TREATMENT OF THE JUVENILE OFFENDER

CONCLUSIONS FROM THEORY AND RESEARCH

DR. ROBERT D. HOGE

DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY

CARLETON UNIVERSITY

OTTAWA, ONTARIO K1S 5B6

613-520-5773 robert_hoge@carleton.ca

SOME CAUTIONS

• NOVEL CONCEPTS

• NARROW PERSPECTIVE

• FOCUS ON NEEDS AS WELL AS RISK

• LACK OF RESOURCES

SERVICE GOALS OF JUDICIAL & CORRECTIONAL SYSTEMS

• COMMUNITY PROTECTION

• ACCOUNTABILITY TO THE VICTIM

• COMPETENCY DEVELOPMENT

• BALANCE

SOME BASIC ASSUMPTIONS

• SIGNIFICANT ADVANCES ARE BEING MADE IN OUR

UNDERSTANDING OF YOUTH CRIME

• THERE IS AN EMERGING CONSENSUS ON THE

CORRELATES AND CAUSES OF CRIMINAL

ACTIVITY IN YOUNG PEOPLE

• THERE IS AN EMERGING CONSENSUS ON THE

ATTRIBUTES OF EFFECTIVE PROGRAMMING FOR

YOUNG OFFENDERS

CONCLUSIONS FROM THE TREATMENT LITERATURE

EARLY INTERVENTIONS WITH HIGH RISK CHILDREN AND FAMILIES WORK

CONCLUSIONS FROM THE TREATMENT LITERATURE[CONTINUED]

PUNITIVE SANCTIONS DO NOT HAVE A SIGNIFICANT EFFECT ON REOFFENDING

CONCLUSIONS FROM THE TREATMENT LITERATURE[CONTINUED]

APPROPRIATE TREATMENT SERVICES, DELIVERED WITH INTEGRITY, CAN BE EFFECTIVE IN REDUCING CRIMINAL ACTIVITY

CONCLUSIONS FROM THE TREATMENT LITERATURE[CONTINUED]

APPROPRIATE TREATMENT SERVICES, DELIVERED WITH INTEGRITY, CAN BE COST EFFECTIVE, PARTICULARLY IN COMPARISON WITH PUNITIVE SANCTIONS

KEY CONCEPTS FROM THE RISK/NEED MODEL

• CRIMINOGENIC RISK

• CRIMINOGENIC NEED

• RESPONSIVITY

CRIMINOGENIC RISK FACTORS

• FACTORS WITHIN THE INDIVIDUAL OR HIS/HER ENVIRONMENT ASSOCIATED WITH CRIMINAL ACTIVITY.

MAJOR RISK FACTORS

• HISTORY OF CRIMINAL BEHAVIOUR/CONDUCT DISORDER

• ATTITUDES, VALUES, & BELIEFS SUPPORTIVE OF CRIME

• DYSFUNCTIONAL PARENTING• ANTISOCIAL PEER ASSOCIATIONS• DYSFUNCTIONAL PERSONALITY/ BEHAVIOUR

TRAITS• POOR EDUCATIONAL/VOCATIONAL SKILLS• SUBSTANCE ABUSE• POOR USE OF LEISURE TIME

OTHER RISK FACTORS

• PROBLEMS IN THE FAMILY OF ORIGIN: CRIMINALITY, MENTAL DISORDER, ABUSE

• INADEQUATE ACCOMMODATIONS• ECONOMIC DISADVANTAGE• DYSFUNCTIONAL NEIGHGBOURHOOD

ENVIRONMENT

CRIMINOGENIC NEED FACTORS

• RISK FACTORS THAT CAN BE CHANGED AND, IF CHANGED, REDUCE THE CHANCES OF FUTURE CRIMINAL ACTIVITY.

MAJOR NEED FACTORS

• ATTITUDES, VALUES, AND BELIEFS SUPPORTIVE OF CRIME

• DYSFUNCTIONAL PARENTING• ANTISOCIAL PEER ASSOCIATIONS• DYSFUNCTIONAL PERSONALITY &

BEHAVIOUR TRAITS• POOR ACADEMIC SKILLS & PERFORMANCE• SUBSTANCE ABUSE• POOR USE OF LEISURE TIME

RESPONSIVITY FACTORS

FACTORS WITHIN THE INDIVIDUAL OR HIS OR HER SITUATION THAT, WHILE NOT DIRECTLY RELATED TO CRIMINAL ACTIVITY, SHOULD BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT IN CASE PLANNING. INCLUDES STRENGTH FACTORS

RESEARCH AND CLINICALLY-BASED PRINCIPLES OF BEST PRACTICE

• BASED ON VALID ASSESSMENTS OF RISK,

NEED, AND RESPONSIVITY

• LEVEL OF SERVICE DETERMINED BY RISK

LEVEL OF THE CLIENT

• TREATMENTS TARGET SPECIFIC NEEDS

AND TAKE ACCOUNT OF RESPONSIVITY

FACTORS

RESEARCH AND CLINICALLY-BASED PRINCIPLES OF BEST PRACTICE

(CONTINUED)

• TREATMENTS ARE DELIVERED IN THE

COMMUNITY SETTING WHERE FEASIBLE

• WHERE INSTITUTIONALIZION IS

NECESSARY, NEEDED SERVICES ARE

PROVIDED

RESEARCH AND CLINICALLY-BASED PRINCIPLES OF BEST PRACTICE

(CONTINUED)

• TREATMENTS ARE STRUCTURED AND

FOCUS ON CONCRETE BEHAVIOURAL

GOALS

• TREATMENTS ARE MULTIMODAL -

ADDRESS ALL AREAS OF NEED

RESEARCH AND CLINICALLY-BASED PRINCIPLES OF BEST PRACTICE

(CONTINUED)

• TREATMENT GOALS ARE REALISTIC AND

ATTAINABLE

• INDIVIDUALS DELIVERING TREATMENT ARE

SELECTED WITH CARE AND PROVIDED

MEANINGFUL SUPPORT

RESEARCH AND CLINICALLY-BASED PRINCIPLES OF BEST PRACTICE

(CONTINUED)

• AGENCY HAS CLEAR GUIDELINES REGARDING TREATMENT OF CLIENTS

• STAFF TAKE CARE TO INSURE THAT THEY REPRESENT PROSOCIAL MODELS

RESEARCH AND CLINICALLY-BASED PRINCIPLES OF BEST PRACTICE

(CONTINUED)

• AFTERCARE SERVICES ARE PROVIDED FOLLOWING INSTITUTIONAL TREATMENT

• PROGRAM DELIVERY & IMPACT IS CAREFULLY MONITORED

CONCLUDING STATEMENT

OUR IMMEDIATE GOAL IS TO ADDRESS ISSUES PRESENTED BY THE JUVENILE OFFENDER. OUR ULTIMATE GOAL, THOUGH, SHOULD BE TO CREATE CONDITIONS FOR YOUTH TO DEVELOP INTO HEALTHY, MATURE, AND PRODUCTIVE MEMBERS OF SOCIETY. THE POTENTIAL PROFITS FROM THIS COMMITMENT ARE IMMENSE.