Evaluation of a self-help manual for young offenders who drink: a pilot study

Adolescent offenders have been identified as heavy drinkers, in some cases drinking being causally related to offending. Forty-five male young offenders who drink were selected from the population of a Young Offenders Centre. They were matched for age and self-reported alcohol consumption, then allocated to one of three conditions: no intervention; minimal intervention (given a behavioural self-help manual to read alone); and group intervention (manual read aloud in groups). At 15-month follow-up, there were no significant differences in reconviction rates in the three conditions. Information useful in the design of future studies was gained, and recommendations are made.