Breaking the Cycle: A Study of Victimisation and Violence in the Lives of Non-Custodial Offenders

• NCJ Number: 210348
• Author(s): Professor Paul Mazerolle; Dr. Margot Legosz; Dr. Samantha Jeffries; Dr. Rosie Teague
• Date Published: July 2007
• Length: 122 pages
• Sale Source: Queensland Crime and Misconduct Cmssn
• Publication Format: Book (Softbound)
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: Australia

Annotation

This study examined the risks and needs of a noncustodial correctional population in Australia.

Abstract

The findings reveal that there are significant problems among most noncustodial offenders which often lead to chaotic, challenging, and disadvantaged lives. Some key themes emerged from the results of the project, such as the importance of addressing the consequences of victimization, interrupting the cycle of victimization, awareness of the differences between genders, and between Indigenous and non-Indigenous groups, and focusing on opportunities for early intervention and treatment. The Offending Persons Across the Lifecourse (OPAL) study was conducted by the Crime and Misconduct Commission (CMC) to illustrate, for the first time in Australia the criminogenic risks associated with noncustodial offenders, as well as opportunities for treatment programs to reduce recidivism. Project OPAL is a unique and comprehensive study among a sample of 480 offenders serving noncustodial community-based orders in Queensland, of the nature and extent of victimization, its consequences, and its implications for criminal recidivism and correctional programming. The results of the study reveal a level of exposure to prior risks and harms not previously documented in such a population. The findings demonstrate strong relationships between victimization and various criminogenic consequences, many of which influence criminal offending trajectories. Additionally, the findings illustrate the disturbing degree of continuity in victimization across the life course, and between generations. This cycle of victimization has serious implications for public health and safety and for the intergenerational transmission of risks. The study specifically examined: the challenges of providing effective responses to criminal behavior, research procedures and characteristics of sample, childhood experiences, adolescent experiences, adult experiences, links between early trauma and outcomes in adulthood, treatment and rehabilitation, implications and future directions, and ethical considerations for data collection. Tables, figures, appendix, and references