Faith-based organizations administer many of the prison-based programs aimed at reducing recidivism. Many of these organizations also manage treatment programs for substance abusers, at-risk juveniles, and ex-offenders. Much of the research on religiosity and delinquency indicates that the two are inversely related. Therefore, it seems plausible that faith-based programs, which are rooted in religious organizations, may be effective tools for reducing deviant and criminal behavior. However, it is unclear whether the empirical evidence supports such a claim. This study is an evidence-based assessment of the effectiveness of faith-based programs for reducing recidivism. The results of this study indicate that faith-based programs ''work'' to reduce recidivism. Directions for future research are discussed.

Juvenile awareness programs like Scared Straight became popular crime prevention strategies during the 1970s. Juvenile offenders and at-risk youth who participate in these programs are taken to prisons where inmates use confrontational methods to recount stories about violence, sex, and abuse perpetrated by fellow inmates while living a life behind bars. These ''get tough'' policies have wide public and political appeal. Empirically speaking it is unclear whether juvenile awareness programs help to reduce recidivism or prevent criminal behavior. The purpose of this article is to use an evidence-based approach to determine if there is sufficient empirical evidence to suggest that these programs are effective crime prevention tools. This investigation includes a comprehensive review of the studies that have examined juvenile awareness programs. The studies are evaluated using the most widely accepted tool for assessing scholarly works in criminology, the Maryland Scientific Methods Scale. The results of this study indicate that juvenile awareness programs that use confrontational techniques do not work. However, their nonconfrontational counterparts may show some promise.

Confabulation can be defined as the unintentional creation of a false or inaccurate memory to compensate for memory gaps or deficits. Although some similarities may exist, the phenomenon of confabulation is distinguishable from other issues like suggestibility, malingering, and delusions. The possibility of confabulation is particularly pernicious in criminal justice settings. Here, self-reported memories play an integral role in the confessions and testimony of suspects, defendants, victims, and eyewitnesses. To raise awareness of this possibility, and protect against its consequences, this article reviews warning signs and risk factors for confabulation, tips on how to communicate with and treat individuals who may be confabulating, and recent research in the area of confabulation. In short, this serves as an introduction to confabulation for legal professionals.

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The purpose of this study is to conduct a comprehensive evidence-based review of evaluation studies of prison nursery programs to determine whether they are effective in reducing recidivism. Seven studies evaluating the effectiveness of prison nursery programs are examined and classified using the Maryland Scientific Methods Scale. The results show some empirical evidence for the capacity of prison nursery programs to reduce recidivism. However, weak methodological research designs and insufficient statistical analyses led us to classify the effectiveness of prison nursery programs as “unknown.” Suggestions for improving the methodological quality of studies examining prison nursery programs and directions for future research are discussed.