Violent Behaviour, Treatment and Recidivism: Evaluation of the RNR Model at Quatre Camins Prison

Contributed by the Centro de Estudios Jurídicos y Formación Especializada

Authors:
Manel Capdevila and Miguel Marrufo (coordinators);
Laura Ruiz, Ruth Díez, Berta Framis, Carles Soler, Aroa Arrufat (Centre for Legal Studies and Specialised Training – CEJFE);
Laura Salvanyà; Carmen Macarrón; Joaquim López, Joan Pere Queralt (QC Prison)

In 2016, Centre Penitenciari Quatre Camins (hereinafter, “QC Prison”) launched the Violent Behaviour Evaluation Programme to improve its work with people convicted of violent offences based on the RNR model. Implementing the programme entailed moving away from an offence-based rehabilitation model to one based on inmates’ risks and criminogenic needs. Andrews and Bonta’s RNR model (2007) is based on three principles: Risk, Necessity and Responsivity.

The first of these, risk, relates to the importance of adapting the type of intervention to the level of risk posed by each offender, increasing the intensity of each individual’s treatment and supervision directly in accordance with their level of risk: the greater the risk, the greater the closed-regime intervention; the lower the risk, the lower the level of intervention. Secondly, the need principle entails working with each person on the factors that directly affect their likelihood of reoffending in their specific case.

Thirdly, responsivity indicates that the type of treatment should be tailored to each individual’s characteristics and learning styles, taking into account the gender perspective, cultural differences in the case of those coming from abroad, language difficulties and each person’s intellectual and learning abilities. Finally, the authors present clear evidence that interventions are more effective when they continue to be applied in the community.

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