Drug-involved Probationers Research Articles

Do Demographic Factors Moderate How Well Criminal Thinking Predicts Recidivism?

Is the relationship between criminal thinking and recidivism the same for criminal justice-involved individuals from varying demographic backgrounds? Relying on two independent samples of offenders and two measures of criminal thinking, the current studies examined whether four demographic factors-gender, race, age, and education-moderated the relationship between criminal thinking and recidivism. Study 1 consisted of 226 drug-involved probationers enrolled in a randomized clinical trial. Study 2 consisted of 346 jail inmates from a longitudinal study. Logistic regression models suggested that the strength of the relationship between criminal thinking and subsequent recidivism did not vary based on participant demographics, regardless of justice system setting or measure of criminal thinking. Criminal thinking predicts recidivism similarly for people who are male, female, Black, White, older, younger, and more or less educated.

The Effect of Childhood Household Dysfunction on Future HIV Risk among Probationers.

Adverse childhood events (ACE) can lead to numerous health risks in adulthood. ACEs coupled with increased risk-taking behaviors can lead to increased risk for HIV infection, particularly in vulnerable populations. The purpose of this study was to determine if mental health symptom severity mediates the relationship between childhood household dysfunction and adult HIV risk among a group of probationers. T-tests were used to evaluate associations between demographic characteristics and cumulative engagement in sexual risk behaviors in 282 drug-involved probationers. A mediation analysis was conducted to determine the direct and indirect effect of cumulative household dysfunction and high-risk sexual behaviors through mental health symptom severity. We found significant differences in the occurrence of different childhood household dysfunction problems by probationer gender, race, and criminal risk level. Mental health symptom severity demonstrated a significant indirect mediation effect of household dysfunction adverse events and engagement in sexual risky behaviors, b = .03, 95% BCa CI [.007, .057]. Given the high prevalence of childhood trauma in probationers and the direct associations with mental illness and sexual risk-taking behaviors, the need for offenders to have access to and receive mental health treatment while under community supervision is evident. Mental health and substance abuse treatment services can not only reduce risks for recidivism but also HIV infection and transmission within this population.

A Multisite Randomized Block Experiment on the Seamless System of Care Model for Drug-Involved Probationers

This multisite randomized block experiment examines the efficacy of the seamless system of care for probationers (an integrated probation model combined with substance abuse treatment intervention onsite at a probation office). The sample consists of 251 drug-involved probationers randomized into probation with referral to community treatment or the seamless system of care. Key outcomes are examined over a 1-year period by recidivism risk level. When compared with probationers in the control group, the findings are that those in the seamless system of care group had fewer drug use days overall, less alcohol consumption, improved treatment initiation and adherence, but a higher number of days incarcerated. Low-risk seamless system participants had the most favorable outcomes compared with other study conditions. This study demonstrates the importance of tailoring interventions to the risk level of the probationer, and that the seamless system works better for lower risk offenders with substance use disorders.

The cost-effectiveness of implementing in-person and computerized interventions to enhance treatment receipt among drug-involved probationers in two US jurisdictions (Economics of SBI Symposium)

Background In the United States 1 in 45 adults is under criminal justice supervision in the community, and substance use is prevalent among this population. Treatment for this population has been shown to be generally cost-effective and cost-beneficial. Relatively little is known about the costeffectiveness of services to enhance treatment receipt among drug-involved probationers. This study assesses the relative cost and cost-effectiveness of face-to-face motivational interview (MI), a motivational computer program (MC), and probation services as usual in a controlled clinical trial. The protocol is to deliver two sessions in the MI and MC arms.

The comparative costs of implementing in-person and computerized interventions to enhance treatment receipt among drug-involved probationers

Background MAPIT is a three-arm randomized controlled trial assessing in-person Motivational Interviewing (MI) condition versus computerized (MAPIT )c ondition versus control. Our goal is to estimate the costs and cost-effectiveness for the study. We present preliminary findings on the startup costs and the implementation costs of the two intervention conditions, MI and MAPIT. To our knowledge, there is no published study of the cost-effectiveness of MI as a pretreatment intervention in a criminal justice setting. Similarly, there is no evidence to date on the cost-effectiveness of relevant web-based interventions in a criminal justice setting. An important contribution of this study is that it will address these significant gaps in the literature. Methods

Does substance misuse moderate the relationship between criminal thinking and recidivism?

PurposeSome differential intervention frameworks contend that substance use is less robustly related to recidivism outcomes than other criminogenic needs such as criminal thinking. The current study tested the hypothesis that substance use disorder severity moderates the relationship between criminal thinking and recidivism. MethodsThe study utilized two independent criminal justice samples. Study 1 included 226 drug-involved probationers. Study 2 included 337 jail inmates with varying levels of substance use disorder severity. Logistic regression was employed to test the main and interactive effects of criminal thinking and substance use on multiple dichotomous indicators of recidivism. ResultsBivariate analyses revealed a significant correlation between criminal thinking and recidivism in the jail sample (r=.18, p<.05) but no significant relationship in the probation sample. Logistic regressions revealed that SUD symptoms moderated the relationship between criminal thinking and recidivism in the jail-based sample (B=-.58, p<.05). A significant moderation effect was not observed in the probation sample. ConclusionsStudy findings indicate that substance use disorder symptoms moderate the strength of the association between criminal thinking and recidivism. These findings demonstrate the need for further research into the interaction between various dynamic risk factors.

WHICH CRIMINOGENIC NEED CHANGES ARE MOST IMPORTANT IN PROMOTING DESISTANCE FROM CRIME AND SUBSTANCE USE?

Andrews and Bonta identified the following criminogenic needs as important to reducing offending: substance use, antisocial cognition, antisocial associates, family and marital relations, employment, and leisure and recreational activities. This study examines dynamic criminogenic need changes across a 12-month period and identifies which need changes are the best predictors of criminal offending and illicit drug use among a sample of drug-involved probationers who participated in an intervention (N = 251). Probationers had significant changes in several need areas, and treatment participation moderated some changes. Probationers who had reductions in criminally involved family members they associate with, improved work performance, and decreased alcohol use had the greatest reductions in offending. Those who increased time spent engaged in leisure and recreational activities were less likely to self-report subsequent drug use. These findings suggest that certain dynamic need changes may be more important than others, and designing interventions to impact these needs might improve outcomes.

Short-term trajectories of substance use in a sample of drug-involved probationers

The current study estimates trajectories of illegal substance use in a sample of 251 drug-involved probationers to identify risk profiles that predict group membership and explores the impact of treatment participation across these trajectories. Trajectory analyses reveal five patterns of drug use during probation supervision. Age and the use of hard drugs are identified as the strongest predictors of involvement in illicit drug use while on probation. The effect of participation in substance use treatment varies across treatment settings and trajectory groups. Prior research has tended to treat drug abusers as a homogeneous population, but the current study findings suggest considerable heterogeneity amongst drug users involved in the criminal justice system. Identifying trajectories of drug use during supervision can help identify individuals who may be more likely to persist in drug use, can inform practice by identifying individuals in need of more intensive treatment services, and can assist in developing new drug treatment strategies.

The Impact of Acculturation, Motivation, and the Therapeutic Alliance on Treatment Retention and Outcomes for Hispanic Drug-Involved Probationers

Factors associated with retention and outcomes for Hispanic offenders mandated to treatment for substance use disorders have been overlooked in the literature, resulting in an impediment to providing evidence-based, culturally relevant treatment services. This project examined the roles of motivational factors, the therapeutic relationship, and acculturation in predicting treatment retention and recidivism among Hispanic male probationers mandated to residential treatment. By following a treatment cohort over 120 days, this research identifies factors that may be targeted to improve interventions and policies. The following conclusion is supported: Among Hispanic offenders, the number of days in treatment is positively related to motivation to change and level of acculturation.

The Geography of Drug Abuse Epidemiology Among Probationers in Baltimore

Substance use is a pervasive health problem that contributes significantly to the recycling of offenders through the justice system. This study uses routine activities theory as a framework to determine whether the availability of illicit drugs in a probationer’s immediate residential environment is associated with their use of illegal substances. Combining narcotics-related calls for police service data, interviews with offenders, life history event calendars, and biological drug test results, a clustered-logit regression model of 250 drug-involved probationers indicates that the availability of drugs within the probationer’s immediate area is associated with a higher probability of testing positive for illicit substances. The results suggest a broader epidemiological framework to understand how environment affects drug use. Further research in this area will improve supervision practices of drug-involved individuals and interventions to reduce drug use.

The Relationship of Social Networks to HIV Risk Behaviors From a Sample of Probationers in a Randomized Trial

The authors examined HIV risk behaviors and the role of social networks among a subpopulation at-risk-for HIV, drug-involved probationers. Offenders volunteered to participate in a randomized clinical trial devoted to testing models of access to treatment. Results indicate HIV positive persons in social networks did not deter this sample from participating in HIV risk behaviors. Because positive associates did not influence HIV risk behaviors, engagement in these behaviors may not be a function of their network per se. Therefore, efforts to curtail HIV risk among probationers may be better directed toward the individual, and not the self-reported, associates.

The Impact of Residential and Nonresidential Drug Treatment on Recidivism Among Drug-Involved Probationers

A variety of approaches for addressing drug use and drug-related crime among the nearly 5 million offenders on community supervision in the United States has been tried and evaluated, but questions remain about which policies or programs are most effective. The authors use a large data set to assess the impact of residential and nonresidential drug treatment on recidivism. Propensity score matching is used to establish equivalent treatment and comparison groups and to enable comparisons of treatment type. Survival analysis is used to determine the extent to which each treatment modality and numerous covariates were associated with time until recidivism. Compared to those receiving no treatment, those receiving nonresidential treatment took longer to fail or recidivate. However, those receiving residential treatment did not differ from those who received no treatment in time to failure. In the treatment-only model, nonresidential treatment participants took longer to fail than their matched residential treatment counterparts.

Measuring self-efficacy among drug-involved probationers.

Self-efficacy has been shown to be related to outcomes from interventions for alcohol and tobacco abuse but relatively little attention has been focused on it in evaluations of treatment for illicit drug abuse. Almost no research has examined offenders involved with drugs. The current study, therefore, adapted the Alcohol Abstinence Self-efficacy Scale of DiClemente, Carbonari, Montgomery, and Hughes and administered it to 250 probationers mandated to 6 months of residential treatment. With some modifications, confirmatory factory models replicated four previously reported dimensions, e.g., Negative Affect, Social/Positive, Physical and Other Concerns, Cravings and Urges. Findings also indicated high construct validity for the Alcohol Abstinence Self-efficacy Scale as adapted here. Studies are needed to examine the use of self-efficacy as a prospective measure of treatment progress and to explore its association with outcomes from corrections-based treatment.