Social capital: The forgotten responsivity factor
| Author | Deborah Koetzle,Betsy Matthews |
| DOI | 10.1177/2066220320976110 |
| Published date | 01 December 2020 |
| Date | 01 December 2020 |
| Subject Matter | Original Articles |
https://doi.org/10.1177/2066220320976110
European Journal of Probation
2020, Vol. 12(3) 219 –237
© The Author(s) 2020
Article reuse guidelines:
sagepub.com/journals-permissions
DOI: 10.1177/2066220320976110
journals.sagepub.com/home/ejp
Social capital: The forgotten
responsivity factor
Deborah Koetzle
John Jay College of Criminal Justice, USA
Betsy Matthews
Eastern Kentucky University, USA
Abstract
The Risk-Need-Responsivity model of correctional intervention has become the
cornerstone of correctional practice in the United States. With a primary focus on
building human capital through interventions aimed at developing knowledge and skills
needed for prosocial behavior, the model enjoys widespread empirical support. This
approach, however, has been criticized by desistance-focused scholars for its failure
to recognize social capital and the importance of social networks for facilitating
behavior change. The current article examines the concept of individual-level social
capital and describes how its development can be integrated into the Risk-Need-
Responsivity model of correctional interventions as an important responsivity factor.
Recommendations include assessing for social capital and strategies for enhancing both
bonding and bridging social capital.
Keywords
Corrections, desistance, rehabilitation, responsivity, social capital
Introduction
Rehabilitative attempts to reduce recidivism have generally focused on reducing risk and
addressing criminogenic needs. The most effective correctional treatment programs are
largely designed to change criminal thinking and build human capital by teaching social,
coping, and self-regulation skills (Latessa et al., 2014). The most effective programs
Corresponding author:
Deborah Koetzle, Department of Criminal Justice, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, 524 West 59th
Street, New York, NY, 10019 USA.
Email: dkoetzle@jjay.cuny.edu
976110EJP0010.1177/2066220320976110European Journal of ProbationKoetzle and Matthews
2020
Original Article
220 European Journal of Probation 12(3)
reduce recidivism about 30% on average; however, many programs fall far short
(Andrews and Bonta, 2010). There are many reasons as to why programs fail; we con-
tend that one source of failure is the lack of attention paid to barriers, or responsivity
factors, that may impede someone’s success (Bourgon and Bonta, 2014). That is, reduc-
tions in recidivism may be thwarted by the failure of programs to consider responsivity
factors that must be addressed for behavior change to both occur and be sustained (see
Andrews and Bonta, 2010).
One potential responsivity factor is individual-level social capital. Social capital
can be defined as “the capacity of a person to call upon personal ties and social net-
works in order to advance some personal interest” (Clear, 2007: 80). In other words,
social capital provides people with connections and access to resources such as hous-
ing, employment, and improved general well-being (Wolff and Draine, 2004). The
relationship between social capital and desistance has been written about extensively
in the United Kingdom, but there have been few attempts to place social capital within
the rehabilitative framework commonly used in the United States (Farrall, 2004;
Flavin, 2004; Salisbury and Van Voorhis, 2009; Walker et al., 2014). The current article
positions social capital within the context of the Risk-Need-Responsivity (RNR)
model of rehabilitation. Specifically, we conceptualize individual-level social capital
as a responsivity factor and provide guidance for assessing and addressing the lack of
prosocial social capital among correctional clients. To do this, we draw on two compet-
ing models of correctional intervention: the Risk, Need, and Responsivity model and
the Good Lives Model.
RNR model of intervention
The major premise of the Risk, Need, Responsivity (RNR) model of rehabilitation is that
sound interventions can facilitate behavior change if they adhere to the principles of risk,
need, and responsivity (Andrews and Bonta, 2010). Specifically, programs are expected
to be more effective when they target higher risk clients, seek to change criminogenic
needs, use a behavioral approach, and are responsive to individual differences. There is
ample evidence to suggest that these principles hold true across a range of program and
offender types (Andrews and Dowden, 2006; Andrews et al., 1990; Hanson et al., 2009;
Lipsey et al., 2007).
The risk principle indicates programs are more effective when the level of service is
matched to the likelihood of recidivism (Andrews and Bonta, 2010). In practice, this
means programs should assess the risk level of individuals and prioritize services for
those that are higher risk; lower risk individuals should generally be diverted from pro-
grams and receive minimal services. Research demonstrates that programs targeting
moderate and high-risk individuals for treatment are associated with reductions in
recidivism, whereas programs that target low risk individuals are likely to have either a
null or negative effect (Latessa et al., 2010; Lovins et al., 2007, 2009; Lowenkamp and
Latessa, 2004).
The need principle states that programs should focus on criminogenic needs as targets
of change. Specifically, programs should provide groups and activities aimed at reducing
the very risk factors, or criminogenic needs, that drive an individual’s propensity to
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