October 10th, 2024 2 Minute Read Press Release

Does Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Reduce Crime?

A review of the empirical evidence finds tempered hope and limitations for CBT’s effect on recidivism 

NEW YORK, NY — The last decade has seen bipartisan public support for alternatives to incarceration focused on rehabilitating criminal offenders. While mental-health interventions have sought to address crime and other social ills since the 20th century, these interventions have attracted attention more recently in the context of criminal justice reform. In a new Manhattan Institute issue brief, Paulson policy analyst Carolyn D. Gorman and fellow Robert VerBruggen review empirical evidence for a popular therapeutic approach, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and find it may make modest contributions to crime reduction—but is not a panacea.  

CBT is a form of psychotherapy that attempts to reduce distress and problematic behaviors by helping people recognize and correct distorted thinking patterns. One oft-cited literature review finds that CBT reduces recidivism by about a quarter within one year, from 40% in the typical control group to 30% among those treated. But there are many nuances and caveats to such findings, including that the positive effects of CBT are tempered by the quality and fidelity of the program provided—which is important because clinical guidelines and best practices are frequently unmet or unimplemented in mental-health care and treatment. 

Research suggests CBT can be a useful tool for addressing criminal behavior, at least in the short term, and can be an effective complement to other non-mental-health interventions for reducing recidivism. Given the overall positive thrust of the existing research, Gorman and VerBruggen recommend policymakers continue to rigorously evaluate CBT programs and carefully expand those found to be effective, while maintaining a high bar of accountability. Yet they caution that CBT’s limitations should not be underappreciated: it won’t always be an appropriate solution, and those with the most serious mental illnesses especially warrant additional services and support.  

Click here to view the full issue brief. 

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