A Systematic Review of Criminal Recidivism Rates Worldwide: Current Difficulties and Recommendations for Best Practice

Fazel, Seena; Wolf, Achim

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0130390

Cited by 155 publications

(111 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…Of all violent offenders released, about 33% were arrested for another violent offence within 5 years of their release (Durose et al, ). Similar rates were reported in a recent review of recidivism rates across 18 countries (Fazel & Wolf, ). Sweden, for example, has a 2‐year reconviction rate of 43%, whereas the rate is even higher—59%—in England and Wales.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Does emotion matter? The role of alexithymia in violent recidivism: A systematic literature review

Leshem

Lieshout

Ben‐David

et al. 2019

Criminal Behav Ment Health

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Background Several variables have been evidenced for their association with violent reoffending. Resultant interventions have been suggested, yet the rate of recidivism remains high. Alexithymia, characterised by deficits in emotion processing and verbal expression, might interact with these other risk factors to affect outcomes. Aim Our goal was to examine the role of alexithymia as a possible moderator of risk factors for violent offender recidivism. Our hypothesis was that, albeit with other risk factors, alexithymia increases the risk of violent reoffending. Method We conducted a systematic literature review, using terms for alexithymia and violent offending and their intersection. Results (a) No study that directly tests the role of alexithymia in conjunction with other potential risk factors for recidivism and actual violent recidivism was uncovered. (b) Primarily alexithymia researchers and primarily researchers into violence have separately found several clinical features in common between aspects of alexithymia and violence, such as impulsivity (total n = 24 studies). (c) Other researchers have established a relationship between alexithymia and both dynamic and static risk factors for violent recidivism (n = 16 studies). Conclusion Alexithymia may be a possible moderator of risk of violent offence recidivism. Supplementing offenders' rehabilitation efforts with assessments of alexithymia may assist in designing individually tailored interventions to promote desistance among violent offenders.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Does emotion matter? The role of alexithymia in violent recidivism: A systematic literature review

Leshem

Lieshout

Ben‐David

et al. 2019

Criminal Behav Ment Health

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show abstract

“…Yet the country can do much more. The USA has not only a far higher rate of incarceration than other developed countries, it also has a much higher recidivism rate (Fazel and Wolf 2015).…”

Section: Evolving a Criminal Justice System To Enhance Family Well-beingmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Strategic Plan for Strengthening America’s Families: A Brief from the Coalition of Behavioral Science Organizations

Biglan

Elfner

Garbacz

et al. 2020

Clin Child Fam Psychol Rev

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Despite significant progress in research on the treatment and prevention of psychological, behavioral, and health problems, the translation of this knowledge into population-wide benefit remains limited. This paper reviews the state of America's children and families, highlighting the influence of stressful contextual and social conditions on child and family well-being and the concentration of disadvantage in numerous neighborhoods and communities throughout the nation. It then briefly reviews the progress that has been made in pinpointing policies that can reduce stressful contextual conditions such as poverty, discrimination, and the marketing of unhealthful foods and substances. It also describes numerous family and school interventions that have proven benefit in preventing psychological and behavioral problems as diverse as tobacco, alcohol, and other drug use; depression; antisocial behavior; academic failure; obesity prevention; and early childbearing. We argue that progress in translating existing knowledge into widespread benefit will require a nationwide effort to intervene comprehensively in neighborhoods and communities of concentrated disadvantage. We present a strategic plan for how such an effort could be organized. The first step in this organizing would be the creation of a broad and diverse coalition of organizations concerned with advancing public health and well-being. Such a coalition could increase public support both for the policies needed to focus on these disadvantaged areas and the research needed to incrementally improve our ability to help these areas.

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“…Many ex-detainees are unemployed, homeless, face financial difficulties, struggle with drug and/or alcohol addictions, and/or experience physical and psychiatric problems [15,16,30,34,35,53,63,67,80,87]. Furthermore, studies have also indicated that prisons fail to turn offenders away from future criminal behavior (e.g., [28]).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Recidivism After a Prison-Based Treatment Program: a Comparison Between a Treatment and Control Group Using Proportional Weighting Within Strata

Bosma

Kunst

Dirkzwager

et al. 2020

J Dev Life Course Criminology

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Given the large potential of prison-based treatment programs, it is highly important to empirically evaluate such programs in various populations in various geographic regions. The current study focused on the Dutch Prevention of Recidivism Program, a prison-based treatment program that aims to lower re-offending rates among participants by administering an individualized treatment program that addresses the criminogenic needs of an individual offender. It aimed to assess the extent to which the program was effective in reducing the post-release re-offending rates of program participants. This was studied by analyzing official prison data, risk assessment data, and re-offending records of a population-based sample of males incarcerated in The Netherlands. Proportional weighting within strata was applied to minimize selection effects. Study results showed that prisoners who completed a standard treatment program (which only consisted of phased re-entry), re-offended less in the 24 months post-release, compared to offenders in the control condition. This treatment effect was, however, not found when comparing prisoners who had completed a standard program plus cognitive skill training or substance abuse treatment, to those who had not. It was consequently concluded that participation in the prison-based Prevention of Recidivism program had a positive effect on post-release re-offending, for offenders who had engaged in a standard program that did not include any behavioral treatment modules. Results were discussed in light of theoretical and empirical considerations.

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A Systematic Review of Criminal Recidivism Rates Worldwide: Current Difficulties and Recommendations for Best Practice

Cited by 155 publications

References 5 publications

Does emotion matter? The role of alexithymia in violent recidivism: A systematic literature review

Does emotion matter? The role of alexithymia in violent recidivism: A systematic literature review

A Strategic Plan for Strengthening America’s Families: A Brief from the Coalition of Behavioral Science Organizations

Recidivism After a Prison-Based Treatment Program: a Comparison Between a Treatment and Control Group Using Proportional Weighting Within Strata

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