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“What Works” and Day Reporting

BI Day Reporting Centers follow a “What Works” philosophy in its criminal justice supervision and treatment program. “What Works” is a term used nationally by correctional professionals
in reference to researched principles and practices common
to effective public safety and offender programming. “What Works” research has also identified the offender attributes, “Criminogenic Risks and Needs,” that successful correctional programs must target.

The mission of a “What Works” system states that public safety and offender change are accomplished by risk control and risk reduction through an integrated system of sanctions and interventions. A “What Works” environment means that everyone who has direct or indirect influence or contact with an offender, from entry into the system to completion, is focused on consistently assisting that person to be successful.

Effective treatment based on “What Works” must address:

Criminogenic risk
Criminogenic need
Responsivity
Relapse issues

A BI Day Reporting Center targets these criminal behaviors with “What Works” programming:

Anti-social attitudes, values, and beliefs (criminal thinking)
Pro-criminal associates and isolation from pro-social associates
Particular temperament and behavioral characteristics (e.g., egocentrism)
Weak problem-solving and social skills
Criminal history
Negative family factors (i.e., abuse, unstructured or undisciplined environment, criminality in the family, substance abuse in the family)
Low levels of vocational and educational skills
Substance abuse

Rewards & Sanctions

Research indicates that a ratio of four instances of positive reinforcement for every one instance of negative reinforcement is optimal for promoting lasting behavior change. This does not mean that swift and real responses to negative and unacceptable behavior should not happen; offenders with self-control problems usually respond well to reasonable and consistent structure and boundaries. People generally comply in the direction of more rewards and less punishment, and this extrinsic motivation can be helpful for beginning the process of behavior change.