Policy implications - Research Paper Example

Policy implications As much as the cognitive behavioral program is advocated for in this research, it is clear that there exists some policy implications attached to it. Firstly, it is worth noting that, if the program will have to be implemented, it is obvious that the Alabama department of corrections will have to put aside a budget to cater for the program. This is quite tricky because since the program is presumed to be implemented to cater for the current and future problem of recidivism, the department have to an annual budget to keep it running. This would require the department to consult with various stakeholders in order to set aside a budget for the program. This is arguably true because, for example, the program would require additional facilities in order to take place. A modern hall/ counseling building would require to be put in place. Counselors would also require other materials like the computer and internet connection. This will help them to record the progress of their clients. In addition, the building would require to be set in such a way that the clients/offenders would feel comfortable. This means that there is a need to have the building well fit with comfortable seats and tables. This translates to more funds being required to put up such a facility. In addition, it is vital that enough funds be put aside to pay for counselors and other administrators of the program. This will go a long way in motivating them as they attend to the clients. In another dimension, it is also apparent that in order for the program to be incorporated in the already existing programs, according to May, (2008), relevant authorities must first have to deliberate on it before making it a requirement in the correction programs. The policy implication here is that directors of the correction facilities should reflect on having cognitive behavioral program as a main or secondary constituent of their treatment program. In this regard, policy makers may have to review for possible adoption of the current proposed cognitive behavioral program. It is up to the policy makers and program directors to review whether the proposed program is evidence based. They may also want to employ principles and procedures corresponding to those present in the research reviewed in this project. It is also apparent that the policy makers and the directors will also have to assess how suitable the proposed program is to their clients and program environment. Another apparent program challenge is on how to promote technology transfer in order to make the program most effective model. For example, the policy makers and program directors will have to establish the suitable technology to employ in order to support the program. This may come in terms of assessing necessary software to be used by the program staff. In addition, there is a need to have staff selection and recruitment process put in place. This goes hand in hand with training and quality control process. Focusing on viability of the proposed program, there will a challenge to expand and develop the existing body of research evidence, so the effective elements of the cognitive behavioral models can be specified, and then used to improve the program models further. Implementation of the program Before implementation of the program at Birmingham Community Base Facility (female facility), interpreted time series design will be utilized. This will be used to strengthen before-and-after designs. Data will be collected at multiple instances over time before and after the intervention is introduced in order to detect whether the intrusion has an effect considerably greater than the existing programs. This design has an advantage in that it allows the statistical examination of possible biases in the approximation of the effect of the interventions. Some of the potential biases may include: Secular trend- the outcome may be in a way decreasing or decreasing with time. This can be in terms of having observations increasing before intervention and this can wrongfully attribute the experimental effect to the intrusion if a before-and-after study was to be performed. Duration of the intervention- it is possible that the intervention may have an effect for the first two or three months only after its introduction; data obtained yearly would not identify this effect. Statistical tests and hypothesis testing In order to learn the behavior of offenders when subjected to cognitive behavioral program, the current study will apply inferential statistics because it will allow the measurement of behavior in samples selected for the study. In essence, the sample will contain 20 participants selected from the offenders’ population. This method will involve using the sample mean as unbiased estimator of the offenders’ population. In this case, the sample mean will be used to describe the mean of the offenders population mean. Firstly, the value of the offenders’ population mean will be stated, and a sample will be selected and its mean measured. On average, the value of the sample mean will equal the offenders, population mean. However, it is worth noting that the larger the difference or discrepancy between the sample mean and the offenders’ population mean, the less likely it is that the researcher will have selected the sample mean, if the value of the offender’s population mean is correct. At first, hypothesis testing first step involves identifying the hypothesis to be tested. In this case, the hypothesis is that cognitive behavioral program can reduce recidivism and overcrowding. The second step involves selecting criterion upon which the researcher will decide that the hypothesis under test is true or otherwise. In order to have the population mean calculated, the independent variable (reduced recidivism and overcrowding) can be determined by having factors that should be counted to qualify to have reduced recidivism and overcrowding. For example, reduced recidivism can be determined by laying down factors that would be used to consider individual to have behavior changed, which help reduce recidivism thus overcrowding. For instance, these factors could be reduced to three. So, this means that samples selected should have a mean close to or equal to 3 if the claim that cognitive behavioral program can reduce recidivism and overcrowding is true. In the current case, a sample of 20 female offenders will be selected and their mean measured (in the 3 selected factors that could indicate that recidivism and overcrowding have been reduced). The researcher expects that the sample mean will be around the three factors. However, since the current hypothesis stands to be null hypothesis (it is likely or unlikely the program will reduce recidivism and overcrowding), it will be necessary to have an alternative hypothesis. This will be needed to contradict the actual value of the factors that determines whether there is reduced recidivism and overcrowding is less than or greater than the three factors identified. When making decision whether to reject or retain the null hypothesis, the decision will be based on the probability of getting a sample mean, if the null hypothesis is true. In essence, if the value of obtaining a sample mean will be less than 5% when null hypothesis is true, the decision will be to reject the null hypothesis. If the probability of getting a sample mean will be greater than 5% when null hypothesis is true, then the researcher will have to retain the null hypothesis. Statistically, the probability of obtaining a sample mean when the null hypothesis is true, the probability is normally stated by the p value. If the p value will be less than 5% (p Read More