A review of applied behavior analysis within the criminal justice system
Almost no behavior-analytic experiments have been done in criminal-justice settings, so any data you collect could become the evidence base.
01Research in Context
What this study did
McDonald et al. (2024) searched every corner of the criminal-justice world for true ABA experiments. They looked in prisons, jails, probation offices, and youth detention halls. After scanning hundreds of papers they found only a handful that actually test behavior-analytic tactics.
What they found
The review shows a near-empty shelf. Most published pieces are descriptions or opinions, not data. Few studies measure recidivism or use single-case design. In short, behavior analysts have done almost no experimental work where it could lower re-offending.
How this fits with other research
Leland et al. (2022) argue that restorative justice circles can replace punishment and still follow ABA ethics. That idea seems to clash with McDonald’s finding of scant research, but it doesn’t. Leland offers a roadmap; McDonald shows the roadmap hasn’t been driven yet.
Oliver et al. (2002) and Lindsay (2002) warned that we barely understand punishment itself. Their worry fits McDonald’s gap: if we haven’t studied punishment in justice settings, we also haven’t tested gentler reinforcement options.
Howard (2019) found too few free teaching materials for ABA students. McDonald finds the same thin spread inside criminal-justice studies. Both reviews flag the same root problem—our field isn’t creating enough shareable science.
Why it matters
If you work with adults on probation, parole, or in transitional housing, this is open turf. You can be the first to run a functional assessment of probation compliance, to shape replacement behaviors for shoplifting, or to measure whether token economies in jail cut fights. Start small: pick one behavior, one setting, and collect daily data. Publish it so the next BCBA doesn’t have to start from zero.
Want CEUs on This Topic?
The ABA Clubhouse has 60+ free CEUs — live every Wednesday. Ethics, supervision & clinical topics.
Join Free →Pick one probation rule (like reporting on time) and run a brief self-monitoring plus points intervention with daily counts.
02At a glance
03Original abstract
AbstractMass incarceration rates have become a financial burden on the country and in 2023, the United States was faced with one of the highest recidivism rates worldwide, with approximately 44% of individuals returning to prison within a year of their release. Although various programs are available to incarcerated individuals and for those considered at risk for offending, access to these programs varies by jurisdiction and the effectiveness in preventing offenses, reducing recidivism, and fostering rehabilitation is not entirely known. In response to recidivism and incarceration rates, there has been a plea for a change in the criminal justice system, with an emphasis on involving behavior analysts. However, the extent of the application of behavior‐analytic interventions within the criminal justice system in the research literature is unclear. Thus, the purpose of the current review was to examine the existing experimental literature to determine the state of this research topic.
Behavioral Interventions, 2024 · doi:10.1002/bin.2043