The Importance of Measuring Offender Change

• Author: Anthony W. Flores
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1111/1745-9133.12204
• Date: 01 May 2016
• Published date: 01 May 2016

EDITORIAL INTRODUCTION

OFFENDER RISK CHARACTERISTICS

The Importance of Measuring Offender

Change

Anthony W. Flores

California State University, Bakersfield

Knowledge concerning effective correctional practice has advanced considerably

over the last several decades. In the early 1970s, offender rehabilitation quickly

devolved from correctional mainstay to correctional faux pas as a result of the

timely convergence between a social context of state mistrust and a comprehensive literature

review that concluded “nothing works” to rehabilitate offenders (Cullenand Jonson, 2012).

Ironically, it was precisely this premature conclusion that fueled a handful of skeptical

criminologists to move beyond moral justifications for rehabilitation and, instead, turn to

the scientific method for answers. Through the compilation of empirical evidence, it was

not long before research began to demonstrate “what works” in changing offender behavior

(Andrews et al., 1990). This evidence, paired with a guiding theoretical framework for

correctional treatment, provided the foundation for what has come to be known as the

principles of effective intervention (Andrews, 2001; Gendreau, 1996).

Briefly, the principles of effective intervention state that to reduce recidivism, correc-

tional treatment should target the criminogenic needs of high-risk offenders with cognitive

behavioral/social-learning–based therapies that address individual learning styles, motiva-

tions, and abilities. The basis for this approach is commonly referred to as the risk, need, and

responsivity (RNR) model of corrections (Andrews and Bonta, 2010). The risk principle

refers to measuring the likelihood of recidivism, as well as to matching the intensity of ser-

vices (both supervision/custody and treatment) to the offender’s level of assessed risk (e.g.,

low, moderate, and high risk). The need principle dictates that correctional treatmentmust

target the changeable factors that are empirically related to recidivism. Lastly, responsivity

refers to the importance of delivering cognitive behavioral/social-learning–based interven-

tions (general responsivity) while addressing an individual’s barriers (specific responsivity)

to succeeding (such as learning ability and motivation to change).

Risk (as explained earlier) has been the topic of numerous studies in recent years.

Important findings to emerge from this body of research are that recidivism risk is best

Direct correspondence to Anthony W. Flores, 24 DDH Department of Criminal Justice, California State

University, Bakersfield, 9001 Stockdale Highway, Bakersfield, CA 93311-1022 (e-mail: aflores14@csub.edu).

DOI:10.1111/1745-9133.12204 C2016 American Society of Criminology 259

Criminology & Public Policy rVolume 15 rIssue 2