Research indicates that meditation-based programs can be rehabilitative for incarcerated populations. Specifically, these programs can help promote positive well-being, reduce recidivism, and help with relapse. This article reviews the effectiveness of existing research on meditation-based programs in correctional populations. The results of…

Music has been welcomed to juvenile justice institutions as a transformative practice supporting the rehabilitation of youth offenders to citizens. However, acknowledging that such institutions are not neutral instruments of the law but political arenas within which notions of ideal citizenship are imposed and contested, the transformative work of…

There are currently an estimated 1.1 million juveniles involved with the juvenile justice system. Of that steadily-climbing number, a high percentage will be rearrested, readjudicated, or recommitted to a facility, program, or group home. Although many researchers have studied the factors influencing juvenile criminology and recidivism rates in…

With the recent approval of the Second Chance Pell Program and a proposal to reauthorize the Higher Education Act, a shift is occurring in favor of expanding educational opportunities to incarcerated adults. As reform to the criminal justice system becomes a focus, there is an immediate need to study the dynamic relationship between community…

Background: Data from sex offender treatment programmes (SOTP) on the re-offending of convicted sex offenders from the prison service in England and Wales was recently reviewed and found to be associated with no change in sexual reoffending. While this result is at variance with a number of other reviews it does give rise to concern as most…

Over 5 million American children under the age of 18 years, a disproportionate number of whom are Black or Latino, have had a residential parent jailed or incarcerated. While a number of existing studies identify parental incarceration as a key risk factor for poor child and family outcomes, there is more limited information describing programs…

The arts have been a presence in prisons for over a century; these programs have varied aims, from educational and skill development to social-emotional learning to reentry preparation. Despite the popularity of arts programs across the prison landscape, relatively few researchers have empirically studied the outcomes of participating in arts…

Mental health disorders are prevalent among youths in the juvenile justice system. This literature review focuses on the scope of mental health problems of at-risk and justice-involved youths; the impact of mental health on justice involvement as well as the impact of justice involvement on mental health; disparities in mental health treatment in…

Based on screenings of 1,150 manuscripts, we synthesize evidence from 18 eligible studies of educational interventions implemented within juvenile correctional facilities. The studies include 5 intervention categories: remedial academic instruction, computer-assisted instruction, personalized academic instruction, vocational education, and GED…

Equine-facilitated prison programs have become more prevalent and operate in correctional facilities in 13 states throughout the United States. However, there is a deficit of empirical knowledge to guide them. This article reviews 19 studies of prison-based animal programs and centers on patterns in the literature. It reveals how previous studies…

Smoking is a major health problem, however the issue is even more pronounced among those incarcerated in prisons, where smoking rates are often three times that of the general population. While effective treatments have been demonstrated in the tobacco literature, research examining treatment within prisons is limited in scope. This article…

Sex offender civil commitment (SOCC) has been enacted in 16 states amid widespread controversy. A critical component of civil commitment is the risk assessment process that determines recommendations for civil confinement once a prison term has expired. This study analyzes the first stage of a two-stage risk assessment process that determines…

Explores how the Chinese government responded to the so-called "juvenile delinquency wave" through comprehensive strategies focused on early social-educational intervention, work-study school, and juvenile reformatory. Concludes that Chinese approaches to delinquency may be effective even if they have limitations. (Contains 20…

Examines the sociological component of the urban community-based professional education programs at New York Theological Seminary offered at Sing-Sing Prison. Explores the simultaneous use of social theory and sacred texts as teaching tools and intervention strategies in the educational and personal transformation processes of men incarcerated for…

This article critically reviews recent studies of adult basic education (ABE), general education development (GED), vocational, and college education programs in prisons. Thirteen studies were collected from various databases across multiple disciplines to examine the types of program evaluations and statistical analysis techniques researchers…