title: Reconviction rates after suspended sentences: comparison of the effects of different types of suspended sentences on reconviction in the Netherlands.
abstract: Previous research has focused mainly on determining the effectiveness of suspended sentences compared with other sentences, and seldom on understanding to what extent the different types of suspended sentences reduce recidivism rates. This study examined reconviction rates of offenders (N = 1,258) who received fully or partly suspended prison sentences, with or without special conditions, in 2006 in two of the largest court districts in the Netherlands. Cox proportional hazard models revealed no difference in reconviction rates between fully and partly suspended prison sentences, with and without special conditions. However, suspended sentences without special conditions had significantly lower reconviction rates compared with special conditions that were solely control-orientated. Although there are indications that certain types of suspended sentences reduced reconviction rates more than other types, more rigorous research is still required.
authors.affiliation: Netherlands Institute for the Study of Crime and Law Enforcement, Amsterdam, The Netherlands VU University Amsterdam, The Netherlands PAarten@nscr.nl.
authors.forename: Pauline G M
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Aarten
authors.affiliation: Netherlands Institute for the Study of Crime and Law Enforcement, Amsterdam, The Netherlands VU University Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Adriaan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Denkers
authors.affiliation: VU University Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Matthias J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Borgers
authors.affiliation: Netherlands Institute for the Study of Crime and Law Enforcement, Amsterdam, The Netherlands VU University Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Peter H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: van der Laan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D003415:Crime / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D057237:Criminals / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009426:Netherlands; D009769:Object Attachment; D011329:Prisoners / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012008:Recurrence; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012649:Self Concept; D012932:Social Facilitation; D013223:Statistics as Topic
keywords: Cox proportional hazard models; deterrence; offender rehabilitation; reconviction; suspended sentences