Why don't offenders complete treatment? Prisoners’ reasons for non-completion of a cognitive skills programme

Abstract

In an evaluation of the Enhanced Thinking Skills (ETS;Cann et al., 2003) programme, reconviction at 1 year was higher for treatment non-completers (i.e. those allocated to treatment who started but did not complete) than for untreated prisoners (i.e. those not allocated to treatment). It may be that non-completion increases risk of reconviction for some offenders, hence efforts should be made to reduce non-completion rates. In designing retention strategies, the views of offenders are important. This study, conducted with adult male prisoners, elicited information from ETS non-completers (n 0/18) about what interfered with programme completion. For comparison, views on ETS of completers (n0/6) were taken. The main themes were: (1) non-completers were motivated to stop offending and motivated for treatment; (2) compared with completers, non-completers saw ETS as less relevant and less well-timed in relation to their current concerns; (3) some non-completers found ETS too demanding, while others found ETS too slow and patronizing; and (4) working in a group was an area of dissatisfaction for non-completers. Limitations are the small sample size, varying reasons for non-completion, and gathering of offenders' views retrospectively. In future, treatment engagement should be studied prospectively, examining different categories of non-completers, and using larger samples.

A journey beyond the bars: Participants' experiences of psychological treatment in a prison setting

“…In accordance with the findings of Clarke et al (2004), McMurran and McCulloch (2007) noted that a proportion of the offenders in their study of eighteen unsuccessful R&R and ETS participants cited the inappropriate timing of the intervention as contributing to their inability to successfully graduate. Participants stated that, for example, alcohol and drug use was causing the most discord in their lives at that particular time, and, as a corollary, hoped to address this aspect of their functioning before attempting cognitive-skills/offendingrelated interventions.…”

“…Furthermore, Clarke et al point out that the majority of the interviewees readily acknowledged how their newlydiscovered cognitive strategies would not only lead them away from past behaviours which may have resulted in a criminal conviction, but were applicable to all aspects of their lives. McMurran and McCulloch (2007) conducted a similar study to that of Clarke et al (2004); however, McMurran and McCulloch turned their attention towards programme non-completers. McMurran and McCulloch interviewed eighteen programme non-completers; who, despite their failure to graduate from a rehabilitative intervention, revealed a considerable amount of positive feedback for the intervention they had begun (either R&R or ETS).…”

“…In conjunction with a number of the participants surveyed in Clarke et al"s (2004) study, certain participants from the McMurran and McCulloch (2007) sample also cited the "one size fits all" approach to programme content and delivery and a lack of wider institutional support as major treatment barriers. Half of McMurran and McCulloch"s sample cited difficulties in comprehending the course content describing how they felt the course was not right for them due to a failure to understand the material presented and, on occasions feeling patronised by the facilitator.…”

“…They acknowledged, as a group, how the programme would be of considerable assistance to them in reducing future offending as they now had a greater awareness of the effects of their actions upon those around them. The graduates contended that they had begun to practice, in vivo, the various skills which they had acquired in the classroom -one having stopped smoking and another having prevented a physical altercation in the prison (McMurran & McCulloch, 2007). Three graduates explicitly stated that completing the programme had affected the manner in which others perceive them.…”

“…All of those who successfully completed the intervention expressed a great deal of satisfaction, particularly in regards to the skills they had learnt, such as: stop and think, problem solving, considering aims, goals and objectives, considering the opinions of others, debating issues and sharing ideas and appropriate group participation. In fact, one participant was so impressed with the course content that he suggested private companies should offer it to their employees (McMurran & McCulloch, 2007).…”