EVALUATING CORRECTIONAL TREATMENTS - TOWARD A NEW PRESPECTIVE

IN 1974, AN ARTICLE APPEARED SUGGESTING THE NEAR TOTAL FUTILITY OF CORRECTIONAL TREATMENT IN THE FORM OF PROGRAMMED REHABILITATION. HOWEVER, MORE OPTIMISTIC INTERPRETATIONS OF CORRECTIONAL TREATMENT OUTCOMES ARE POSSIBLE WHEN ONE CONSIDERS REVISED PERCEPTIONS OF THE ROLE OF REHABILITATION, THE QUALITY OF EVIDENCE FOR TREATMENT SUCCESS, VARIATIONS IN SYSTEM OR CLIENT OUTCOME BY TYPE OF RESEARCH DESIGN, AND THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN RESEARCH PRODUCTIVITY AND THE ORGANIZATION OF RESEARCH. PROSPECTS FOR CORRECTIONAL TREATMENT ARE IMPROVED WHEN REHABILITATION IS VIEWED AS ONE OF SEVERAL AGENCY GOALS; WHEN TREATMENT SUCCESS IS SEEN AS SPECIFIC TO SELECTED COMBINATIONS OF CLIENT TYPE, TREATMENT MODE, TREATMENT SITE, AND CHANGE AGENT; WHEN BOTH SYSTEM MODELS AND OUTCOME MODELS OF RESEARCH ARE USED; AND WHEN RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS ARE CENTERED IN-HOUSE. THIS REFORMULATION OF AGENCY CLIMATES, REHABILITATIVE PROCEDURES, EVALUATIVE METHODOLOGY, AND RESEARCH STRUCTURE OFFERS A MORE REALISTIC PERSPECTIVE FOR POLICYMAKERS, ADMINISTRATORS, PRACTITIONERS, AND RESEARCHERS. A LIST OF REFERENCES IS INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED).