NCJ Number
245395
Date Published
January 2014
Length
22 pages
Annotation
This policy paper builds on RNR principles (Risk, Need, Responsivity) in linking the duration of probation supervision to the optimal amount of intervention an offender needs in order to reduce his/her risk of reoffending.
Abstract
The proposed "dosage" model of probation suggests that the length of supervision should be determined by the number of hours of intervention necessary to reduce recidivism risk, rather than an arbitrarily or customarily established amount of time. Research indicates that for many offenders intervention is analogous to treating a patient; i.e., too little intervention means the patient receives little or no benefit from the treatment; on the other hand, too much treatment can be ineffective or even harmful. Section 1 of this paper reviews key research on reducing an offender's risk of reoffending. Section II builds on these research findings in reviewing recent research on "dosage," its applicability to sentencing and community supervision practices, and its promise for reducing recidivism even further. Section III outlines the dosage probation model, which is designed to build upon the existing research and advance the cost-effectiveness of community supervision by increasing recidivism reduction while reducing the cost of extended supervision periods. 36 references