A systematic review using meta-analytic techniques was conducted with 14 studies selected to provide the best evidence on the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral programs for reducing the reoffense recidivism of criminal offenders. The results indicated that, overall, cognitive-behavioral programs are effective, and the best of them are capable of producing sizable reductions in recidivism. Many of the available studies, however, investigate research-oriented demonstration programs; the effects found for routine practical programs were notably smaller. Moreover, the research coverage of both juvenile and adult programs in institutional and noninstitutional settings is uneven and leaves troublesome gaps in the evidence.
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