NCJ Number
226393
Journal
Legal and Criminological Psychology Volume: 14 Issue: 1 Dated: February 2009 Pages: 83-100
Date Published
February 2009
Length
18 pages
Annotation
This study systematically reviewed the evidence of the impact of motivational interviewing (MI) with offender populations.
Abstract
This systematic review identified 19 evaluated applications of MI with offenders, of which 10 were randomized controlled trials. MI is most evaluated in relation to substance misusing offenders; others include domestic violence offenders, drunk drivers, and general offending. In these populations, MI was used to enhance retention and engagement in treatment, improve motivation for change, and change behavior. MI can lead to improved retention in treatment, enhanced motivation to change, and reduced offending, although there were variations across studies. Additional outcome research is recommended to examine who responds to what type of MI in relation to treatment retention, readiness to change, and reconviction. The intervention, MI aims to encourage people to commit to goals for change, and is commonly used by corrections personnel. MI was originally developed as a technique for motivating substance abusers to change. Given the prevalence of MI as a general style and as a specific technique of working with offenders, the evidence regarding the effectiveness of MI with offenders needs to be studied. This study examined the research literature for offender treatment outcome evaluations that specifically focused on MI. Tables and references