Saturday, November 17, 2007

More NCJRS Abstracts, November 17, 2007

AMONG THE LATEST RESEARCH POSTED AT http://www.ncjrs.gov/. CHECK FOR OTHER ARTICLES OF INTEREST THERE AS WELL.

NCJ 220203
Bryan R. Garner; Kevin Knight; D. Dwayne Simpson
Burnout Among Corrections-Based Drug Treatment Staff: Impact of Individual and Organizational Factors
International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology
Volume:51 Issue:5 Dated:October 2007 Pages:510 to 522

The goal of this article is to research and find out the reasons why drug abuse treatment staff within the correction setting experience job burnout. The findings revealed that there were a number of reasons for the job burnout but the main reasons were the ages of the counselors, gender, lower adaptability, poorer clarity of agency mission, higher levels of stress, and some staff attributes/organizational factors. The researcher set out to look at the stress and burnout level of drug abuse treatment staff in a correctional setting for several reasons (1) because these social service professionals had been overlooked in the enormous amount of literature that exists on burnout in the social service professions, and (2) because of budget constraints, many drug treatment facilities were forced to operate for long periods of time and well beyond their capabilities which results in pressure and stress on the treatment staff. The research study was conducted by collecting sample data from 151 drug treatment counselors from across all 8 State-run correctional-based treatment programs in a southwestern State in the United States. The response rate was 77.30 percent. From April to July 2005, a clinical supervisor from each treatment program distributed assessment packets to each drug treatment counselor, and the counselors mailed the preaddressed postage paid envelope directly back to the researcher. Limitations of the study are discussed. Tables, references

NCJ 220246
Katherine Alteneder
Literacy and the Courts
Alaska Justice Forum
Volume:24 Issue:2 Dated:Summer 2007 Pages:1 to 8

This report explores literacy issues in the areas of national literacy levels and its impact within the courts due to an increase in self-represented litigants, national assessment information on adult literacy and literacy among inmates, and literacy and education among Alaska inmates. In examining “Literacy and the Courts,” this article presents findings from national surveys on literacy levels and its impact on the court system. During the last 10 years, State courts throughout the country have experienced a steady increase in the number of self-represented litigants in civil cases, resulting in a situation in which self-representation is now the norm. A self-represented litigant requires the ability to fully engage in the court process. However, in today’s courts, the judge is often in the courtroom with two lay people, who likely lack the necessary reading comprehension skills. America’s literacy crisis has serious repercussions for the justice system. In the article, “National Assessment of Adult Literacy and Literacy among Prison Inmates,” findings are presented from the 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy. Also, results specific to the prison population are discussed in the recently released report of the National Center for Education Statistics: “Literacy Behind Bars.” Average scores for the prison population fall within the basic level for all three measures of literacy, with sizeable percentages testing at the below basic level. A brief article discusses literacy and education among Alaskan inmates. The Alaska Department of Corrections offers educational programs in all its facilities. Education coordinators and superintendents in each facility tailor course offerings to the perceived needs of the inmate population and according to the resources for the community. Additional material and information presented in this report include: (1) the completion of an educational video on domestic violence by the Alaska Court System and the Justice Center and (2) assessment tools or strategies for evaluating literacy skills. Tables, figures

NCJ 220207
Paul R. Whitehead; Rachael M. Collie
Time for a Change: Applying the Good Lives Model of Rehabilitation to a High-Risk Violent Offender
International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology
Volume:51 Issue:5 Dated:October 2007 Pages:578 to 598

This article examines a case study of the Good Lives Model (GLM) of offender rehabilitation of a high-risk violent offender residing in a residential community. The GLM is typically a general theory of rehabilitation that is used with sexual offenders. GLM is a relatively new theory of offender rehabilitation that initially emerged as an alternative to the traditional Risk-Management Model. As GLM has advanced, it has become apparent that it is provides a complementary approach to Risk Management. The purpose of the case study was to illustrate how the GLM could be used to complement and enhance traditional Risk-Management intervention. The study showed that GLM’s clinical relevance extends from sex offending to broader offending sets. GLM complements Risk Management and helps to ground the goals of risk management within a framework that is more meaningful. GLM highlights the importance of attending to cultural needs, and can definitely enhance the rehabilitation of violent offenders and child molesters. The researcher used a case study to illustrate the five steps of the GLM that the offender undergoes. Limitations of the study are discussed. Table, references

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