Abstract
This chapter explores the contemporary issues surrounding offender rehabilitation within the criminal justice system. It examines the challenges and complexities that arise in promoting successful rehabilitation and reducing recidivism rates among individuals involved in criminal activities. The chapter emphasizes the significance of adopting a holistic approach to offender rehabilitation. It explores the integration of various therapeutic modalities, vocational training, educational programs, and social support systems to address the diverse needs of offenders. The chapter also discusses the importance of tailoring interventions to consider the individual’s risk factors, strengths, and cultural background. The chapter delves into the issue of community reintegration, highlighting the challenges faced by individuals upon their release from correctional facilities. It explores the barriers to successful reentry, such as limited housing options, employment opportunities, and social support networks. The chapter also examines the role of correctional psychotherapy in preparing individuals for community reintegration and reducing the likelihood of recidivism. In conclusion, this chapter brings attention to the contemporary issues and challenges faced in the realm of offender rehabilitation. It stresses the importance of evidence-based practices, a holistic approach, and community reintegration in promoting successful rehabilitation outcomes. By addressing these issues, professionals in the field can enhance the effectiveness of offender rehabilitation programs and ultimately contribute to the reduction of recidivism rates.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Andrews, D. A., & Bonta, J. (2010). Rehabilitating criminal justice policy and practice. Psychology, Public Policy, and Law, 16(1), 39–55.
Bales, W. D., Mann, K., Blomberg, T. G., & Wiles, P. (2010). A new measure of prison-based rehabilitation and its association with recidivism: A research note. Journal of Criminal Justice, 38(6), 1113–1118.
Barnert, E. S., Perry, R., Morris, R. E., & Ryan, G. (2014). Access to healthcare and clinical services for youth in juvenile detention. Journal of Adolescent Health, 54(6), S1–S3.
Bartol, C. R., & Bartol, A. M. (2014). Introduction to forensic psychology: Research and application. Sage Publications.
Bloom, B. E., Owen, B., & Covington, S. (2003). Gender-responsive strategies: Research, practice, and guiding principles for women offenders. National Institute of Corrections.
Boer, D. P., de Kalmthout, A. M., de Velde, T., Merkelbach, H., Schene, A. H., & Vecchi, G. M. (2020). Rehabilitation for all? Moral and ethical deliberations on victim-offender mediation. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(3), 840.
Bonta, J., & Andrews, D. A. (2017). The psychology of criminal conduct. Routledge.
Bonta, J., Lipman, E. L., & Wallace-Capretta, S. (2017). Offender rehabilitation: Lessons learned from meta-analyses of treatment interventions. Psychology, Crime & Law, 23(4), 336–349.
Boswell, G., Amin, Y., Saxton, M., & Charlesworth, J. (2012). Offender learning and skills service research report. Home Office.
Braga, T., Ray, B., Hartman, M., & O’Donnell, C. (2020). Effective interventions for offender assessment and rehabilitation. Journal of Forensic Psychology Research and Practice, 20(2), 139–152.
Bumbarger, B. K., & Campbell, E. M. (2012). A state agency-university partnership for translational research and the dissemination of evidence-based prevention and intervention. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research, 39(4), 268–277.
Burdon, W. M. (2016). Best practices in substance abuse treatment for offenders. In W. M. Burdon & C. R. Bartoi (Eds.), Offenders, deviants or patients? (pp. 187–206). Routledge.
Campbell, E. A., & Brown, R. B. (2020). Effective interventions for offender reentry programs: Evidence supporting continuous support. Journal of Offender Rehabilitation, 59(2), 77–96.
Council of Europe. (1950). Convention for the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms. In Council of Europe Treaty Series 005. Council of Europe.
Finlay, E. (2018). “Reentry courts” and aftercare: A promising intervention to reduce recidivism. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 62(15), 4656–4674.
Lambert, E. G., Wong, S. C. P., Love, M. S., & Borum, R. (2019). Is general risk assessment relevant for mental health? Distinguishing risk for general and violent recidivism among mental health patients. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 46(7), 1056–1078.
Lattimore, P. K. (2016). The next generation of community correctional interventions. In C. Sullivan, L. J. Hahn, E. Jedele, & R. Dunlap (Eds.), The Routledge handbook on offenders with intellectual and developmental disabilities (pp. 428–442). Routledge.
Lowenkamp, C. T., Zane, S. N., & Latessa, E. J. (2019). Can technology improve the delivery of correctional rehabilitation programming? A meta-analysis. Journal of Crime and Justice, 42(1), 52–70.
Luna, E. L., & Wakefield, S. (2014). The right to rehabilitation and its limits: Recent developments in the European Court of Human Rights. British Journal of Criminology, 54(2), 209–228.
Maruna, S., & Mann, R. E. (2019). Rehabilitation of offenders. In P. Gendreau, C. A. Goggin, & F. T. Cullen (Eds.), The Wiley handbook on offender rehabilitation (pp. 112–124). Wiley.
McNeill, F. (2016). What works in offender rehabilitation: An evidence-based approach to assessment and treatment. Wiley.
Polaschek, D. L., Brennan, M. C., & Byron, R. (2021). Treatment planning in offender rehabilitation: Principles, challenges, and recommendations. Canadian Journal of Criminology and Criminal Justice, 63(2), 187–203.
Power, P., Mann, R., & Watson, C. (2019). Rehabilitation and treatment of adult male offenders. In P. Gendreau, C. A. Goggin, & F. T. Cullen (Eds.), The Wiley handbook on offender rehabilitation (pp. 75–98). Wiley.
Taxman, F. S. (2014). Treating adult substance abuse using technology-based interventions in criminal justice settings. Research on Social Work Practice, 24(1), 11–19.
Taxman, F. S. (2018). Tools for building the rehabilitation infrastructure: Evidence-based practices in community supervision. Criminology & Public Policy, 17(4), 1027–1033.
Taxman, F. S., & Belenko, S. (2019). Organizational context, systems change, and adopting evidence-based practices: A qualitative analysis of collaboration between probation agencies and community treatment providers. Journal of Offender Rehabilitation, 58(5), 413–434.
Taxman, F. S., & Marlowe, D. (2006a). Risk, needs, responsivity: In action or inaction? Crime & Delinquency, 52(3), 369–404.
Taxman, F. S., & Marlowe, D. (2006b). Social policy: Impact of employment on reducing recidivism. Federal Probation, 70(3), 18–24.
Um, T. (2018). Reentry programs, jobs, and recidivism rates among the formerly incarcerated in the United States. Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, 55(5), 617–647.
United Nations General Assembly. (1948). The Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Retrieved from http://www.un.org/en/universal-declaration-human-rights/
Vincent, G. M., Hart, S. D., Logan, C., & Blackburn, R. (2018). Assessing risk for violence among psychiatric patients: The HCR-20 metric. In S. D. Hart & A. R. Beech (Eds.), Evaluating risk in mental health (pp. 173–193). Oxford University Press.
Wagner, M., Hurley, D. J., Gropper, R. J., & Haynes, L. E. (2021). Making the most of the opportunities: Evidence-based program planning for correctional education. Journal of Correctional Education, 72(1), 6–32.
Wormith, S. J., Althouse, R., Simpson, J., Reitzel, L. R., & Nicol, A. (2019). The good lives model in corrections: Clinical implications and future directions. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 46(6), 946–963.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2023 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Sapp, K. (2023). Offender Rehabilitation as a Contemporary Issue. In: Understanding Offending Populations and the Power of Correctional Psychotherapy. SpringerBriefs in Offending Populations & Correctional Psychotherapy . Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-45886-6_6
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-45886-6_6
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-031-45885-9
Online ISBN: 978-3-031-45886-6
eBook Packages: Behavioral Science and PsychologyBehavioral Science and Psychology (R0)