Evaluating the Impact of Juvenile Correctional Education and Rehabilitation Programs on
Reducing Recidivism Rates
PARTS 1, 2 AND 3
CRJ 306 - Race, Ethnicity, Crime, and Criminal Justice
December 14, 2023
, 2
PART 1
Critical Appraisal of Evidence from a Research Study
Student Name
PICO question Among incarcerated juveniles between 18 and 35 years of age, would
staff education and juvenile rehabilitation training prior to release
increase juvenile knowledge and satisfaction with post-release
community re-entry?
Article/Journal Citation (APA 7th edition format)
Lockwood, S., Nally, J., Ho, T., Knutson, K. (2018). The effect of correctional education on
post-release employment and recidivism: A 5-year follow-up study in the state of Indiana.
Crime & Delinquency, 58(1), DOI: 10.1177/0011128712441695
I. GENERAL APPRAISAL:
Utilize your Melnyk & Fineout/Overholt book as you work through reviewing the study.
Overview/General Description of Study
Quantitative design is preferred. The study selected should be original research and NOT best
practice, a case study, QI, or epidemiology reports. Seek to appraise a study demonstrating
support for the best intervention to mitigate the clinical problem of interest for your project.
Research Purpose/Question(s)/ or Study Aims
The purpose of this study is to understand the effects of education and employment
programming on recidivism among offenders released from the Indiana Department of
Corrections over a period of five years.
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Setting / Sample characteristics
The sample includes 6561 criminal offenders who were released from prisons in the Indiana
Department of Corrections into five metropolitan counties between 2005-2009. All released
offenders were juveniles more young adults. Approximately 60% of offenders were released in
Marion County, the largest city of which is Indianapolis. Four members were then followed
over a period of five years to identify the prevalence of recidivism.
Major Variables
Independent Variable(s)
(Intentionally changed or The independent variable was the delivery of educational services
manipulated)
Example: types of developed by the Indiana Department of Corrections (IDOC)
exercise
Education Division. These services included a wide degree of
job-oriented and general education resources. They were
developed in partnership with institutions of higher education in
the state of Indiana. The authors also gather data regarding post-
release employment among members of this sample.
Dependent Variable(s)
(Tested and measured
outcomes; typically this is
, 4
the thing that is measured The authors examined the effect of education and post-release
after the intervention)
Example: weight employment on offender recidivism rates. Recidivism rates were
described as being based on the number of offenders who were
reincarcerated during the five years of data collection following
initial release from IDOC custody.