Are risk-need-responsivity principles golden? A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials of community correction programs

OBJECTIVES: Using meta-analysis to determine the effect size of the recidivism rate of participants in community correction programs that are conducted entirely in community settings. METHODS: Following the Preferred Reported Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA), 25 qualified studies contributed 35 independent effect sizes. RESULTS: Full participation in a program significantly reduced the recidivism rate. Participant age was a significant moderator of heterogeneity. Those aged over 18 have lower recidivism rates. Interventions that fully follow the Risk-Need-Responsivity (RNR) design principles achieved similar results to those that did not. Recidivism rates increase more than 12 months after the program ends. CONCLUSIONS: The effectiveness of community correctional programs varies depending on the participant’s age. The RNR principles are not golden. The above factors should be carefully considered when conducting intervention design in the future. Results should be interpreted with caution due to the literature’s high heterogeneity and low quality. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11292-022-09550-w.