Mixed Method Evaulation of Jockey Club Project ReBond
ConditionRecidivism
Trial statusRecruiting
Trial phaseNot applicable
Trial typeInterventional
Biological sexAll
Age18+
SponsorThe University of Hong Kong
About this trial
Overall, the investigators hypothesize that participants assigned to the intervention group (Project ReBond) will demonstrate significantly greater improvements across all outcomes compared to the control group. Specifically, the investigators expect positive intervention effects on desistance and TPB outcomes to become evident as participants transition back into the community (i.e., across the at 1-2 months, 6-7 months, and 13-14 months post-release assessment waves), while workshop-specific outcomes will be evident at the end of the workshop.
Overall Design The current study employs a two-arm, parallel-group randomized controlled trial (RCT) utilizing a mixed design. The between-subjects factor is the treatment condition (Project ReBond Intervention plus TAU versus TAU Control), and the within-subjects factor is time, with repeated measures assessed across multiple time points over a 13-month tracking period.
Intervention Group (Project ReBond + TAU)
Participants allocated to the intervention group will receive the multifaceted Project ReBond services alongside standard care (TAU) for up to two years, beginning during their incarceration and continuing post-release. It should be noted that the 13-month research tracking period is shorter than the full two-year service duration; this truncated follow-up is necessary due to anticipated challenges in recruiting the predefined sample size before the project's overall deadline. The TAU is provided by the collaborating non-governmental organization (NGO), SideBySide. The Project ReBond intervention consists of the following specific components:
* Pre-Release (During Incarceration): Each participant will receive a 6-session pro-social habit workshop and career-life counselling as part of their pre-release preparation. Those requiring employment assistance will be provided with job interview opportunities prior to their release. * Post-Release: Based on their personal interests and the recommendations of their caseworker, participants can choose to engage in the following services:
i) Subsidies for professional grooming and image building; ii) Peer mentorship provided by successful desisters; iii) Financial literacy training and counselling; iv) Ongoing career-life counselling; v) Routine workshops designed to cultivate and maintain pro-social hobbies; vi) Subsidies for further education or occupational training; vii) Family-based counselling involving the participant and their significant other(s); and viii) Volunteering and community outreach, sharing opportunities.
TAU Control Group Participants in the control group will receive standard care (TAU) while incarcerated and remain free to utilize any existing social services post-release.
Eligibility criteria
This trial does not accept healthy volunteersQualifiers
Hong Kong residents;
Aged 18 years or above and capable of providing informed consent
Serving a maximum of two sentences (including the current one) across any level or type of correctional facility
The current sentence lasts between 3 and 12 months.
Disqualifiers
Physical conditions that preclude participation in at least 80% (six or seven sessions) of the Stage 1 in-prison workshops
Psychological conditions (e.g. bipolar disorder or schizophrenia) that preclude participation in at least 80% (six or seven sessions) of the Stage 1 in-prison workshops
Medical appointments that preclude participation in at least 80% (six or seven sessions) of the Stage 1 in-prison workshops
Inadequate Cantonese or English proficiency that prevent the individual from providing informed consent and participating in the Stage 1 group workshops
Trial design
Design model
Parallel
Treatments tested in this trial
Desistance-based Social Work
Other interventionThe Project ReBond intervention consists of the following specific components: * Pre-Release (During Incarceration): Each participant will receive a 6-session pro-social habit workshop and career-life counselling as part of their pre-release preparation. Those requiring employment assistance will be provided with job interview opportunities prior to their release. * Post-Release: Based on their personal interests and the recommendations of their caseworker, participants can choose to engage in the following services: i) Subsidies for professional grooming and image building; ii) Peer mentorship provided by successful desisters; iii) Financial literacy training and counselling; iv) Ongoing career-life counselling; v) Routine workshops designed to cultivate and maintain pro-social hobbies; vi) Subsidies for further education or occupational training; vii) Family-based counselling involving the participant and their significant other(s); and viii) Volunteering and community outreach
Treatment as Usual (TAU)
Other interventionParticipants in the control group will receive standard care (TAU) while incarcerated and remain free to utilize any existing social services post-release. Specifically, control participants will be encouraged to engage with the standard services provided by SideBySide, whose standard care is informed by Risk-Need-Responsivity (RNR) principles.
Treatment groups
300 Participants
are divided into 2 treatment groupsGroup A: ReBond (Desistance-based social work) +Treatment as UsualExperimental treatment 2 interventions
Group B: Treatment as UsualActive comparator 1 intervention
Trial outcomes
Primary outcomes
1
Self-Reported Re-offending
To capture the two-dimensional nature of act desistance-specifically the frequency and severity of reoffending, this construct is measured using the self-constructed item: "I have committed fewer crimes than before." Both items are rated on a 6-point scale ranging from 0 (Not committing any crime) to 5 (Committing more/more serious crimes than before). Higher scores indicate worse reoffending outcomes.
Time frame
1-2 months, 6-7 months, and 13-14 months post-releaseSecondary outcomes
1
Post-Release Living Inventory for Ex-Prisoners (PROLI-ex)
The PROLI-ex measures post-release daily routines and behaviors linked to health and desistance outcomes, which predict self-reported reoffending. Upon request, the original authors provided an unpublished, localized short Chinese version of the scale. This 17-item scale comprises four subscales: institutional routine, active living, online leisure, and support seeking (α=0.71,0.69,0.81,0.69). Participants indicate how regularly they performed specific routines over the past two weeks on an 11-point Likert scale ranging from 0 (Not regular at all) to 10 (Very regular). Scores are calculated by averaging the items within each subscale, as well as averaging all items for a total score.
Time frame
1-2 months, 6-7 months, and 13-14 months post-release2
Continuance Intention
To measure engagement with the ReBond project, participants will complete a self-constructed 4-item measure of continuance intention. Items are rated on a 7-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (Strongly disagree) to 7 (Strongly agree). Higher scores indicate a stronger intention to continue. The internal consistency of this measure will be calculated and reported in the final analysis.
Time frame
1-2 months, 6-7 months, and 13-14 months post-release3
Identification with Desistance
Pro-social identity, conceptualized as identity desistance, is measured using the 5-item Identification with Desistance scale, which assesses an individual's subjective law-abiding identity. Participants rate their responses on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (Rarely) to 5 (Always). The final score is calculated by summing the items, with higher scores indicating a stronger pro-social identity. The reported internal consistency for this scale is α=0.62.
Time frame
Intake asssessment, 1-2 months, 6-7 months, and 13-14 months post-release4
Reintegration Needs
Relational desistance is operationalized as the level of concern regarding various reentry barriers across several domains: basic needs, work and career, health and well-being, digital literacy, and interpersonal relationships. Adapted from the Barriers to Reentry Success Inventory and integrated with clinical insights, this scale asks participants to rate their concerns on a 4-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (No Concern) to 4 (Great Concern), with an additional "Not Applicable" (N/A) option. Scores are calculated by summing the items for each subscale and for the total score, with higher scores indicating a higher need for reintegration support. Internal consistency will be calculated and reported after data collection.
Time frame
Intake asssessment, 1-2 months, 6-7 months, and 13-14 months post-releaseSponsors and contacts
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The University of Hong Kong
Lead sponsor
The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust
Collaborator
Source ClinicalTrials.gov