22
Adults with Behavioral Health Needs under Correctional Supervision
harmful.* High-intensity programming or supervision for low-risk people is an ineffective use of resources to reduce reoffending.82
Need Principle: Target criminogenic needs—those dynamic factors that contribute to the likelihood of reoffending. The need principle states that individuals have criminogenic and noncriminogenic needs, and that treatment and case planning should prioritize the core criminogenic needs that can be changed through treatment, supervision, or other services and supports. Research indicates that the greater the number of criminogenic needs addressed through interventions, the greater impact the interventions will have on the likelihood of recidivism.83 The available data indicate that if there is a response to just one of the individual’s criminogenic needs, recidivism can be lowered. If there is a response to at least three of the individual’s criminogenic needs, recidivism can be lowered substantially.84
Responsivity Principle: Address individuals’ barriers to learning in the design of treatment interventions.85 The responsivity principle highlights the importance of reducing barriers to learning by addressing learning styles, reading abilities, cognitive impairments, and motivation when designing supervision and service strategies.86 It can also apply to appropriate programming depending on the severity of psychosocial functioning.87 Accordingly, the presence of a mental illness, for example, may need to be addressed to accommodate individuals’ level of processing so they can learn from service providers and comply with the conditions of their supervision or release. There are two types of responsivity—general and specific: The general responsivity principle refers to the need for interventions that help individuals address dynamic criminogenic risk factors such as antisocial thinking. Research shows that social learning approaches and cognitive behavioral therapies are generally effective in meeting a range of individuals’ criminogenic needs, regardless of offender type. The use of prosocial modeling and skills development, teaching problem-solving skills, and using a greater degree of positive reinforcement than negative have all been shown to be effective and reflect this approach.88 Specific responsivity refers to the principle that distinct personal needs may need to be addressed to ready an individual for receiving interventions that
*How is this possible? Low-risk individuals that are placed in a close supervision-only program may be more likely to be sanctioned for a violation of the terms of their supervision, especially if placed with high-risk individuals who encourage antisocial behavior. Some close supervision programs’ reporting requirements are difficult for individuals to comply with absent adequate treatment and supports. The reporting and compliance requirements may disrupt the very activities in supervisees’ lives most likely to reduce recidivism. (See discussion in Clement, Schwarzfeld, and Thompson, The National Summit.)