Treating alcohol-related violence: a feasibility study of a randomized controlled trial in prisons |
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| Authors: | Nicola Bowes Mary McMurran Carys Evans Giles Oatley Bryn Williams Siriol David |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Department of Applied Psychology, Cardiff Metropolitan University, Cardiff, UK;2. Institute of Mental Health, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK;3. National Offender Management Service, Cardiff, UK |
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| Abstract: | Purpose: There is a lack of good-quality outcome evaluations of interventions for offenders whose crimes are alcohol-related. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are considered gold standard in treatment evaluations. Here, we report on a feasibility study for an RCT of an alcohol-related violence intervention, Control of Violence for Angry, Impulsive Drinkers (COVAID). Method: 115 adult male prisoners were randomly allocated to COVAID plus treatment as usual (TAU) or TAU only. Results: Most participants (84%) found COVAID useful. Reconviction data at six months were accessed for 109 (95%) participants. There were no differences between the two groups on violent reconvictions or all reconvictions at the six-month period, but at 17?months the COVAID group had 13% fewer people reconvicted for violence, and 20% fewer had reconvictions for any offence. Conclusion: The results indicate that an RCT is feasible and provides parameters for designing a full RCT. Differences in reconviction between groups favoured COVAID and were clinically important. |
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| Keywords: | violence treatment alcohol prisoners COVAID randomized controlled trial |
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