Assessing the Use and Impact of Points and Rewards across Four Federal Probation Districts: A Contingency Management Approach. Issue 7 (3rd October 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Sloas, Lincoln; Murphy, Amy; Wooditch, Alese; Taxman, Faye S.
• Is Part Of: Victims & offenders. Volume 14:Issue 7(2019)
• Page Start: 811
• Page End: 831
• Publication Date: 2019-10-03
• Subjects: JSTEPS -- contingency management -- survival analysis -- early rewards -- probation; Victims of crimes -- Periodicals; Criminals -- Periodicals; 362.8805
• DOI: 10.1080/15564886.2019.1656691
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1556-4886

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Contingency management (CM) is a well-acknowledged behavioral approach for incentivizing changes in behavior and attitudes. A version of CM was piloted in four federal probation districts to determine whether systematically awarding points and rewards for key behaviors could be implemented and impact recidivism rates. A case controlled match design was conducted with a CM sample (referred to as Justice Steps (JSTEPS)) (n = 128) who were individually matched to a comparison sample (n = 128) on six variables related to recidivism. Analyses compared the number of technical violations and new arrests between JSTEPS participants and a historical comparison sample. Using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, results indicate JSTEPS sites using early CM rewarding strategies tend to have delayed recidivism than others. A research agenda is outlined.