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 highlight some of the most practitioner-relevant summaries which have been approved for publication in CJB, and 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 familial influences on youth and adult justice involvement, correctional staff identities and wellness, and court involved therapy for sexually exploited youth.
Bellair & Lopez (2026). Differential Reinforcement in Context: Prior Imprisonment as a Condition for Kin-Based Criminal Influence on Recidivism. http://doi.org/10.1177/00938548261459670
- “While families are often viewed as protective, they can serve as primary conduits for antisocial influence among individuals “embedded” in the correctional system. This research indicates that differential reinforcement (DR) from family members, including direct encouragement and anticipated social rewards for crime, more than triples recidivism risk for men with a history of prior incarceration. Crucially, this effect is specific to kin networks and does not extend to non-kin peers. Consequently, policy should shift toward kin-targeted interventions and robust screening of familial risk factors. Since returning citizens rely heavily on kin for survival needs like housing, familial approval is acutely consequential. Effective reentry strategies must include family-based therapy and subsidized housing alternatives to prevent individuals from having to choose between homelessness and returning to high-risk home environments.”
Cloud et al. (2026). “It has given us an opportunity to reinvent ourselves”: Exploring a Novel Intervention to Recalibrate the Professional Identities of Prison Staff. http://doi.org/10.1177/00938548261473800
- “This study reports findings from an evaluation of the Contact Mentor Program, a pilot initiative that the Oregon Department of Corrections adapted from Norway’s contact officer model. The program gives prison staff a formal role in helping incarcerated people set goals, prevent and de-escalate conflicts, identify reentry needs, and connect with education, housing, employment, and other services. Staff who served as contact mentors described greater autonomy, clearer support from leadership, better communication with incarcerated people, and a stronger sense of purpose. Some also reported less stress at work. These findings suggest that changing some of the duties and expectations of prison staff, including greater emphasis on dynamic security, mentorship, and reentry support, may benefit staff purpose and well-being. They also suggest that sustaining or scaling this approach requires dedicated time, training, supervision, access to programs and reentry resources, and clear institutional support.”
Lakshman et al. (2026). Between Protection and Coercion: Survivor and Stakeholder Perspectives on Court-Involved Therapy for Commercially Sexually Exploited Youth in Atlanta, Georgia. http://doi.org/10.1177/00938548261459661
- “Using qualitative data from 31 survivors and multidisciplinary stakeholders in Atlanta, Georgia, this study examines how court-involved therapy for commercially sexually exploited youth can be structured to center survivor autonomy, prevent retraumatization, and engage families meaningfully. Effective court-involved care is not primarily about program design or court structure. Instead, outcomes hinge on whether survivors are treated as active agents rather than passive recipients, whether courts distinguish between mandating attendance and mandating participation, and whether families are integrated into treatment planning rather than treated as an afterthought. Survivors were unequivocal: peer mentorship, survivor-led practitioner training, and meaningful involvement in program design are not optional enhancements; they are prerequisites for trust and engagement. For correctional leaders, forensic psychologists, and juvenile justice practitioners, the takeaway is clear: embedding survivor voice at every level, preserving autonomy within mandated frameworks, and investing in family-facing services are critical to effective implementation.”
Parker et al. (2026). Inside and Out: Examining the Individual, Environmental, and Organizational Predictors of Personal and Professional Wellness Among Prison Staff. http://doi.org/10.1177/00938548261467874
- “Correctional staff routinely face exposure to violence, trauma, and occupational stressors that can undermine their mental, physical, and professional well-being. Using survey data from 585 employees across five Minnesota prisons, this study examined how individual characteristics, work environment factors, and organizational conditions relate to nine indicators of staff wellness, including burnout, job satisfaction, perceptions of safety, psychological wellness, and sleep quality. While demographic and environmental factors explained some variation in outcomes, staff perceptions of organizational policies and practices emerged as the strongest and most consistent predictor across all wellness measures. Employees who believed facility policies were transparent, beneficial, and supportive of daily operations reported significantly better personal and professional wellness. These findings suggest that correctional leaders can strengthen workforce wellness not only through staffing and safety initiatives, but also by improving policy transparency, communication, and opportunities for staff feedback and organizational buy-in.”
Rice & Walsh (2026). The Gendered Nature of Community- and Family-Level Adversity: Perspectives from Justice-Involved Youth in Northern Ireland. http://doi.org/10.1177/00938548261456567
- “This study investigated the gendered nature of community- and family-level adversity amongst young offenders in Northern Ireland. Socioeconomic deprivation, while a gender-neutral criminogenic need, does not exert the same effects on boys and girls. Young people reported their experience of gender-based differences in treatment, particularly by police. Family dysfunction appeared to impact girls more acutely. Girls in this study were more likely to describe a lack of relational safety as being precipitous to youth justice contact. Girls engaged differently with youth justice practitioners, valuing the supportive and trusting relationships in the absence of family and community support. This study underscores the importance of early, gender-specific interventions that respond to the lived realities of girls, before justice contact, particularly in jurisdictions outside of the US where these interventions are less common. Further, our study points to the need for gender-sensitivity training for justice professionals and investment in community-based supports.”
