Citation

Shaul L, Koeter MWJ, Schippers GM. Psychol. Crime Law 2016; 22(9): 903-914.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2016, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/1068316X.2016.1202248

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The goal of this study was to assess the effect of a brief motivation enhancing intervention (MEI) on criminal recidivism. This was a multi-site, cluster-randomized clinical trial in six addiction probation offices. We randomized 73 probation officers (37 to intervention, 36 to control) and followed 220 substance-abusing repeat offenders that were allocated to them (111 intervention, 109 control). We report three measures of recidivism rate (self-report, police records, and combination of either of the two) and time to re-offending (police records) during a 12-month follow-up period. The proportion of re-offending and time to re-offending was not significantly different between offenders that received supervision plus intervention and those that received supervision-as-usual (SAU, no intervention). Our findings provide no evidence that supervision plus a brief MEI is more effective than SAU.

Language: en

Keywords

substance abuse; Recidivism; motivation enhancing intervention; probation; re-offending