Family-focused therapy for juvenile and adult offenders includes evidence-based treatment models that target the family risk and protective factors associated with delinquency, antisocial behaviors, and substance-related crimes. It also involves psychoeducational programs designed to enhance the quality of parent–child and marital relationships and thus promotes family resilience and protects individuals against a criminal lifestyle. This entry describes the targets and goals of family-based interventions and provides a summary of the research on family-focused therapy and recidivism. It also highlights gaps in services for specific populations.

Familial Risk and Protective Factors

Family-focused therapy for juvenile and adult offenders is based on empirical knowledge about family dynamics that influence individuals’ criminal trajectories, particularly during childhood and adolescence. The familial factors that increase children’s risk for delinquency are poor ...

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