Putting the “What Works” Research into Practice

Ferguson, Jennifer L.

doi:10.1177/0093854802029004007

Cited by 49 publications

(67 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…For example, findings from evaluations of recent large scale criminal justice reforms, such as the Home Office Crime Reduction Program in England and Wales, indicate that problems during implementation of new correctional programs and services significantly influence treatment outcomes (Furniss & Nutley, 2000;Mair, 2004;Merrington & Stanley, 2000;Raynor, 2004). Similar experiences have been reported in Canada and the United States (Bernfeld, Farrington & Leschied, 2001;Bourgon & Armstrong, 2005;Farabee et al, 1999;Ferguson, 2002;Petersilia, 1990). These studies suggest that basing correctional programs on good research and theories is not enough.…”

Section: Getting "What Work" To "Work": the Challenge Of Implementationsupporting

confidence: 75%

Problems of Implementing Offender Programs in the Community

Astbury

2008

Journal of Offender Rehabilitation

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Rehabilitation of offenders is, at present, an important focus among many correctional departments. A substantial body of international research literature now exists to guide the design and development of new programs that aim to reduce re-offending. However, successful implementation of these programs has been challenging for many correctional authorities. Drawing on the experience of a community correctional agency in Australia, this paper identifies and examines a number of barriers to successful delivery of community-based offender rehabilitation programs and services. The findings suggest that basing interventions on scientific knowledge about "what works" in offender rehabilitation is necessary but not sufficient for effective programs and services. More careful attention needs to be paid to how correctional authorities can take this research and implement it in practice.

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Section: Getting "What Work" To "Work": the Challenge Of Implementationsupporting

confidence: 75%

Problems of Implementing Offender Programs in the Community

Astbury

2008

Journal of Offender Rehabilitation

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“…Recently, a fourth generation of offender assessment tools has evolved that includes measures of the severity of a given problem area (e.g., substance use disorder, antisocial personality, psychopathy) to improve the level of match between need and service interventions (Andrews, Bonta, & Wormith, 2006;Ferguson, 2002;Jones, Harris, Fader, & Grubstein, 2001). With these advances, the concept of risk is one that focuses attention on the severity of the offending behavior given the lifestyle and needs of the offender.…”

Section: Assessments For Criminal Justice Decision Makingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Screening, Assessment, and Referral Practices in Adult Correctional Settings

Taxman

Cropsey

Young

et al. 2007

Criminal Justice and Behavior

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The use of screening and assessment tools to gauge substance abuse disorders and the risk for recidivism are two widely recommended practices. A national survey of adult prisons, jails, and community correctional agencies was conducted to examine the practices used to place offenders in appropriate treatment services. Study findings indicate that 58.2% of the surveyed respondents report the use of a standardized substance abuse-screening tool, and that 34.2% use an actuarial risk tool. The provision of higher intensity treatment programs, the use of standardized risk tools, and the provision of more community referral services were all independently associated with the use of a standardized substance abuse-screening tool. Because practices vary considerably, agencies desiring to improve correctional programming should consider different dissemination, implementation, and technology transfer strategies.

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“…These principles (as defined below) conjoin to identify both the proper targets for rehabilitation and the appropriate approaches to treatment (Ferguson, 2002). Programs that have adhered to the principles of RNR have significantly reduced recidivism rates by up to 60% (Gendreau, 1996a).…”

Section: Risk Need and Responsivity In Substance Abuse Treatment: Bmentioning

confidence: 99%

Risk, Need, and Responsivity: Unrealized Potential for the International Delivery of Substance Abuse Treatment in Prison

Jolley

Kerbs

2010

International Criminal Justice Review

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Drawing from a strong Canadian and U.S. base of literature and an emergent base of scholarship from the United Kingdom, this article examines the delivery of substance abuse treatment in prisons and the determinants of prisoner access to and use of services. To date, multidisciplinary research provides evidence of supply-side programs driven by organizational factors that affect access and use; in contrast, there is a dearth of literature on demand-side programs driven by prisoners' needs. Guiding this analysis is a model for service delivery that integrates supply-and demandside factors into a framework that traces the pathway of prisoners through programs, beginning with assessment and ending with treatment outcomes. At the core of this analysis is an expanded discussion of how prisoners' specific needs should inform service delivery for greater reductions in rates of relapse and recidivism. Conclusions examine the legal and socioeconomic policy implications of programs that fail to provide services according to offenders' specific needs in Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

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Putting the “What Works” Research into Practice

Cited by 49 publications

References 10 publications

Problems of Implementing Offender Programs in the Community

Problems of Implementing Offender Programs in the Community

Screening, Assessment, and Referral Practices in Adult Correctional Settings

Risk, Need, and Responsivity: Unrealized Potential for the International Delivery of Substance Abuse Treatment in Prison

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