Influence of Organizational Characteristics on Success in Implementing Process Improvement Goals in Correctional Treatment Settings Journal of Behavioral Health Services & Research

• NCJ Number: 252556
• Journal: Journal of Behavioral Health Services & Research Volume: 44 Issue: 4 Dated: 2017 Pages: 625-646
• Author(s): Michael Prendergast; Wayne N. Welsh; Lynda Stein; Wayne Lehman; Gerald Melnick; Umme Warda; Michael Shafer
• Date Published: 2017
• Length: 22 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA)
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical); Report (Study/Research); Report (Grant Sponsored); Program/Project Evaluation; Program/Project Description
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

In this evaluation of the Organizational Process Improvement Intervention (OPII), which is part of the National Institute on Drug Abuse's (NIDA's) Criminal Justice Drug Abuse Treatment Studies (CJDATS) cooperative, 21 sites were randomized to an early-start or a delayed-start condition.

Abstract

Although research indicates that organizational characteristics substantially influence the adoption and use of evidence-based practices (EBPs), there has been little empirical research on organizational factors most likely to influence successful implementation of EBPs, particularly in criminal justice settings. The current evaluation found that agencies with fewer program needs, good communication, adequate staffing levels, good supervision, positive attitude toward rehabilitation, and higher institutional capacity for change were better able to implement planned changes in assessment and case-planning procedures. Such agencies may be better candidates for implementation improvement strategies; whereas, other agencies could benefit from pre-intervention efforts aimed at strengthening these characteristics before attempting to improve assessment procedures. (publisher abstract modified)