The Working Alliance, consisting of building bonds, establishing goals, and developing tasks, has been deemed the cornerstone of helping professions, and has been found to significantly and reliably predict client outcomes. The importance of client characteristics and perceptions of working alliance has been established in the literature. Less is…

Explores the effects of a pre-trial diversion program for misdemeanor offenders (N=243). Results indicate that successful completion of the program significantly reduced recidivism among first-time offenders. Nine percent of those completing had further contact with the courts, compared to 39 percent who failed to complete the program. (RJM)