Testing a Violence-Prevention Intervention for Incarcerated Women Using a Randomized Control Trial

Abstract

Objective: Beyond Violence (BV), a new prevention program for women with assaultive offenses, demonstrated feasibility in previous studies. This study’s purpose is to assess the efficacy of BV using a randomized control trial. Method: Eligible women were randomly assigned to treatment as usual (TAU) and the experimental condition (BV). Measures of mental health and anger were administered to women at pre- and postintervention. Results: Outcomes reveal positive changes for both groups. Significant between-group differences favor BV on measures of anxiety and anger. Moreover, BV is cost-effective with only 20 sessions compared to 44 sessions for TAU. Conclusion: The demonstrated effectiveness of BV is promising for this underserved population of women. Next steps: Replication and assessing long-term outcomes.