Changes in Probation Officer Procedural Justice and Self-Reported Recidivism

An increasing number of studies has studied the role of procedural justice for reducing recidivism in the probation context. The objective of this study is to contribute to existing knowledge by examining (a) whether people on probation alter their perceptions of probation officer procedural justice over time and (b) the extent to which changes in procedural justice relate to recidivism. This study utilized longitudinal data from 326 adults who were released from Dutch (pre-trial) detention centers and who had contact with the Probation Service. Using the reliable change index, our findings showed that a majority of people on probation changed their procedural justice perceptions over time, which suggested that perceptions of fairness and respect are malleable. Unchanged perceptions of probation officer procedural justice were related to self-reported recidivism, while the likelihood of recidivism did not differ between respondents with decreased and increased perceptions.