THE EFFECT OF FUNCTIONAL FAMILY-THERAPY FOR DELINQUENTS ON ADULT CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR

Functional family therapy, based on Alexander's model for treating fam ilies of juvenile delinquent, was provided to 27 rural, lower socioeco nomic status delinquents and their families. A comparison group of 27 delinquents received only probation service. Outcome during adulthood was measured by the number of offenses committed during ct 32-month pe riod following the 28-month adolescent follow-up period reported on by Gordon, Arbuthnot, Gustafson, and McGreen. The delinquents who had re ceived family therapy showed a rate of 9% for adult criminal offenses, while those delinquents who had received only probation services had a rate of 41%. These results were consistent with the study's previous ly reported adolescent follow-up rates. Procedural differences between Alexander's work and the present approach are noted, and may account for the current study's lower rate of recidivism.