Date on Master's Thesis/Doctoral Dissertation
8-2013
Document Type
Master's Thesis
Degree Name
M.A.
Department
Sociology
Committee Chair
Schroeder, Ryan D.
Author's Keywords
Rehabilitation; Residential substance abuse treatment; Recidivism; Labeling theory; Meta-analysis; Substance abuse
Subject
Recidivism--United States--Prevention; Criminals--Rehabilitation; Prisoners--Drug use; Substance abuse--Patients--Rehabilitation
Abstract
This study is a meta-analytic examination of incarceration-based rehabilitation and its ability to reduce recidivism. Substance abuse is a large problem within our convict population; many times it is a substance related conviction that is the cause of the inmates’ incarceration. Claims have been made for decades that if society can effectively rehabilitate these convicts, recidivism rates will be reduced, ultimately lowering incarceration rates. By creating a stringent criterion of inclusion, this study makes an “apples-to-apples” analysis of prior studies on the topic, examining twelve studies of incarceration-based rehabilitation and their outcome variables. The data was synthesized through meta-analytic techniques to determine if the rehabilitative efforts of correctional institutions are effective at reducing recidivism. This study found, on average, those who receive incarceration-based rehabilitation are 43% less likely to recidivate than those inmates who did not receive incarceration-based rehabilitation (p < 0.0001). My hypothesis that incarceration-based rehabilitation during the era of determinate sentencing will reduce recidivism has been substantiated.
Recommended Citation
Dixon, Shaun Andrew 1985-, "The new paradigm of rehabilitation : a meta-analysis of the effectiveness of incarceration-based rehabilitation in regards to recidivism reduction." (2013). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 357.
https://doi.org/10.18297/etd/357
