TY - JOUR
T1 - Influence of a residential drug and alcohol program on young people's criminal conviction trajectories
AU - Whitten, Tyson
AU - Cale, Jesse
AU - Nathan, Sally
AU - williams, Megan
AU - Baldry, Eileen
AU - Ferry, Mark
AU - Hayen, Andrew
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 Elsevier Ltd
PY - 2023/1/1
Y1 - 2023/1/1
N2 - Background: This study examined the effect of a residential drug and alcohol therapeutic community program on criminal convictions among young people who had different trajectories of conviction prior to referral. Method: Data was derived from linked administrative records of all young people referred to a modified therapeutic community for serious alcohol and drug related difficulties located in New South Wales, Australia (n = 3059). Group-based trajectory modelling and propensity score matching estimated the potential treatment effect at age 17 on subsequent convictions up to 22 years of age, by three pre-referral trajectories of convictions from ages 10 to 16 years, designated “no or low convictions”, “moderate incline convictions”, and “high incline convictions”. Results: Treatment was associated with a significant decrease in convictions for only the high incline convictions trajectory after double adjustment of propensity scores and post-discharge incarceration. The reduction in the number of convictions for the high incline group was substantial (Cohen's d = 0.96), corresponding to 4.36 fewer convictions over five years post referral. Conclusions: Residential therapeutic communities may be an effective intervention to reduce future convictions among young people with drug and alcohol problems who have a high number of convictions prior to referral.
AB - Background: This study examined the effect of a residential drug and alcohol therapeutic community program on criminal convictions among young people who had different trajectories of conviction prior to referral. Method: Data was derived from linked administrative records of all young people referred to a modified therapeutic community for serious alcohol and drug related difficulties located in New South Wales, Australia (n = 3059). Group-based trajectory modelling and propensity score matching estimated the potential treatment effect at age 17 on subsequent convictions up to 22 years of age, by three pre-referral trajectories of convictions from ages 10 to 16 years, designated “no or low convictions”, “moderate incline convictions”, and “high incline convictions”. Results: Treatment was associated with a significant decrease in convictions for only the high incline convictions trajectory after double adjustment of propensity scores and post-discharge incarceration. The reduction in the number of convictions for the high incline group was substantial (Cohen's d = 0.96), corresponding to 4.36 fewer convictions over five years post referral. Conclusions: Residential therapeutic communities may be an effective intervention to reduce future convictions among young people with drug and alcohol problems who have a high number of convictions prior to referral.
KW - Convictions
KW - Drug and alcohol treatment
KW - Group-based trajectory
KW - Quasi-experimental
KW - Therapeutic community
KW - Young people
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U2 - 10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2022.102026
DO - 10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2022.102026
M3 - Article
SN - 0047-2352
VL - 84
JO - Journal of Criminal Justice
JF - Journal of Criminal Justice
M1 - 102026
ER -