U.S. Department of Justice

Box Set: Evidence-Based Principles for Reducing Offender Risk

Since 2002, NIC and the Crime and Justice Institute have worked to develop processes and tools to assist state and local jurisdictions implement successful practices to reduce offender risk. Efforts at four project sites (Maine; Illinois; Orange County, CA; and Maricopa County, AZ) have resulted in an implementation framework that applies evidence-based principles for corrections, as well as other components and stakeholders of the justice system. Experiences at these project sites has made it clear that officials from all system components and stakeholders involved with offenders as they move through the system need practical information regarding the basic research principles of risk reduction. The "Box Set" is a collection of documents targeted to:
  • Community corrections agencies
  • Practitioners and treatment providers of intervention programs
  • Pretrial services
  • Judiciary
  • Criminal prosecutors
  • Criminal defense
  • Jails and detention facilities
  • Prisons

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Recommended Reading

Date Title Type
2009
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Implementing Evidence-Based Policy and Practice in Community Corrections: Second Edition
By Guevara, Meghan; Solomon, Enver. National Institute of Corrections (Washington, DC). National Institute of Corrections (Washington, DC); Crime Justice Institute (Boston, MA).
A “guide for [community corrections] agencies to transform themselves into evidence-based organizations” is provided (p.xv). Six chapters follow and executive summary: what evidence-based practice is; the integrated model; the principles of effective intervention; implementing evidence-based principles; leading organizational change and development; and collaboration for systemic change. The appendixes include: research support gradient; the search conference; and key concepts in organizational ... Read More
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71 p.
2008
Document preview
Effective Clinical Practices in Treating Clients in the Criminal Justice System
By Scott, Wayne. National Institute of Corrections. Community Corrections Division (Washington, DC). Crime and Justice Institute (Boston, MA); National Institute of Corrections. Community Corrections Division (Washington, DC).
This monograph is “intended to strengthen and improve the dissemination of evidence-based rehabilitative technologies for offenders, within the multidisciplinary context of correctional treatment” (p.x). Sections of this document include: executive summary; introduction — effective clinical practices and the critical need for collaboration; what evidence-based practice (EBP) is; overarching principles of effective correctional treatment; common therapeutic factors — what works in treatment gener... Read More
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89 p.
2007
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Legal and Evidence Based Practices: Application of Legal Principles, Laws, and Research to the Field of Pretrial Services
By VanNostrand, Marie. National Institute of Corrections. Community Corrections Division (Washington, DC). Luminosity, Inc. (St. Petersburg, FL); Crime and Justice Institute (Boston, MA); National Institute of Corrections. Community Corrections Division (Washington, DC).
"[C]ritical legal principles applicable to defendants during the pretrial stage" are covered (p.3). Sections of this paper are: introduction and background; pretrial legal foundation -- presumption of innocence, right to counsel, right against self-incrimination, right to due process of law, right to equal protection under the law, right to bail that is not excessive, and summary of legal principles; evidence-based practices in pretrial services and community corrections; and summary and conclu... Read More
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33 p.
2007
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Evidence-Based Practice to Reduce Recidivism: Implications for State Judiciaries
By Warren, Roger K.. National Institute of Corrections. Community Corrections Division (Washington, DC). Crime and Justice Institute (Boston, MA); National Institute of Corrections. Community Corrections Division (Washington, DC).
The reduction of recidivism by state judiciaries utilizing six principles of evidence-based practice (EBP) is explained. Seven sections follow an executive summary: introduction; current state sentencing policies and their consequences; drug courts -- the state judiciary's successful experiment with EBP; the principles of EBP; local sentencing and corrections policy reforms; state sentencing and corrections policy reforms; and conclusion. "[C]arefully targeted rehabilitation and treatment progr... Read More
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77 p.
2008
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Using Research to Promote Public Safety: A Prosecutor's Primer on Evidence-Based Practice
By Fahey, Jennifer A.. National Institute of Corrections. Community Corrections Division (Washington, DC). Crime and Justice Institute (Boston, MA); National Institute of Corrections. Community Corrections Division (Washington, DC).
This paper “focus[es] primarily on those [evidence-based] intervention principles most likely to be encountered by the prosecution” (p.2). Sections following an executive summary are: introduction; prosecutorial duty; innovative research; evidence-based principles in prosecutorial practice and leadership; the need for systemic change; and conclusion.... Read More
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27 p.
2008
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Evidence-Based Practices and Criminal Defense: Opportunities, Challenges, and Practical Considerations
By Weibrecht, Kimberly A.. National Institute of Corrections. Community Corrections Division (Washington, DC). National Institute of Corrections. Community Corrections Division (Washington, DC); Crime and Justice Institute (Boston, MA).
Guidance is provided to criminal defense attorneys concerning the use of evidence-based practices (EBP). Sections of this report include: executive summary; introduction; principles of EBP; the role of defense counsel as advocate in an EBP criminal justice system; the role of defense counsel as policy-maker; and conclusion.... Read More
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35 p.
2008
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Our System of Corrections: Do Jails Play a Role in Improving Offender Outcomes?
By Christensen, Gary E.. National Institute of Corrections. Community Corrections Division (Washington, DC). National Institute of Corrections. Community Corrections Division (Washington, DC); Crime and Justice Institute (Boston, MA).
"This document will review the role of jails and incarceration within United States' correctional systems and propose opportunities for jail officials to interact and collaborate with local criminal justice entities with the shared purpose of enhancing long-term public safety" (p. ix). Sections following an abstract include: practice within corrections -- does it work as a system; corrections within the U.S. -- the current context; evidence-based practice -- the effectiveness of criminal sancti... Read More
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43 p.
2005
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Evidence-Based Practice: Principles for Enhancing Correctional Results in Prisons
By Serin, Ralph C.. National Institute of Corrections. Community Corrections Division (Washington, DC). Crime and Justice Institute (Boston, MA); National Institute of Corrections. Community Corrections Division (Washington, DC).
"The purpose of this paper is to introduce prison administrators and staff to an accumulated body of knowledge regarding correctional practice to enhance their management of their prisons" (p.1). Sections comprising this discussion paper are: introduction -- transition from prison to the community, effective correctional practice, overview of prison research findings for prison classification, and summary; an overview of prison classification and risk assessment – correctional programming, guid... Read More
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39 p.
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