Evidence-Informed Tools for Assessing Correctional Rehabilitation Programs

By conducting controlled studies, researchers are able to determine if a correctional program is effective in reducing recidivism. Through years of research, there has emerged a large body of knowledge that has identified the characteristics of effective correctional rehabilitation programs. This research is often referred to as the what works literature. Programs that have demonstrated reductions in recidivism have certain attributes, which in turn have led to the development of several tools designed to assess and measure the degree to which correctional programs are consistent with the research. In some ways, the process of correctional program assessment is similar to the assessment of an offender: Research is conducted, and risk factors are identified, then an assessment tool is formulated, and a process is followed to ...