What works in reducing recidivism in the Maltese context? : an evaluation of a reintegrative programme

Abstract

This study focuses on rehabilitation and prisoner re-entry, highlighting what works in reducing risks for recidivism. Recidivism refers to the recycling of offenders from prison to society and back to prison (Taxman, 2004). Prisoner re-entry is the transitory process that includes all activities preparing inmates to return safely to the community (Petersilia, 2003). Research about rehabilitation and its effectiveness has been historically unclear; however, interest in this field increased in the past few decades. This study evaluated quantitatively the effectiveness of a local offender community-based rehabilitation programme offered by RISe Foundation that seeks to rehabilitate and reintegrate inmates who are within the last 12 months of their sentence. The evaluation was based mainly on the Risk-Need-Responsivity Model (Andrews et al., 1990) and the Good Lives Model (Ward et al., 2007). Principles of Restorative Justice were also referenced to. The study hypothesized that the intervention of the programme offered at RISe reduces one’s propensity to reoffend by reducing the dynamic risk factors related to criminal behaviour. The methodology examined 40 archived case files of ex-inmates who completed the rehabilitation programme. A statistical test examining dynamic risk factors pre-intervention and postintervention using McNemar’s test was carried out to determine whether the dynamic risk factors associated with recidivism decreased after the programme’s intervention. The results indicated a significant difference in the presence of dynamic risk factors between pre-intervention and postintervention. Consequently, concluding that the programme is effective in reducing the risk of reoffending. Specific data was analysed qualitatively to provide further insight into what intervention helped minimize such risk factors from the inmates’ perspective. The study further outlines the main static and dynamic risk factors Maltese offenders tend to present with. From a critical research paradigm, the researcher aims at encouraging social change.