Dominic Pearson

Parable of Two Agencies, One of Which Randomizes:

This article examines the design of evaluations in settings where there is a choice as to how an intervention is to be introduced and evaluated. It uses data from a supervision program for offenders on probation in the UK (Bruce and Hollin forthcoming) that had been indicated by a pilot evaluation in one probation area to merit wider-scale implementation and evaluation. For the remaining two probation areas in the region, a randomized controlled allocation of participants to conditions was recommended. One of the areas adopted a stepped wedge design, in which probation offices were randomly allocated sequentially to the program. The second area opted to launch the program across the whole area simultaneously, with a retrospective sample as control group. The article compares the results of implementation in each probation area and seeks to draw wider inferences about the management of program implementation and the randomized controlled designs appropriate for similar field studies.

Evaluation of the Citizenship Evidence-Based Probation Supervision Program Using a Stepped Wedge Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial

This study evaluated a Risk-Need-Responsivity (RNR) evidence-based offender supervision program, Citizenship, using a randomized controlled trial (RCT). Citizenship has a cognitive-behavioral basis and focuses on education, increasing motivation to change, and community integration. The RCT is a stepped wedge cluster randomized design that has rarely been used in criminal justice and overcomes some ethical objections to RCT implementation. Participants were all medium- and high-risk offenders commencing probation supervision (N = 1,091) in any one of the six office units during the 1-year rollout of the program. Overall, there was a non-significant 20% effect of Citizenship in reducing reconvictions. However, controlling for risk, the hazard with higher risk offenders was 34% lower than for the control group. Results therefore support RNR-based probation supervision.

Design of the “Up2U” domestic abuse perpetrator programme

The purpose of this paper is to outline the development, structure, and implementation of a new programme for domestic abuse (DA) perpetrators.,A needs-led DA perpetrator programme is proposed, named as “Up2U: Creating Healthy Relationships” (Up2U). The background to Up2U, its aims, configuration, and delivery methods are presented in this paper. To illustrate Up2U, the targets for change and referral population in the development site are discussed. Furthermore, the paper reflects on some of the implementation decisions and the steps taken towards evaluating the impact of Up2U in the development site.,Research supports provision of treatment targeting perpetrators’ criminogenic needs, delivered with responsivity to their learning styles, at an intensity that matches their risk. Change on treatment targets can be evaluated in the context of differences in recidivism outcomes to help assess whether impact can be attributed to the programme. It can also serve as a more proximal index of success/failure for individual clients. Such implementation and evaluation decisions are a benefit of the present researcher-practitioner partnership.,Up2U is innovative by being risk-and needs-led rather than taking a gendered approach to DA treatment, and this new evidence-based approach may reduce partner abuse. This is the first paper to outline Up2U’s structure, content, implementation, and measurement.

Serious Offenders: Using Evidence to Predict and Manage the Risk

In response to the risk of serious further offences, an evidence-based approach is needed in risk management. A recent joint prison-probation inspection of the management of life sentence prisoners in six U.K. prisons found that the quality of assessment and plans to manage risk of harm to others was insufficient, with too much focus on the offenders verbal account. The present paper discusses observations of regular prisoner behaviour as the basis for predictions, and summarizes results of an evaluation of this methodology based on a sample of high-risk category prisoners released into the community. Prison behaviour has not traditionally been seen as a valid risk marker for violent recidivism, which may be because typically only conspicuous high-level behaviours are considered by risk management panels. Our research suggests that we are neglecting a valuable source of information on risk by failing to observe on-going and consistent pre-release behaviour. Copyright