Richmond Sheriff C.T. Woody announced the results of a program evaluation by University of Richmond Professor Dr. Lisa Jobe-Shields. The research conducted looked at residents who were incarcerated at the Richmond City Justice Center, and were participants in the Recovering from Everyday Addictive Lifestyles (REAL) Program during their stay. The study was conducted looked at those who had been released from the RCJC and REAL program for at least a year. It measured recidivism rates and other factors of those who were enrolled in the REAL Program during their incarceration as opposed to those who chose not to enroll.
Analysis examined three factors: First, a comparison of recidivism was completed between program enrollees and non-enrollees, regardless of time spent in the program (two group comparison). Second, enrollees were classified based on their time spent in the program. Recidivism for individuals who spent at least 90 days in the program were compared to individuals who spent less than 90 days in the program, as well as program non-enrollees (three group comparison). Finally, these comparisons were conducted using length of time between release and return as the outcome of interest (two group comparison and three group comparison).
Research has revealed that individuals being released from correctional settings face a number of occupational, financial, and social stressors, which are extremely challenging to navigate. The results of the present evaluation indicate that recovery-based programming can significantly reduce the likelihood of returning to a correctional setting. Sheriff C.T. Woody, Jr., Researcher Dr. Lisa Jobe-Shields, and Program Director, Dr. Sarah Scarbrough look forward to sharing the full survey results. A tour of the REAL Program pod will be available immediately following the press conference to those who are interested.