One State’s Use of Program Evaluation to Improve Correctional Practices

Abstract

Trends in criminal justice programming can sometimes lead one to question the direction the field is taking related to rehabilitation. This article presents one state’s attempt to evaluate the quality of residential treatment services in the state across a primary and then follow-up outcome evaluation. This article outlines study results specific to treatment effects by risk. The study finds consistent evidence in support of the risk principle across both studies. The article also outlines what the state did with the recommendations from these studies, and how that affected the delivery of correctional programming in that state.