This study identifies positive psychology concepts and interventions in an offender rehabilitation program in South Africa. The concepts and interventions are cross-referenced to the literature and are found to conform to the principles of the good lives-desistance model (Laws & Ward, 2011). The study uses inductive thematic analysis (Braun…

This article examines the concept of recovery capital, which is based on a socioeconomic understanding of addiction. Substance abuse treatment programs, especially those in the criminal justice system, should recognize the important relationship between abstinence and recovery capital. A program is described which fosters recovery capital among…

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…

We report the results of an evaluation study of a diversion program, operated by the Miami-Dade County Juvenile Assessment Center in Florida. The Post-Arrest Diversion (PAD) program represents an innovative approach to treatment and intervention within the juvenile justice system that utilizes standardized psychosocial risks and needs assessment…

Describes the technique of psychodrama to facilitate victim empathy with adolescent sexual offenders. Discusses other psychodramatic methods of role training, sociodrama, mirroring, and modeling, and their applications to working with adolescent sexual offenders. Outlines the history of the psychodrama technique's implementation in a…

Explores the effects of a pre-trial diversion program for misdemeanor offenders (N=243). Results indicate that successful completion of the program significantly reduced recidivism among first-time offenders. Nine percent of those completing had further contact with the courts, compared to 39 percent who failed to complete the program. (RJM)

Discusses the application of the "what works" approach to the rehabilitation of indigenous Australian offenders. Those from indigenous cultures may not share the theoretical assumptions that underpin this approach, calling into question the appropriateness of these rehabilitation programs. Presents options for understanding cultural…

Treatment resistance was compared between voluntary and forced participation for three treatment groups and the total group. Treatment resistance was significantly lower for offenders who perceived they had volunteered for treatment than offenders who perceived they had been forced into substance abuse treatment. (Contains 30 references and 2…

In this issue we describe a clinical trials study of the impact of adding specific case manager overlay services to "treatment as usual" services for youths in a Juvenile Arbitration Program. In this first article we describe the experimental intervention, the Arbitration Intervention Worker (AIW) service, which was provided to a randomly selected…

Reports on a survey sent to a sample of National Adolescent Perpetrator Network (NAPN) members. Results profile the educational and experiential backgrounds of juvenile-sex-offender-treatment providers, assessment tools used, treatment theories and interventions, client-presenting issues, and methods of evaluating success of treatment programs.…

Examines recidivism among 792 graduates of Arkansas' only boot camp. Results indicate that the primary predictors of recidivism were the type of offenses (drugs vs. others), race, and infractions while in boot camp. However, none of the predictors accounted for more than minor proportions of the variance in recidivism. (RJM)

In light of President Bush's enthusiastic support and numerous initiatives, there is a growing call to fund "faith-based" social service programs, including those focused on juvenile and adult offenders. These programs are controversial because they seek to reconfigure the line separating church and state. Based on a national 2001 survey of 327…

Examines the effectiveness of Colorado's Treatment Alternatives to Street Crime (TASC) program in reducing recidivism rates. Two studies were conducted to investigate parolees' (N=536) return to prison. Results did not demonstrate the effectiveness of TASC: TASC participants did not have a lower recidivism when compared to nonparticipants. (RJM)

Discusses a national review of pretrial diversion programs for drug-related cases; emphasizes the importance of social work involvement; and discusses the need for systematic design, development, and evaluation on these alternatives to incarceration for drug-involved offenders. (JPS)

We report the impact of case management services and youth psychopathy on Juvenile Diversion program completion for youths involved in a clinical trial, and evaluation of an innovative intervention service providing 16 weeks of intensive case management services to youths and their families. The present study examines baseline interview data for…