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IDOC > Community Corrections > What Works The What Works Agenda

Through research and the meta-analysis process (the process of synthesizing research from previous separate, but related studies) certain interventions have been proven statistically successful.

There are Eight Principles of Effective Correctional Intervention as defined by Dr. Edward J. Latessa, University of Cincinnati, Dr. Francis T. Cullen, University of Cincinnati, and Dr. Paul Gendreau, University of New Brunswick at Saint John. These principles are:

  • Organizational Culture: The organizations have well defined goals, ethical principles and a history of efficiently responding to issues that have an impact on treatment facilities.
  • Program Implementation/Maintenance: Programs that are based on empirically defined needs, are consistent with the organization’s values and are fiscally responsible and congruent with stakeholder values.
  • Management/Staff Characteristics: Professionally trained and experienced staff in the area of offender treatment programs that are supportive of rehabilitation and relationship styles.
  • Client Risk/Need Practices: Risk is assessed by psychometric instruments of proven predictive validity and consists of a wide range of dynamic risk factors or criminogenic needs and takes into account the responsiveness of offenders to different styles and modes of service. This type of instrument should be used for both initial and reassessment purposes.
  • Program Characteristics: Programs should target for change a wide variety of criminogenic needs (recidivism predictors) by using empirically valid behavioral/social learning/cognitive behavioral therapies that are directed at higher risk offenders.
  • Core Correctional Practice: Use of therapeutic practices that use anti-criminal modeling, effective reinforcement and disapproval problem solving techniques, structured learning procedures for skill building, effective use of authority, cognitive self change, relationship practices and motivational interviewing.
  • Inter-Agency Communication: Aggressive referrals and advocacy for offenders for services in the community.
  • Evaluation: Routine evaluation through program audits, consumer satisfaction surveys, process evaluations of changes in criminogenic need and follow up of recidivism rates.

Using these principles, programs are most effective when they have elements of all of the following three services: Client Monitoring, Client Assessment, and Client Interventions. Appropriate interventions are based on individualized case management plans. These case management plans are developed from the results of objective assessments which focus on, at a minimum, both the risk and needs of the offender. In addition the case management plans should utilize services which are performance based and provide both rewards and sanctions.

Examples of services within each of the three areas would include the following:

  • Client Monitoring: Examples include, but are not limited to Electronic Monitoring, Drug Testing, Personal Client Contacts, Telephone Contacts and Collateral Contacts;
  • Client Assessment: Examples include, but are not limited to: Risk/Needs Assessment Level of Service Inventory-Revised (LSI-R), Substance Vocational/Educational Assessment;
  • Client Interventions; Examples include, but are not limited to: Vocational Training, Education, Life Skills, Drug and Alcohol Treatment, Job Skills, Parenting Skills and Cognitive Behavioral Interventions (i.e. Thing for a Change, Life After Incarceration, Motivational Interviewing, Moral Reconation Therapy, Aggression Replacement Therapy).