U.S. flag
      An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.
        Here's how you know
      Here's how you know**Official websites use .gov**
            
            A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
      **Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**
            
            A **lock** (
            A locked padlock
            ) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Menu

      
        close

            
            
                                              About NIJ
        
                    
  
          About NIJ
      
    
          The NIJ Director
          How NIJ Is Organized
          Mission and Guiding Principles
          Research and Development Process
          Strategic Framework
          Assessments of NIJ
          Annual Reports & Reports to Congress
          Staff Directory
          Funding & Awards
        
                    
  
          Funding & Awards
      
    
          Current Funding
          Forthcoming Funding
          Expired Funding
          Awards: Listing of Funded Projects
          Guidance for Applicants and Awardees
          Fellowship & Student Programs
          Travel Scholarships
          NIJ Challenge Program
          Library & Multimedia
        
                    
  
          Library & Multimedia
      
    
          NIJ Journal
          Podcasts
          Publications Listing
          Multimedia Listing
          Rated Practices on CrimeSolutions
          Rated Programs on CrimeSolutions
          Software & Databases
          Datasets
          Patents
          Topics
        
                    
  
          Topics
      
    
          Article Listing
          Corrections
          Courts
          Crime Prevention
          Crimes
          Drugs and Crime
          Equipment and Technology
          Forensic Sciences
          Youth Justice
          Justice System Reform
          Law Enforcement
          Tribal Crime and Justice
          Victims of Crime
          Events
        
                    
  
          Events
      
    
          NIJ 2024 Research Conference
          Scheduled Events
          On-Demand Events
          Research Meetings & Workshops
          NIJ-Hosted Online Training

                            
                                About
          Contact Us
          Subscribe
          Topics A-Z
                  Share
FacebookXLinkedInRedditPinterestEmail Home
                            Library & Multimedia
 'What Works?' Revisited Again: A Meta-analysis of Randomized Field Experiments in Rehabilitation, Deterrence and Prevention
NCJ Number
              170149

Author(s)
          A.  J. Petrosino
Date Published

February 1999
Length
              308 pages
Annotation
              One hundred fifty studies of individual-level interventions with offenders were examined by means to meta-analysis to assess the overall impact of such interventions on subsequent offending.
Abstract
              The studies were selected by means of the alternation technique from 300 studies that used a randomized experimental design, were written in English, were available during 1950-93, and included a quantifiable outcome measure of crime. Each report was coded using a 196-item instrument.  Intercoder reliability was assessed on a random subset of studies; the overall rate of agreement was 80 percent. The intervention ranged from treatment programs to deterrence strategies to juvenile delinquency prevention approaches.  One hundred fifteen of the studies were rehabilitative in focus, 23 were focused on deterrence, and 9 were delinquency prevention programs. The analysis indicated that the overall average effect size was highly unstable. However, a homogeneity test indicated considerable variability in effect size across rehabilitation experiments. Studies with 10-100 participants reported much larger effects than experiments with more than 300 participants. In addition, experiments with youths under age 18 were more effective than programs for adults. Recommendations for future research and the strengthening of meta-analysis, tables, figures, footnotes, appended methodological information, author biography, and approximately 500 references
      
  
          Additional Details
Agencies
        NIJ-Sponsored
    
  
  
Date Published: February 1, 1999
    
          Downloads
        
                      *No download available*

Side navigation
  

        

  
  
              NIJ Journal
    
      
            
            
            
      Podcasts
    
      
            
            
            
      Publications Listing
    
      
            
            
            
      Multimedia Listing
    
      
            
            
            
      Rated Practices on CrimeSolutions
    
      
            
            
            
      Rated Programs on CrimeSolutions
    
      
            
            
            
      Software & Databases
    
      
            
            
            
      Datasets
    
      
            
            
            
      PatentsRelated Topics
        
                Crime prevention
        Juvenile (under 18)
        Meta-Analysis
        Field experiments
        Juvenile delinquency prevention



  
Similar Publications
        
                      The Impact of Gunshot Detection Technology on Gun Violence in Kansas City and Chicago: A Multi-Pronged Evaluation
                  The ethics and urgency of identifying domestic minor sex trafficking victims in clinical settings
                  The Outcomes for Human Trafficking Instrument: Validity and Reliability Testing
 Top

      National Institute of Justice

        
        
                        About NIJ
                    About NIJ
      
    
                  How NIJ Is Organized
      
    
                  NIJ Director
      
    
                  Research Disclaimer
      
    
                  Funding & Awards
                    Funding & Awards Home
      
    
                  Awards Listing
      
    
                  Current Funding
      
    
                  Guidance for Applicants and Awardees
      
    
                  Resources
                    Events
      
    
                  Podcasts
      
    
                  Publications
      
    
                  Topics
      
    
                  Multimedia
      
    
                  Reuse Policy
      
    
                  Contacts
                    Contact NIJ
      
    
                  Staff Directory
      
    
                  Submit a FOIA Request
      
    
                  File a Civil Rights ComplaintFacebook
          
                      X
          
                      YouTube
  

      810 7th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20531
      
              Secondary Footer link menu
            Accessibility
              Plain Language
              Privacy Policy
              Legal Policies and Disclaimer
              No FEAR Act
              Freedom of Information Act
              USA.gov
              Justice.gov