| Abstract: | This article aims to review the effectiveness of the program in reducing recidivism. Nineteen evaluations (involving 32 separate comparisons) were located in which experimental and control groups were compared. A meta-analysis showed that, overall, there was a significant 14% decrease in recidivism for program participants compared to controls. This program was effective in Canada and the United Kingdom but not in the United States. It was effective in community and institutional settings, whether or not it was given on a voluntary basis, and for low-risk and high-risk offenders. However, the program was more effective in older studies than in more recent evaluations. |
