Evaluation of social therapeutic community treatment in correctional institutions

Project date range: 2004-2008 and 2011-2014
Funding institution: Federal Ministry of Justice, Germany

Description

A systematic collection of evaluations of social therapeutic community treatment in correctional institutions in Germany was made. Evaluation approaches and results were compared. Although the project focused on rehabilitation of sexual offenders from its beginning, violent offenders were included in the second phase. In 2011-2014 evaluations were found in 16 correctional institutions who specialised in social therapeutic community treatment (26 %). Most of these studies, however, were internal and their results not published but only used for the enhancement of therapeutic concepts and similar purposes. If carried out by external researchers studies were typically part of some academic qualification programme or they were commissioned and funded by a federal state's Ministry of Justice.

Methods

The project was based on quantitative surveys of correctional institutions and qualitative interviews. Therapeutic concepts were analysed if available in writing.

Publications

1. Niemz, Susanne (2015). Evaluation sozialtherapeutischer Behandlung im Justizvollzug. Wiesbaden: KrimZ. (Kriminologie und Praxis ; Bd. 68). ISBN 978-3-945037-07-2
2. Spöhr, Melanie (2009). Sozialtherapie von Sexualstraftätern im Justizvollzug: Praxis und Evaluation. Mönchengladbach: Forum-Verl. Godesberg. ISBN 978-3-936999-70-9 (Online-Ausgabe)
3. Dessecker, Axel & Spöhr, Melanie (2007). Entwicklung der Sozialtherapie in Deutschland und im Rahmen der sozialtherapeutischen Behandlung angewandte Diagnoseverfahren. Praxis der Rechtspsychologie, 17 (2), 305-322.
4. Egg, Rudolf & Spöhr, Melanie (2007). Sozialtherapie im deutschen Justizvollzug: Aktuelle Entwicklungen und Versorgungsstand. Forensische Psychiatrie, Psychologie, Kriminologie, 1 (3), 200-208.