Search Results (123)

Rehabilitation programs by the Prisoner Rehabilitation Authority and the Israeli Prison Service are key in helping offenders transition from prison to society, aiming to reduce recidivism. Fraud offenders, however, face distinct challenges due to their personal and socio-economic backgrounds, including sophisticated and manipulative strategies, mechanisms of concealment and denial, as well as coping with a unique social stigma associated with belonging to higher socioeconomic strata. This study examined whether rehabilitation participation affects self-efficacy, sense of community, and belief in successful reintegration. Eighty-six released Israeli fraud offenders (42 program participants, 44 non-participants) completed self-report questionnaires on their sense of community, self-efficacy, and community integration. Group comparisons, correlations, hierarchical regressions, and mediation analysis were conducted. Analyses showed that released offenders who participated in a rehabilitation program reported higher community connectedness, greater self-efficacy, and stronger belief in reintegration capabilities than those who did not. Furthermore, the relationships between these factors were notably stronger in the rehabilitation program participant group. Mediation analysis demonstrated that self-efficacy fully mediated the link between sense of community and belief in successful reintegration. The findings emphasize the importance of combining institutional and community support for released offenders, with efforts to enhance their self-efficacy, thereby improving rehabilitation effectiveness and reducing recidivism risk. The results support the development of targeted rehabilitation policies for fraud offenders that enhance connections between formal programs and community support systems. Full article

(1) Background: Criminogenic cognitions can influence criminal behavior and recidivism. The validation of the Criminogenic Cognitions Scale (CCS) within the cultural and social context of Romanian offenders, along with an understanding of their profiles, is essential for the development of effective rehabilitation. (2) Methods: The CCS was administered to 460 inmates across eight Romanian prisons, with the respondents having a mean age of 39.23 (SD 10.36; range 21–71). Data were analyzed using Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), and the Kruskal–Wallis test. (3) Results: The Non-Acceptance of Responsibility (FAR) subscale had the highest internal consistency (Cronbach’s Alpha = 0.707), followed by Notions of Entitlement (NOE) (Cronbach’s Alpha = 0.683). The Negative Attitudes Toward Authority (NATA) subscale was considered valid with caution (Cronbach’s Alpha = 0.529). The highest FAR scores were observed among inmates convicted of sexual offenses, those who were widowed, and those with lower education levels. Higher scores were recorded on all scales for inmates who identified as drug users and those who perceived their punishment as unjust (p < 0.05). (4) Conclusions: The CCS is valid in the Romanian context, and the variability of criminogenic cognitions based on education level, type of offense, and perception of punishment should be considered when implementing rehabilitative measures. Full article

Although trauma exposure (TE) has been shown to be a robust predictor of youth involvement in the juvenile justice system, evidence regarding the role of TE amongst youth who recidivate has been more mixed. Recidivist youth are a population of particular concern, given evidence of declining mental health and diminished likelihood of returning to an adaptive developmental course. One way in which TE may contribute to these negative outcomes over time is through potentiating or “driving” mental health problems, which are especially prevalent among trauma-exposed youth in the justice system. To examine this hypothesis, longitudinal data were obtained over a 10-year period from a sample of 5615 juvenile justice-involved youth (1499 girls and 4116 boys) who completed a mental health screening at each admission to detention. Results of analyses assessing the associations among trauma exposure, linear and quadratic time, and mental health problems were consistent with the hypothesis that increases in TE were associated with increasing anger/irritability, depression/anxiety, somatic complaints, and suicidal ideation across repeat admissions. With the exception of alcohol/drug use, all mental health outcomes followed a quadratic trajectory over the course of multiple admissions. Rates of mental health problems were consistently highest for girls and White youth across all waves. These results add to our understanding of the role of trauma in mental health problems among persistent offenders and may help to inform interventions designed to reduce youth contact with the potentially iatrogenic effects of justice system involvement. Full article

Risk assessment instruments are widely used in U.S. juvenile justice systems to predict recidivism. However, concerns persist that these tools may embed systemic inequities by relying on indicators shaped by racialized disadvantage and community-level deprivation. This study examines whether race/ethnicity, detention and placement histories, and neighborhood disadvantage predict juvenile recidivism, and whether these effects vary across contexts. Using public data from the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice and a longitudinal cohort of 2877 youth (11,508 assessments, 2015–2018), generalized estimating equations modeled rearrest within 365 days. Detention history significantly predicted rearrest; placement history showed limited effects. Neighborhood disadvantage did not predict rearrest directly but significantly amplified the effect of prior detention. Race and SDI interactions revealed divergent patterns across groups. These findings underscore the need to contextualize risk assessments within structural inequities and to reform predictive tools to support equity-centered, rehabilitative decision-making. Full article

Gender-based violence (GBV) and traffic offenses pose significant public health challenges and contribute to widespread social issues globally. This study examines the sociodemographic and psychological profiles of individuals who commit traffic offenses and GBV, focusing on three alternative penal programs: TASEVAL (for traffic offenses), PRIA-MA, and reGENER@r (both for GBV). The study involved 54 participants distributed across these programs, using various psychometric tests to assess their profiles. Participants across the three programs (TASEVAL, PRIA-MA, and reGENER@R) were comparable in age (mean range 39.13–40.69 years) and nationality, with roughly half having prior contact with the justice system. Educational levels varied, with TASEVAL participants mainly completing secondary education (43.8%), PRIA-MA participants primary education (43.8%), and reGENER@R participants post-secondary education (59.1%). Employment status differed slightly, with TASEVAL and reGENER@R participants mainly employed (62.5% and 63.6%, respectively), while most PRIA-MA participants were unemployed (56.3%). Family characteristics varied across groups. In TASEVAL, having a partner and no children predominated (62.5% and 31.3%); in PRIA-MA, not having a partner and having two children predominated (62.5% and 37.5%); and, in reGENER@R, not having a partner and having one child predominated (59.1% and 31.8%). No significant differences were observed in sociodemographic variables. Regarding psychological characteristics, results across all groups indicate a marked presence of psychopathological symptoms and difficulties in emotional intelligence domains, with a significant correlation between psychological traits and coping strategies. These findings highlight the importance of tailoring alternative penal measures to the specific characteristics of each group to enhance effectiveness and reduce recidivism. Full article

In contrast to jurisdictions with bifurcated criminal justice proceedings, in Belgium and the Netherlands a defendant’s assessed risk of recidivism is known to triers of fact prior to making decisions about guilt. In three experiments conducted in those two countries, we investigated whether information about recidivism risk would bias the fact finders’ evaluations of evidence and the defendant’s credibility, and their final decision on guilt. Specifically, student participants (Belgian sample: N = 368; Dutch sample: N = 236) and jury-eligible Belgian participants (N = 75) read a vignette about an aggravated assault with circumstantial evidence and a defendant who denied committing the alleged offense. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three vignettes: one without risk information, one describing a low risk of recidivism, and one describing a high risk of recidivism. We found no direct or indirect effect of risk on the proportion of guilty verdicts or on the evaluation of the evidence. We did find that participants who read that the defendant was low risk evaluated the innocence claim as being more credible, compared to those who were given high-risk information or no risk information. Moreover, higher credibility ratings were associated with a higher likelihood of a not-guilty verdict. While preliminary, these findings suggest recidivism risk information may influence fact finding, and merit replication, especially with judges. Full article

Childhood trauma has been associated with criminal behaviour and a variety of psychopathologies. Furthermore, it is known that emotional dysregulation (ED) predicts anxiety and depression and can be a product of traumatic experiences. In order to develop effective interventions for offenders’ rehabilitation and prevent recidivism, it is essential to fully understand their mental health and its relation with previous child trauma experiences and ED. This study involved a sample of 100 male inmates incarcerated in seven different prisons in the northern region of Portugal. The following measures were used: the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form (CTQ-SF), the International Trauma Questionnaire (ITQ), the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), and the Difficulties in Emotional Regulation Scale (DERS). Our findings suggest that individuals who experienced physical and sexual abuse are more likely to perpetrate violent crimes and that ED increases anxiety and depressive symptoms in individuals with traumatic symptoms. In conclusion, it is imperative to provide psychological support to this population, and interventions need to be adapted according to trauma exposure. Full article

The issue of effective treatments for individuals with a history of sexual offending has legal, social, economic, political, and clinical impacts. Studies conducted on the topic of evaluating treatment outcomes for sex offenders have examined both biological and psychological interventions. The etiology of the phenomenon appears to be multifactorial, as the sexual harasser learns from the social and family context the norms that will constitute our framework of rules, in addition to the characteristics of temperament, character, and personality. Therefore, there is a need for a definite social–health policy at the government level to be able to address the legal-judicial, socio-political, and health problem of Italian sex offenders to reeducate and reintegrate them into society by drastically reducing or nullifying the risk of recidivism. This study proposes the “Trident State Program” (TSP), which could reduce or solve the problem of recidivism of Italian sexual offenders and promote a better process of re-education and reintegration of these individuals. The operational protocol of the program is being drafted. Full article

This study examines the exercise of religious freedom within the Polish penitentiary system, focusing on the intersection of legal frameworks, religious pluralism, and secularization. While Poland’s Constitution and penal legislation guarantee inmates the right to practice their faith, the practical implementation of this right faces systemic challenges. This research draws on legal analysis, demographic data, and existing empirical studies to assess how pastoral care operates in prisons. The findings reveal that although the prison system is formally open to various denominations, access to non-Catholic chaplaincy is often limited and misaligned with the evolving religious composition of the inmate population, especially following increased immigration. The number of chaplains and volunteers remains low relative to the needs of inmates, and pastoral services vary widely across regions. Despite these issues, religious involvement is shown to support rehabilitation by fostering moral development and reducing recidivism. This study concludes that a more inclusive, pluralistic, and flexible approach to prison ministry—one that accounts for both declining religiosity and growing diversity—is essential. Chaplaincy must adapt not only as a provider of religious rites but also as a facilitator of ethical reflection, emotional support, and reintegration into a secular and pluralistic society. Full article

The article seeks to read the contribution of religious practices in prison education within the broader framework of spirituality as a search for meaning in life. It argues that religious engagement can foster cognitive and emotional development, providing inmates with a sense of purpose, community, and resilience that supports their reintegration into society. In light of an exceptional and extremely significant experience with APAC in Brazil’s police-free prison model, the authors aim to highlight the nexus between spirituality and re-education in contexts of deprivation and restriction of personal liberty. Indeed, the APAC (Association for the Protection and Assistance of the Convicted) model, central to this study, emphasizes nonviolent coexistence, responsibility, and spiritual care as part of its rehabilitative framework, with a significant reduction in recidivism rates and costs compared to traditional prisons. The model’s approach, grounded in a collective sense of responsibility and spirituality, aligns with Viktor Frankl’s and Paulo Freire’s theories on meaning and liberation, illustrating how spirituality can transform prison environments and promote social justice. The study concludes that spirituality in prisons not only aids individual redemption but also calls for structural changes to support reintegration, marking a shift towards a more human-centered penitentiary system. Full article

Many countries use the deprivation of liberty as a punitive strategy to ensure citizen security. Nowadays, a rehabilitative perspective has also been included to promote social inclusion. University education is a potential tool for achieving this goal. The aim of this article is to gather the opinions of twenty students and ten professors concerning the realities of university education in an Ecuadorian prison. This study uses an onto-epistemological approach and concentrates on the perception of individuals, employing a qualitative methodology. The results show that these educational programs have positive effects on the students, improving their life projects, their behavior inside and outside jail, and their digital knowledge and ICT skills, reducing recidivism and promoting labor market reintegration. The conclusions suggest that university distance education is a tool for rehabilitation and social inclusion and that greater involvement is required on the part of the State, companies, and the community in general to facilitate the graduates’ labor reintegration, as well as follow-up and social support services for ex-offenders and their families. Full article

Background and Objectives: The assessment of dangerousness and risk of recidivism are crucial aspects of forensic psychiatric evaluations, influencing therapeutic and security measures. This study aimed to develop and validate a new tool, the Dangerousness Index in Forensic Psychiatry (IPPML), following a psychometric scale construction methodology. Materials and Methods: The sample consisted of 261 participants (157 males, 104 females) aged 19–75 years, divided into an experimental group (n = 126) with a history of forensic psychiatric examination and a control group (n = 135) diagnosed with schizophrenia. Results: Exploratory factor analysis revealed two factors, Performance and Social, explaining 45.55% of the data variance. The IPPML demonstrated adequate internal consistency (α = 0.881) for the entire sample, with Factor 1 showing strong consistency (α = 0.896) and Factor 2 exhibiting acceptable consistency (α = 0.628). Reliability ranged from 89.6% to 62.8% when administered to participants with psychoses undergoing forensic psychiatric evaluation, decreasing to 42.5% for legally evaluated patients and increasing from 58.7% to 84.3% for participants with schizophrenia without forensic psychiatric evaluation. Discriminant validity analysis indicated higher psychiatric dangerousness with forensic implications in males. Conclusions: The IPPML shows promise as a tool for assessing dangerousness in forensic psychiatry and aiding medical decision-making regarding the risk of antisocial and potentially harmful acts. Full article

(1) Background: The pathways perspective considers how different biological, psychological, and social experiences affect women compared to men and how these experiences can lead to initial justice-involvement and recidivism. The relational model provides context for understanding women’s pathways to the criminal justice system. Interpersonal relationships have strong effects on women’s likelihood to offend. The relationship between risk factors like childhood victimization, adult relationship dysfunction, self-esteem, and self-efficacy are less clear. (2) Methods: Using a sample of justice-involved women, the current study uses a path analysis to investigate the impact of childhood physical abuse on adult relationship dysfunction and if this relationship is mediated by self-esteem and/or self-efficacy. (3) Results: Childhood physical abuse was found to have a significant negative effect on self-esteem and self-efficacy as well as a significant positive effect on adult relationship dysfunction. Indirect relationships were not significant. (4) Conclusions: The current study verifies previous pathways analysis but does not support self-esteem and self-efficacy as mediators of adult relationship dysfunction. Full article

Few studies have examined how committing criminal acts of violence impacts the lives of perpetrators who were mentally ill at the time of offence and in which the act itself reflects behaviour that is uncharacteristic of the individual. Theoretical accounts and clinical reports describe a phenomenon termed moral injury, which profiles the deleterious emotional effects that can arise from actions that transgress moral beliefs and expectations. Shame, guilt, spiritual/existential conflict, and loss of trust are considered to be core symptoms of moral injury with growing empirical studies which examine moral injury in military and public safety worker samples. The extent to which these kinds of moral injury phenomena might be evident among mentally ill perpetrators was explored using a qualitative-methods approach in a sample of 19 adult participants hospitalized in a Canadian forensic programme inpatient service. The sample consisted of 13 male and 6 female patients, with a mean age of 36.2 years (SD = 10.8), and the majority diagnosed with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. A qualitative interview was conducted where participants were asked to describe feelings about the index offence, the effect it has had on their well-being, and how they have coped with having committed the offence. Using a reflexive thematic analysis process, 5 themes and 23 subthemes were generated that relate to the various resultant impacts. The five themes which emerged were (1) Living with the Emotional Aftermath; (2) Trying to Make Sense and Coming to Terms; (3) My Eyes Have Opened; (4) Facing the Music; and (5) Moving On. The findings are discussed in terms of their implications for understanding forensic inpatients who may be attempting to come to terms with violence they committed while mentally ill and for informing moral injury intervention strategies which might be adapted for forensic mental health services and public health recidivism prevention programmes. Full article

While much of the American justice system utilizes punitive models of sentencing and incarceration, restorative justice (RJ) approaches provide a holistic alternative to wrongdoing, viewing offenses in terms of relationships and paying particular attention to victim and community needs. These alternative RJ approaches have been shown to decrease recidivism and align with the values of those who have been most impacted by mass incarceration, including Indigenous populations. The purpose of this systematic review is to provide an overview of alternative models of incarceration utilizing RJ principles that could be adapted for a largely Indigenous population. Full article