22 Jan The Efficacy of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Programs in Preventing Adolescent Recidivism
The versatility and effectiveness of Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) in treating various populations continues to be validated by research in the field. Opportunities for change exist in the responses to youthful offenders, with research supporting a treatment philosophy versus one of punishment. The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) reports that youths accounted for 6% of arrests for violent crimes in 2020. Additionally, youth under 15 accounted for about 3 of every ten arrests for property crimes involving youth in 2020. While these statistics represent a reduction in crimes committed by young people, this data may be impacted by the COVID-19 school closures and social distancing requirements that year. These alarming statistics are a call to action for psychologists and mental health professionals.
Unfortunately, once a youth enters the juvenile justice system, they can cycle in and out of custody. While there are no national statistics on the rate of juvenile recidivism, the OJJDP cites research indicating that re-arrest rates for youth within one year of release averaged 55 percent. This cycle of recidivism has the potential of severe consequences for their development. Placement in juvenile placement poses barriers to opportunities for healthy relationships with family and friends, access to education, and stable employment in the future. Psychologists and other mental health professionals are uniquely positioned to help support young people in a way that may reduce juvenile recidivism.
A growing body of research supports using Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) to reduce recidivism rates. A 2005 Journal of Experimental Criminology meta-analysis examined 58 studies on using CBT and recidivism rates for adult and youth offenders. The results indicated that implementing CBT positively affected offenders’ recidivism rates. Another meta-analysis conducted by the National Institute of Justice in 2016 of 50 CBT programs found there to be 79.2 percent in reducing crime among juveniles. The National Bureau of Economic Research reported other positive outcomes in 2013. This research attributed the use of CBT to a 44 percent reduction in recidivism in a study of disadvantaged male youth in grades 7 to 10 from high-crime Chicago neighborhoods.
The implications derived from this data is overwhelming. Demanding a shift change by the criminal justice system toward a more supportive attitude and away from the traditional punitive and exclusionary approaches. Dr. Jack Bush is a renowned psychologist in CBT treatment for youthful offenders. In a 2016 editorial on NPR, Bush identified, “the thinking that led them to offend is not extinguished by punishment; it is reinforced.”
The neurobiology of the adolescent brain plays a role in the occurrence of recidivism in youths. Unlike the adult prefrontal cortex, the area responsible for reasoning and decision-making in children and adolescents is not fully developed. The amygdala, the area responsible for immediate reactions, including fear and aggressive behavior, develops much earlier in life. The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry identifies that this biological difference causes teens to rely less on logic and react more impulsively. A study by the National Research Council (NRC) identified that young people do not have the self-discipline and emotional intelligence to respond to emotional situations. Further, adolescents are heavily influenced by peer pressure and instant gratification. Decisions are often made based on the present moment, without consideration for future goals or how the decision will impact themselves or others.
The outcomes of CBT programs implemented for youth offenders are promising. One study reported in 2015 found that only 17 percent of youths were returned to jail within 18 months, compared to 75 percent readmission for inmates who did not participate in the program. A meta-analysis of 50 CBT programs conducted by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) found a 79 percent reduction in crime for youths who participated in a treatment program. The NIJ reported that was evidence reported in the studies examined that an introspective program was effective in individual outcomes in preventing truancy, reducing substance abuse, and reoffending for sex offenders.
While treatment alone should not replace the incarceration of adolescents who have committed crimes, the use of CBT in preventing recidivism and improving the quality of life for those youth is evident. Implementing such treatment programs will support these juveniles by providing them with cognitive and behavioral skills to aid in not reoffending. Psychologists and other mental health professionals can be instrumental in changing the approach to criminal justice practices.