Effects of psychoeducation for offenders in a community correctional facility

Abstract

Abstract The present study provided a randomized outcome evaluation of the psychoeducational component of the EQUIP program. The psychoeducational curriculum was implemented in a community correctional facility for adult felony offenders. The psychoeducational curriculum is designed to remedy offenders' delays in moral judgment maturity, social cognitive distortions, and social skill deficiencies. The participants were 316 felony offenders, 71% male, aged 18 to 61 years. Relative to a control group, participants who received portions of the curriculum reported fewer serious institutional violations. Female, but not male participants, who received the curriculum were less likely to recidivate than those in the control group at six months. Reductions in mediating factors—cognitive distortion for males and social skills for females—were associated with fewer serious institutional violations. Levels of substance abuse, exposure to violence, and number of serious violations were found to predict recidivism at six months. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comm Psychol 32: 543–558, 2004.