A preliminary study identifying risk factors in drop-out from a prison therapeutic community

Three different groups of therapy leavers and current residents (total n=80) from Dovegate Prison's Therapeutic Community (TC) were compared on various demographic, criminogenic and psychometric attributes. Statistically significant findings distinguished the leaver groups from current residents and differentiated between type of leavers. Those leavers judged as unsuitable for therapy were characterised by high scores of Psychopathy, Neuroticism, Criminality, Addiction, Venturesomeness, and Avoidant and Schizoid Personality Disorders. Those leavers who had elected to leave the TC were more likely to have a sexual index offence, significant scores on the Multiphasic Sex Inventory, and Paranoid and Depressive Personality Disorders. Logistic Regression analysis confirmed that particular personality disorders were predictive of therapy leaver group membership. Paranoid Personality Disorder was identified as a predictor of all types of drop-out. These findings provide a psychological profile of the different types of residents who have left a prison therapeutic community and can be used to support and inform selection and assessment practices. © 2004 Elsevier Ltd and AFP.