of the literature relating to cognitive Ábehavioural interventions revealed 16 relevant studies describing 17 samples. The mean effect size (d 0/(/0.16) of differences in reoffending between untreated offenders and treatment non-completers suggests that failing to complete treatment is associated with elevated levels of reoffending, with this effect being more pronounced in community samples (d 0/(/0.23) than institutional samples (d 0/ (/0.15). Methodological limitations include poor risk comparability between samples and heterogeneity of non-completers, nevertheless it is possible that treatment non-completion may make some offenders more likely to reoffend.

No abstract

Recently, positive approaches to offender rehabilitation, focusing upon offenders' strengths, have gained prominence. Proponents have criticized existing rehabilitation models as focusing too much on offenders' deficits. Goal perspectives, which provide a structure for therapy, may unite these two approaches. The Personal Concerns Inventory: Offender Adaptation (PCI:OA) is a semi-structured interview that identifies offenders' current concerns or goals. The goals identified by a sample of 129 convicted adult male prisoners are reported here. A range of positive, anti-criminal goals were expressed, including stopping offending, improving self-control, finding and keeping jobs, having stable accommodation, quitting drink and drugs, changing support networks, and finding new leisure pursuits. Furthermore, prisoners expressed lifeenhancing goals, such as improving their lifestyle, gaining work experience, having good family relationships, gaining skills, and getting fit and healthy. The PCI:OA may prove useful as a motivational procedure, a basis for developing positive, goal-focused interventions, and a tool for outcome evaluation.

Sex offenders who refuse a place on a sex offender treatment programme are estimated to make up about half the prison sex offender population in England and Wales. It is important to motivate refusers to participate in treatment to reduce the likelihood of their re‐offending. In this pilot study we used the Personal Concerns Inventory‐Offender Adaptation (PCI‐OA), a semi‐structured motivational assessment, further adapting it for treatment refusers. We examined the effectiveness of the PCI‐OA (TR) with nine prisoners who had refused sex offender treatment (the treatment group) compared with nine refusers who received no intervention (the control group). The treatment group were at least 0.6 times as likely to show a positive motivational shift towards sex offender treatment as the untreated group. The practice implications of these results are discussed, and further evaluation of the PCI‐OA (TR) is recommended.

Overall, only the Confidence in Treatment scale of the TMQ provided consistent evidence of motivation for therapy and motivation to change. Better measures of motivation need to be developed.

Measuring offenders' motivation for treatment is important for selection and monitoring treatment engagement, yet few psychometrically robust measures of motivation exist. The Personal Concerns Inventory (PCI) was developed to assess motivation to change in people with addictive behaviours. It focuses on identifying goals in a wide variety of life areas, and two profiles have consistently been identified--adaptive and maladaptive. This study aimed to adapt the PCI for use with offenders and assess its suitability. Following amendment, 11 men serving prison sentences were interviewed using the PCI (Offender Adaptation, OA). Personal concerns related to self-change, and partner, family, and relationships were most commonly identified. Scores suggested that offenders show adaptive and maladaptive profiles, similar to those previously identified. The PCI (OA) has promise for use with offenders, although the issue of whether the PCI (OA) is better viewed as a measure of motivation or a motivational enhancer remains for further research.

No abstract