The impact of a brief RNR‐based training on Turkish juvenile probation officers' punitive and rehabilitative attitudes and recidivism risk perceptions. Issue 3 (26th December 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Tuncer, Ayşe E.; Erdem, Gizem; de Ruiter, Corine
• Is Part Of: Journal of community psychology. Volume 48:Issue 3(2020)
• Page Start: 921
• Page End: 931
• Publication Date: 2019-12-26
• Subjects: juvenile probation officers -- punitive attitudes -- recidivism risk perception -- rehabilitative attitudes -- risk‐need‐responsivity model; Clinical psychology -- Periodicals; Social psychiatry -- Periodicals; Community Mental Health Services -- Periodicals; 362.2205
• DOI: 10.1002/jcop.22310
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0090-4392

Abstract

Abstract: The present quasi‐experimental study examined the impact of a brief training program based on the risk–need–responsivity (RNR) model on Turkish juvenile probation officers' (JPOs) punitive and rehabilitative attitudes toward justice‐involved youth and recidivism risk perceptions. Fifty‐nine JPOs were recruited through three probation offices in Istanbul, Turkey. Thirty‐six JPOs, who received a 1‐day training in the RNR model of offending behavior, were compared to JPOs in a wait‐list control condition ( n = 23). Participants in both conditions completed surveys at baseline and 1‐week posttraining. Mixed‐factorial analysis of variances revealed a significantly higher decrease in JPOs' punitive attitudes from pre‐ to posttest, in the training condition compared to the control group, with a medium effect size. Rehabilitative attitudes decreased in both conditions, while recidivism risk perceptions did not change from pre‐ to posttest in either condition. Future research could expand on these promising results using a more intensive training program and a randomized‐controlled design in a larger sample of JPOs.