Adhering to principles of effective correctional treatment: Academic musings of a former clinician and administrator

(RNR) as core principles of effective correctional intervention has been followed by a host of research papers in various publications including Forum on Corrections Research and the Compendium 2000 on Effective Correctional Programming.2 These subsequent papers have examined, empirically validated, expanded upon and solidified RNR’s position, not only in correctional theory and practice but also in the lexicon of corrections discourse. One paper in particular takes these principles beyond the commonly accepted characteristics of clinically relevant programming – i.e., risk, need and responsivity – by including setting, staff, implementation and integrity issues, to generate a total of 18 principles of effective correctional intervention (Andrews, 2001). This paper is a reflection on some of Andrews’ (2001) principles by an academic who, in random order and by coincidence more than anything else, has worn the shoes of a correctional administrator, clinician and researcher. Although administrative issues arise with each of these principles, let us begin with a sample of those that are relatively straightforward to implement at the organizational level and then move to some that can be difficult and problematic. Adhering to the responsivity principle General responsivity is one of the easier principles for a correctional agency to embrace. Soliciting a group of clinicians and researchers who know the offender treatment literature, including meta analyses, can now, with considerable efficiency, produce a treatment program, with a standardized curriculum, that is cognitive-behavioural (CBT) in design and delivery and incorporates the elements commonly considered ‘best practice ’ in current correctional practice. This is likely to include such components as relapse prevention, as well as numerous CBT techniques such as role playing, practice, cognitive rehearsal and homework. Accreditation panels of experts can then be established with some ease to evaluate the ‘integrity