An analysis of survival time to re-arrest in treated and non-treated jailers

Incarceration is a costly intervention that does not always prevent future crime. Clinicians working in criminal justice settings are in a unique position to monitor programming to reduce recidivism. We investigated the impact of self-control training on re-arrest in a jail population. Treatment that allotted more time for behavioral rehearsal was expected to reduce future arrest. One hundred inmates completed measures of problem-solving and self-control skills. Forty participants received group training in self-control skills, 40 received the same protocol plus 10 minutes for behavioral rehearsal, and 20 served as a no-treatment comparison group. Participants who completed treatment were less likely to recidivate three years after release from jail, with a trend toward lower recidivism rates for self-control training plus behavioral rehearsal. Training in self-control skills can be useful for preventing re-arrest and these effects may be enhanced by adding a brief behavioral rehearsal of the targeted skills.