Working Alliance, Risk, and Recidivism: A Community-Based Corrections Analysis

• Published date: 01 June 2024
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1177/00938548241234366
• Author: Anthony Tatman,H. Daniel Butler,Brittany Zenz
• Date: 01 June 2024
• Subject Matter: Articles

CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND BEHAVIOR, 2024, Vol. 51, No. 6, June 2024, 934 –948.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/00938548241234366

Article reuse guidelines: sagepub.com/journals-permissions

© 2024 International Association for Correctional and Forensic Psychology

934

WORKING ALLIANCE, RISK, AND RECIDIVISM

A Community-Based Corrections Analysis

ANTHONY TATMAN

Fifth Judicial District, Des Moines, Iowa

H. DANIEL BUTLER

Iowa State University

BRITTANY ZENZ

Fifth Judicial District, Des Moines, Iowa

The relationship between the working alliance and rates of recidivism for individuals on probation or parole has been under-

explored, and what information has been reported provides inconsistent findings. This study sought out to explore this rela-

tionship further by examining the degree to which client perceptions (N = 145) of the working alliance were related to, and

predicted, general and violent recidivism measured as reconviction. Results revealed that working alliance ratings were not

significantly different between clients who recidivated and those who did not and did not predict future recidivism. Results

also revealed that client age and risk predicted subsequent recidivism, while client perceptions of the working alliance did

not. Implications for supervising officers in community corrections and recommendations for future research are discussed.

Keywords: assessment; community corrections; correctional officers; recidivism; risk

INTRODUCTION

Community corrections practitioners are tasked with competing and often conflicting

goals, such as maintaining community safety, promoting rehabilitative practices, and car-

rying out departmental operations. These competing goals can create uncertainty in the

expectations of both the client and supervising officer (Skeem et al., 2007). In an attempt

to foster a healthy working relationship between client and supervising officer, some

community corrections agencies adopted approaches used in therapy to improve treat-

ment receptivity and relationship quality (Tatman & Love, 2010). This strategy, referred

to broadly as the therapeutic or working alliance, provides guidance to both the client and

supervising officer on how individuals best receive and learn from therapy and program-

ming (DeSorcy et al., 2016). The basic premise is that mutual respect, collaboration, and

AUTHORS’ NOTE: Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Anthony Tatman, Iowa

Department of Correctional Services, 1000 Washington Avenue, Fifth Judicial District, Des Moines 50314, IA;

e-mail: tony.tatman@iowa.gov.

1234366CJBXXX10.1177/00938548241234366Criminal Justice and BehaviorTatman et al. / Working Alliance and Recidivism

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