The Importance of Building Good Relationships in Community Corrections: Evidence, Theory and Practice of the Therapeutic Alliance

Abstract

Across all types of psychotherapy, it has been shown that the therapeutic relationship or working alliance between the therapist and the client is considered one of the most important contributors to change, stronger than what type of intervention is used (Eames and Roth 2000; Horvath and Greenberg 1989, 1994; Mallinckrodt 2000; Martin et al. 2000). As a result, it is a generally accepted view that a positive relationship with the client is both necessary and sufficient to achieve the desired therapeutic outcomes (e.g. Eames and Roth 2000; Horvath and Greenberg 1989, 1994; Mallinckrodt 2000; Martin et al. 2000). However, it is not known whether or not this view of the critical importance of the relationship is valid within the context of community supervision, where the nature of the relationship and the ‘work’ being conducted is qualitatively different due to the coercive nature and power differential inherent in community supervision. Within the ‘What Works’ literature, both the relationship and intervention techniques are components of the Responsivity Principle. This principle is concerned with matching the style and mode of intervention to the abilities, motivation and learning style of the offender. Although the quality of the relationship is considered important, there is considerably more evidence supporting specific core correctional practices which outline the attributes, skills and intervention techniques (i.e. cognitive—behavioural techniques) exhibited by the criminal justice helping professional that are associated with enhanced criminal justice outcomes (Andrews and Bonta 2010).