Criminal Justice Programs That Help Reduce RecidivismMany factors affect a person's willingness to engage in criminal behavior. Family environment, aggressive tendencies, substance abuse, and lack of academic and job skills are examples of issues that can influence a person to engage in this type of behavior and cause them to maintain a cycle that results in relapses. According to studies conducted by the Bureau of Justice, more than half of people released from prison were rearrested within the first year after release, with the recidivism rate reaching 76.6 percent within five years of release. (Office of Justice Programs, 2014). With recidivism rates increasing, the cost of maintaining the prison population is daunting. It becomes essential to be proactive in finding a solution to reduce recidivism. Programs designed to reduce recidivism, most of which are derived from evidence-based programs (EBP), can have a positive impact on these percentages provided they are initiated and used effectively. Programs to Reduce Recidivism in Juvenile Justice Recidivism rates in juvenile justice vary from state to state. but they are comparable to adult and community corrections (Office of Research, Juvenile Justice Research Branch, 2010). The three main EBPs effective in helping to reduce juvenile recidivism are Functional Family Therapy (FFT), Aggression Replacement Therapy (ART), and Multidimensional Foster Care (MTFC). Functional Family TherapyFor adolescents and their families, FFT is finding increased support. among professionals (Sexton & Turner, 2010). FFT addresses behavior modification through the use of reinforcements and modeling that minimize conflict between family members (Welsh & Greenwood, 2015). A...... middle of article......12).ConclusionIn conclusion, the results provide insight into specific criminal justice programs that have helped reduce recidivism rates. Although the percentages overall have not decreased drastically, as more criminal justice organizations use evidence-based programs and become more effective in meeting the specific needs of individuals, recidivism rates could see an increase. marked improvement. Research into these programs could save millions of dollars each year and, more importantly, improve a person's future prospects. Broader research could contribute to additional programs that would further reduce recidivism rates. The results of this study suggest that although these programs reduce recidivism when used correctly, there remains a need for additional – and perhaps new – programs to combat high recidivism rates...