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 father-child contact and recidivism, personality disorder programming, trust in women’s prisons, post-incarceration employment and dignity, risk assessment equity, DBT effectiveness, long-term sentence misconduct predictors, and collective punishment.
Botha et al. (2026). Psychometric Properties of the LS/CMI Among Men Under Correctional Supervision in New Zealand. https://doi.org/10.1177/00938548261428691
- “This study evaluated the psychometric properties and predictive validity of the LS/CMI in a cohort of 772 men managed by New Zealand Corrections. Across a one year fixed follow up, LS/CMI domain and total scores demonstrated low to moderate discrimination for general and violent recidivism and showed incremental validity beyond a routinely administered static risk measure. Critically, the LS/CMI functioned equitably across major ethnic groups, with no significant differences in discrimination or calibration between NZ Maori and NZ European men. However, notable variability emerged across practitioner groups and operational contexts: assessments completed by psychologists were significantly more accurate than those completed by programme facilitators, and predictive performance differed between prison and community settings. Overall, findings support the generalisability of the LS/CMI and its underlying risk factors while underscoring the importance of assessor training, professional expertise, and contextual factors in ensuring high quality and equitable risk assessment in correctional practice.”
Buckner & Kaiser (2026). Predictors of Misconduct Between and Within Adults Serving Long-Term Sentences. https://doi.org/10.1177/00938548261433228
- “For individuals serving long-term sentences, prison constitutes a time-structured life-course setting where institutional conditions, relationships, and opportunities change over time. The current study highlights the importance of research and practitioners to focus on the experiences of individuals serving long-term sentences by examining the effects of prison characteristics on misconduct over 16 years of incarceration. Findings revealed that factors of the prison environment such as visitation, transfers, custody level, programming, and jobs directly shape the behavior of those incarcerated. However, factors that explain differences in misconduct among those incarcerated may not necessarily explain individual changes over time. These findings emphasize the importance of understanding aspects of the prison environment not as static predictors of behavior but rather may be contingent upon the individual’s experience and/or stage of incarceration.”
Li (2026). Negotiating Survival and Dignity: The Meaning of Work among People Formerly Incarcerated for Drug Offenses in China. https://doi.org/10.1177/00938548261424376
- “This study shows that for people returning from prison after long drug-related sentences, the key issue is not only whether they work but what kinds of work feel acceptable and dignified. A “good” job was rarely defined by high pay; it was judged by control over time and movement and by whether it protected face. Most participants declined jobs arranged by justice offices or jobs that echoed prison routines, even when they relied on welfare subsidies. Instead, they used trusted, low-exposure ties to find “good enough” work that preserved autonomy. For practitioners, placement should prioritize dignity and control alongside stability. Reduce dropout by offering options that avoid prison-like routines, using face-saving referral pathways, and supporting gradual work entry through trusted intermediaries. Assessments should include perceived shame risk, obligation burdens, and preferred tie-based access routes.”
Streb et al. (2026). Effectiveness of Dialectical Behavior Therapy in Patients in Forensic Psychiatry and Prison: Primary and Exploratory Meta-Analyses. https://doi.org/10.1177/00938548261430844
- “This study evaluated the effectiveness of dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) and its forensic (DBT-F) and correctional (DBT-CM) adaptations in forensic psychiatric and correctional settings. Primary and exploratory meta-analyses revealed that DBT significantly reduces borderline symptoms, with promising effects on impulsivity, emotion regulation, depression, and aggression. These findings suggest that DBT can be a valuable intervention for addressing complex emotional and behavioral difficulties in offender populations, potentially improving both individual rehabilitation and institutional safety. Importantly, the results highlight the need for further high-quality research using protocols tailored to forensic and correctional contexts. By demonstrating the applicability of evidence-based therapeutic approaches in these settings, this work informs clinical practice and policy development, supporting the integration of structured psychotherapeutic interventions to reduce risk, improve mental health outcomes, and promote more effective correctional and forensic care.”
Thomas et al. (2026). Service User Experiences of an Offender Personality Disorder Pathway Outreach Service. https://doi.org/10.1177/00938548261417928
- “This qualitative study explored service users’ experiences of an Enhanced Support Service (ESS), a component of the Offender Personality Disorder (OPD) pathway, in a male category C prison in England. Thematic analysis of ten semi-structured interviews with service users found that positive change was not straightforward. Nevertheless, participants described the experience as transformative, largely facilitated through trusting relationships with ESS staff. The findings of the study align with broader desistance theory (e.g. Albertson & Albertson, 2023) and highlight the need to work collaboratively with service users despite the limits and challenges of a custodial environment. This has implications for all prison-based OPD pathway services as well as for all those attempting to promote positive change in individuals who have been incarcerated.”
Toman et al. (2026). “They Take It Out On All Of Us”: Collective Punishment in Carceral Spaces. https://doi.org/10.1177/00938548261435854
- “This manuscript examines collective punishment (the practice of sanctioning an entire group for the actions of one individual) within U.S. carceral spaces. Drawing on interviews from eight prisons, the research suggests that while collective punishment is often used to address violence or contraband, it is frequently triggered by ambiguous behaviors or staff discretion. Findings suggest that these indiscriminate sanctions, such as facility-wide lockdowns or restricted privileges, undermine procedural legitimacy and erode trust between residents and staff. Instead of maintaining order, collective punishment often increases resentment and creates systemic strain, which can fuel further misconduct and institutional instability. The study highlights that prioritizing targeted disciplinary measures over collective punishment is essential for fostering a safer environment and achieving longer-term rehabilitative goals. By focusing on individual accountability rather than group penalties, facilities can improve legitimacy and reduce the negative psychological and behavioral consequences associated with carceral strain.”
Venema et al. (2026). Understanding the Relationship Between Child Visits, Pre-Prison Father-Child Contact, and Recidivism Among Formerly Imprisoned Fathers. https://doi.org/10.1177/00938548251407639
- “Maintaining parent-child connections during incarceration is often assumed to reduce reoffending, yet empirical evidence is limited. This study examined whether fathers’ contact with their children before imprisonment and child visits during imprisonment were associated with recidivism after release. Using data from 874 fathers released from prison in the Netherlands, we found that fathers who had contact with their children before imprisonment, were visited during incarceration, or both, were less likely to recidivate than those with no pre-prison contact and no visits. These findings suggest that child visits should be understood as part of an ongoing family relationship, rather than as a standalone factor in explaining recidivism. Practical steps include integrating family relationships and positive parenting into reintegration plans, creating family-friendly visiting spaces, offering parenting programs, and collaborating with community services to strengthen family ties for successful reintegration.”
Young (2026). What Does Culture “Look Like”?: Cultural Models, Heterogeneity, and The Meaning of Trust in a Women’s Prison. https://doi.org/10.1177/00938548261417918
- “Trust plays a critical role in shaping daily life and social order in women’s prisons, yet little is known about how incarcerated women themselves understand trust. This study examines the meanings women assign to trust relationships and how those meanings operate within prison culture. Using interviews with incarcerated women, the research identifies key ways trust is defined and experienced in this setting. A subsequent survey study shows that there is not a single shared view of trust, but rather two distinct cultural models that guide how women think about relationships and safety. The findings also show that women who better understand these shared models are more likely to hold beliefs that align with prison norms. For practitioners, these results highlight the importance of recognizing multiple understandings of trust when designing programs, managing relationships, and promoting safety and stability in women’s correctional settings.”
