Recidivism in Australia : findings and future research - Australian ...

More documents

Recommendations

Info

6 Recidivism in Australia: findings and future research Figure 1: Simplified model of recidivism research In what context and for what purpose is the research being undertaken? Sample (1) Research purpose and context # Time (3) # # # What data are used to identify criminal events? Over what length of time should criminal events be observed and are any adjustments needed? Indicator events (2) What methods of quantification are used when counting criminal events? Fundamental to this model is the purpose and context within which the research is undertaken. Recidivism research can be grouped into one of three broad categories depending on the aim and objectives. The first category – generally referred to as prevalence studies – attempt to estimate the size of the recidivist population as well as the proportion of all offences attributable to recidivists. There are two types of prevalence studies: those that aim to measure recidivism among a total population (such as a cohort of all persons born in a particular year) and those that take as their starting point a particular group of known offenders and seek to estimate the extent to which this group reoffends. Two studies undertaken in South Australia illustrate the differences in these approaches. One took as its starting point, all young people born in that state in 1984 and found that 83 percent were never apprehended by police during their juvenile years, while 17 percent were apprehended at least once. The second study concentrated on that subset of the same birth cohort who had actually been apprehended on at least one occasion and found that 44 percent had been apprehended multiple times (Skrzypiec 2005). The different results obtained by these two studies are simply due to the different samples used.
Understanding recidivism The second category studies are exploratory in nature. Rather than simply attempting to estimate the prevalence of reoffending, they are more concerned with identifying those personal, socioeconomic and psychological factors that correlate with, and may therefore help to explain, recidivism. The third set involves the use of recidivism as an outcome measure in evaluation. Here researchers are asked by policy makers and program operators to measure the extent to which participation in a particular program or intervention reduces the risk of reoffending. Some examples from the Australian literature include: • • • evaluations of re-offending among participants in specialist drug, mental health and domestic violence courts (UWA CRC 2003; Lind et al. 2002; Makkai and Veraar 2003; Payne 2005; Skryzpiec, Wundersitz & McRostie 2004) evaluations of juvenile justice interventions such as youth conferencing (Hayes & Daly 2004; Luke & Lind 2002) evaluations of particular policing operations (for example, Makkai et al. 2004). The purpose for which the research is undertaken also helps to define its contextual parameters, that is, the broad range of factors that influence the research and the methodological decisions made by the researchers. It provides the backdrop for the analysis, often defining the parameters of both the data collection and the analytic techniques to be used. Having an appreciation of that context provides the necessary platform from which the results are interpreted. There are a wide variety of contextual issues to be understood. At the very least they include those factors associated with the selection of the target sample, the location of the study and the time period within which it was conducted. Other factors are the data sources used, the counting rules, and the length of the observation period. Key elements Once the purpose and context of the research has been determined, it is the researcher’s task to develop an appropriate conceptual and methodological approach that will effectively answer the questions posed by policy makers and program operators. For every given question, researchers are responsible for determining and implementing a measurement model that will provide the most accurate answer possible, usually in the most efficient and cost effective manner. 7
Page 1: Recidivism in Australia: findings a
Page 4 and 5: © Australian Institute of Criminol
Page 6 and 7: iv This report identifies three pri
Page 8 and 9: vi Are adjustments needed in observ
Page 10 and 11: viii In essence, this report highli
Page 12 and 13: x Moreover, once the event of recid
Page 14 and 15: xii • • • between 50 and 60 p
Page 16 and 17: xiv Finally, the report highlights
Page 18 and 19: 2 Recidivism in Australia: findings
Page 26 and 27: 10 Recidivism in Australia: finding
Page 70 and 71: 54 Rate per 1,000 prisoners Recidiv
Page 72 and 73:
56 Recidivism in Australia: finding
Page 74 and 75:
Page 76 and 77:
Page 78 and 79:
Page 80 and 81:
Page 82 and 83:
Page 84 and 85:
Page 86 and 87:
Page 88 and 89:
Page 90 and 91:
Page 92 and 93:
Page 94 and 95:
Page 96 and 97:
Page 98 and 99:
Page 100 and 101:
Page 102 and 103:
Page 104 and 105:
Page 106 and 107:
Page 108 and 109:
Page 110 and 111:
Page 112 and 113:
Page 114 and 115:
Page 116 and 117:
100 Recidivism in Australia: findin
Page 118 and 119:
Page 120 and 121:
Page 122 and 123:
Page 124 and 125:
Page 126 and 127:
Page 128 and 129:
References
Page 130 and 131:
Page 132 and 133:
Page 134 and 135:
Page 136 and 137:
Appendix A
Page 138 and 139:
Page 140 and 141:
Page 142 and 143:
Page 144 and 145:
Page 146 and 147:
Page 148 and 149:
Page 150 and 151:
Page 152 and 153:
Page 154 and 155:
Page 156:
Research and Public Policy Series N
show all

Recidivism in Australia : findings and future research - Australian ...

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?