Authors publishing articles in Criminal Justice and Behavior (CJB) now include practitioner summaries to bridge the gap between research and practice in forensic and correctional psychology fields across international jurisdictions. Below, we include some of the most practitioner-relevant summaries which have been approved for publication in CJB, which may have already appeared in OnLine First or in a printed journal or may be scheduled for publication. In this issue of the IACFP Bulletin, included articles address a wide variety of topics, including legal system reform, virtual courtrooms, correctional staff attitudes and influences, cybercrime, faith-based rehabilitation, justice-involved youth, child abuse prevention, interpersonal violence, and sex offense risk factors.
Zhorayev, O., Ramezani, N., Johnson, J., Shukla, N., Mackey, B., Viglione, J., & Taxman, F. (2025). County Characteristics Associated with Implementation Strategies to Reform the Use of Jail for People with Behavioral Health Problems. https://doi.org/10.1177/00938548251370367
- “Using survey data from 519 U.S. counties, this study examines what drives counties to use key implementation strategies aimed at reducing the use of jail for people with behavioral health conditions. The implementation strategies examined are interagency relationship building, performance monitoring, and integration of care. Interestingly, success is not about county size, rurality, or demographic characteristics (i.e., race, age, or educational attainment). Instead, counties are more likely to use effective strategies when they have stronger data capacity, more evidence-based programs, and experience with grants or reform initiatives such as Stepping Up. A key driver of reform is the presence of data expertise and systems that support cross-agency information sharing and decision-making. For correctional leaders, forensic psychologists, and administrators, the takeaway is clear: sustainable jail reform depends on building internal county infrastructure. Critical to success is investing in data systems, expanding evidence-based practices, strengthening cross-agency collaboration, and supporting ongoing staff training.”
Haubrock. L., Azevedo, V., Hillert, J., Briken, P., Letourneau, E., Rahm, C., Seto, M., Fix, R., Gomes, H., Joleby, M., Maimone, S., Carvalho, J., & Dekker, A. (2026). Criminal Police Perceptions of the Internet-Delivered Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse Prevention Program Prevent It 2.0 in Germany, Portugal, and Sweden. https://doi.org/10.1177/00938548251407643
- “The study explores German, Portuguese, and Swedish criminal police officers’ perceptions of “Prevent It 2.0”, an anonymous internet-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy intervention aimed at preventing child sexual exploitation and abuse. Focus groups revealed officers’ support for the program as an accessible, low-threshold, anonymous option, with officers expressing willingness to actively refer individuals to the intervention. The findings highlight the potential of integrating Prevent It 2.0 into interdisciplinary prevention strategies, while emphasizing the need for ongoing refinement and sensitivity to sociocultural factors. Overall, the study underscores the value of internet-delivered programs from a law enforcement perspective and provides a foundation for collaborative, interdisciplinary prevention strategies. It offers practical insights for practitioners seeking innovative, accessible approaches and interdisciplinary collaboration to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse”
Jones, T., Huebner, B., Garcia-Hallett, J., Givens, A., & Canada, K. (2025). Indirect and Psychological Victimization in Prison: The Role of Staff and Incarcerated Persons Interactions in Shaping Perceptions of Safety. https://doi.org/10.1177/00938548251397532
- “This study explores indirect and psychological victimization in a U.S. medium-security prison by analyzing interactions between correctional staff and incarcerated persons. Utilizing semi-structured interviews with 39 incarcerated individuals and 56 staff members, the research highlights how power dynamics, verbal abuse, and institutional practices contribute to psychological distress, hypervigilance, and fear of victimization beyond physical violence. Key findings reveal that inconsistent enforcement of policies, verbal abuse/dehumanization, and indirect exposure to victimization shape perceptions of safety and create psychological strain. Both groups expressed a need for respectful communication and a more therapeutic, humane environment to mitigate the psychological pains of imprisonment. The study underscores the importance of expanding frameworks in corrections to address subtle forms of harm, advocating for trauma-informed approaches and better training to improve prison culture and safety. These insights have critical implications for enhancing the wellbeing of both incarcerated persons and correctional staff in criminal justice settings.”
Ahmed, W., Mahmood, R., & Mahmood, S. (2025). The Impact of Faith-Based Rehabilitation in Prisons: Identity Transformation, Virtue Development, and Emotional-Behavioral Outcomes. https://doi.org/10.1177/00938548251394638 \
- “This study examines a structured Islamic faith-based rehabilitation program in prisons in Punjab, Pakistan. Drawing on a quasi-experimental pretest–posttest design and structural equation modeling, the analysis indicates that participants in the program reported higher levels of religiosity at posttest, along with stronger indicators of identity transformation and virtue development, including accountability and forgiveness. These factors were also associated with lower levels of aggressive behavior. No significant differences were observed for depression or anxiety, suggesting that faith-based approaches alone may not address all aspects of emotional well-being. As such programs often rely on existing religious and institutional resources, they can represent a comparatively low-cost complement to other rehabilitative strategies. For practitioners, these findings highlight the potential value of integrating faith-based initiatives with psychological and trauma-informed interventions to offer more comprehensive support for individuals preparing for community reintegration.”
Sargeant, E., Murphy, K., Barkworth, J., & Howard, M. (2025). Procedural Justice and Mental Wellbeing in Prisons: The Mediating Roles of Staff Relationships and Prison Safety. https://doi.org/10.1177/00938548251400649
- “This study examines how procedural justice—the perception that prison staff act fairly and respectfully—affects the wellbeing of people in prison over time. Using survey data from incarcerated individuals in Australia, researchers showed that when prisoners perceive fair treatment from prison staff, they report higher wellbeing, partly because they feel safer and have better relationships with staff. However, when data were examined over time, only staff relationships continued to explain the connection between procedural justice and wellbeing. These findings highlight the central role of respectful, fair, and supportive staff-prisoner relationships in fostering wellbeing. For practitioners, this underscores the importance of staff training in procedural justice principles and the need to balance safety with humane treatment. Fostering positive staff–prisoner relationships not only enhances wellbeing but may also improve prison safety and cooperation, benefiting both staff and those in custody.”
Stafford, M., Hare, E., & Wenzel, S. (2025). Interpersonal Violence as a Precursor to Incarceration in a Rural Virginia Jail. https://doi.org/10.1177/00938548251394659
- “Through interviews with 15 women incarcerated at a rural jail in Southwest Virginia, we engaged participants in the process of storytelling as a tool for processing trauma as well as exploring their unique experiences and needs for resources. Through the methods of this project, we hope to center the voices of incarcerated women in rural Southwest Virginia and highlight the complex pathways between exposures to violence, substance use, incarceration, and outcomes post-release. In rural communities in particular, justice-involved women face a lack of resources before, during, and after incarceration, which can exacerbate negative outcomes throughout life. Participants shared experiences of interpersonal violence throughout the life course, relationships with loved ones, and recommendations for resources and supportive services in their communities. These findings have implications for service providers and practitioners in rural communities who can work to improve services and uplift the voices of stigmatized populations like justice-involved women.”
Wertz, M., Giersiepen, M., Schiltz, K., & Rettenberger, M. (2025). The Consideration and Hazard of Empirically Unsupported Risk Factors in Risk Assessment Reports About Individuals Convicted of Sexual Offenses. https://doi.org/10.1177/00938548251397535
- “Accurate risk assessment of individuals convicted of sexual offenses is crucial to prevent reoffending and ensure appropriate sentencing and treatment decisions. This study examined 304 German risk assessment reports (1999-2016) to investigate how empirically supported and unsupported risk factors are considered in practice. Results showed substantial variability in the inclusion of empirically supported risk factors. Reports using structured approaches incorporated significantly more supported risk factors than those relying on unstructured clinical judgment. Notably, the presence of mental health diagnoses influenced risk judgments, even though evidence for their association with recidivism risk remains mixed. These findings highlight the continued impact of unsupported risk factors in professional decision-making and emphasize the importance of structured, empirically grounded assessment procedures. Crucially, expert witnesses should exercise caution when clinically overriding structured assessment results based on the presence of mental health diagnoses.”
