Topic: Alcohol/Drugs/Tobacco, Antisocial Behavior, Emotional Competency
Target Population: Adolescents, Adults, Young Adults
Sector: Community-Based
Military Sector: Veterans Affairs
This program is for youth and adult criminal offenders.
Moral Reconation Therapy® (MRT®), a community-based cognitive behavioral treatment program, is designed to reduce recurring offenses among adolescents and adults who have been convicted of criminal actions by helping participants increase their moral reasoning abilities; develop positive attitudes, behaviors, and relationships; and create a better self-concept.
Research by program developers demonstrates a significant effect of MRT on 5-year risk of recidivism. One external replication demonstrated no significant differences between treatment and control groups in risk of recidivism and no difference in frequency or prevalence of disciplinary violations. However, length of time in treatment was associated with significant decreases in disciplinary violations. A randomized trial was conducted among U.S. veterans, within mental health residential treatment programs in the Veterans Health Administration, in which participants were randomly assigned to usual care or usual care plus two MRT sessions per week for 12 weeks. Results indicated improvements in most outcomes in both groups over time and no significant differences between groups in the prevalence of being rearrested and charged within 1 year of baseline.
MRT intends to reduce criminal thinking (i.e., attitudes and beliefs that reflect a criminal identity and rationalization of criminal behavior) and criminal associates (i.e., close relationships with others who are involved in or who support criminal behavior) among participants. The program uses individual and group counseling, which includes group exercises and assigned homework from the MRT workbook. The workbook has 16 units, which focus on seven treatment concepts that are designed to enhance moral development:
MRT was originally developed as a drug treatment program; however, a number of adaptations have been made to address a variety of other issues, including trauma, shoplifting, criminal thinking, sex offense, petty crime, job readiness, co-dependency, and parenting. Different program materials exist for each of these topics.
MRT has been implemented since 1986 and is currently used in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and seven other countries. Additionally, there are veteran-specific programs, including Winning the Invisible War and Battling Shadows, and MRT has been evaluated among a group of U.S. military veterans.
This program is implemented by MRT-certified facilitators. A 4-day, 32-hour online training course costs $610. Please visit https://www.ccimrt.com/?s=facilitator+handbook&post_type=product, or use details in the Contact section for more information on training.
Considerations for implementing this program include finding and hiring dedicated facilitators and adequate staff to implement group and individual therapy sessions, ensuring that facilitators receive training, obtaining participant buy-in and parental consent for participants under 18, and finding a suitable location to hold sessions.
The Clearinghouse can help address these considerations. Please call 1-877-382-9185 or email Clearinghouse@psu.edu
If you are interested in implementing MRT, the Clearinghouse is interested in helping you!
Please call 1-877-382-9185 or email Clearinghouse@psu.edu
Participants meet in groups once or twice per week for 12 to 24 weeks.
Implementation materials include the MRT facilitator's handbook and client workbooks, which are required for every participant. Please visit https://www.ccimrt.com/shop/ for information on program materials and costs.
To move MRT to the Promising category on the Clearinghouse Continuum of Evidence, at least one external evaluation should be performed demonstrating positive effects lasting at least one year from the beginning of the program or at least six months from program completion.
The Clearinghouse can help you develop an evaluation plan to ensure the program components are meeting your goals. Please call 1-877-382-9185 or email Clearinghouse@psu.edu
Contact the Clearinghouse with any questions regarding this program.
Phone: 1-877-382-9185 Email: Clearinghouse@psu.edu
You may also contact Correctional Counseling, Inc., by mail 71 Peyton Pkwy, Suite 101, Collierville, TN 38017, phone 1-901-360-1564, email ccimrt@ccimrt.com, or visit https://www.ccimrt.com/contact-us/ or http://www.moral-reconation-therapy.com
Armstrong, T. A. (2002). The effect of environment on the behavior of youthful offenders: A randomized experiment. Journal of Criminal Justice, 30(1), 19-28. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0047-2352(01)00119-2
Armstrong, T. A. (2003). The effect of Moral Reconation Therapy on the recidivism of youthful offenders: A randomized experiment. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 30(6), 668-687. https://doi.org/10.1177/0093854803256452
Blonigen, D. M., Cucciare, M. A., Byrne, T., Shaffer, P. M., Giordano, B., Smith, J. S., … Smelson, D. (2022). A randomized controlled trial of Moral Reconation Therapy to reduce risk for criminal recidivism among justice-involved adults in mental health residential treatment. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1037/ccp0000721
Little, G. L., & Robinson, K. D. (1989). Effects of Moral Reconation Therapy upon moral reasoning, life purpose, and recidivism among drug and alcohol offenders. Psychological Reports, 64(1), 83-90. https://doi.org/10.2466/pr0.1989.64.1.83
Little, G. L., Robinson, K. D., & Burnette, K. D. (1990). Treating drunk drivers with Moral Reconation Therapy: A two-year recidivism study. Psychological Reports, 66(3), 1379-1387. https://doi.org/10.2466/PR0.66.4.1379-1387
Little, G. L., Robinson, K. D., & Burnette, K. D. (1991). Treating drug offenders with Moral Reconation Therapy: A three-year recidivism report. Psychological Reports, 69(3), 1151-1154. https://doi.org/10.2466/PR0.69.8.1151-1154
Little, G. L., Robinson, K. D., & Burnette, K. D. (1993). Cognitive behavioral treatment of felony drug offenders: A five-year recidivism report. Psychological Reports, 73(3), 1089-1090. https://doi.org/10.2466/pr0.1993.73.3f.1089
Brame, R., MacKenzie, D. L., Waggoner, A. R., & Robinson, K. D. (1996). Moral Reconation Therapy and problem behavior in the Oklahoma department of corrections. Journal of the Oklahoma Criminal Justice Research Consortium, 3, 63-84.
Ferguson, L. M., & Wormith, J. S. (2013). A meta-analysis of Moral Reconation Therapy. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 57(9), 1076-1106. https://doi.org/10.1177/0306624X12447771
Wilson, D. B., Bouffard, L. A., & Mackenzie, D. L. (2005). A quantitative review of structured, group-oriented, cognitive-behavioral programs for offenders. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 32(2), 172-204. https://doi.org/10.1177/0093854804272889
Blonigen, D. M., Cucciare, M. A., Timko, C., Smith, J. S., Harnish, A., Kemp, L., … Smelson, D. (2018). Study protocol: A hybrid effectiveness-implementation trial of Moral Reconation Therapy in the US Veterans Health Administration. BMC Health Services Research, 18(1), 164-164. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-018-2967-3
Blonigen, D. M., Shaffer, P. M., Smith, J. S., Cucciare, M. A., Timko, C., Smelson, D., … Rosenthal, J. (2021). Recidivism treatment for justice-involved veterans: Evaluating adoption and sustainment of Moral Reconation Therapy in the US Veterans Health Administration. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10488-021-01113-x
Blonigen, D. M., Smith, J. S., Javier, S., Cucciare, M. A., Timko, C., Nevedal, A. L., … Smelson, D. (2022). Implementation potential of Moral Reconation Therapy for criminal recidivism in mental health residential programs. Psychiatric Services. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ps.202100089
Cheesman, F. L., Graves, S. E., Holt, K., Kunkel, T. L., Lee, C. G., & White, M. T. (2016). Drug court effectiveness and efficiency: Findings for Virginia. Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly, 34(2), 143-169. https://doi.org/10.1080/07347324.2016.1148486
