Research Interests
CBT-based approaches to antisocial personality and criminogenic thinking
Sexual violence
Risk assessment
Recent Publications
Mitchell, D., Tafrate, R. C., Cox, S. M., Hogan, T., Bourgon, G., & Rugge, T. (in press). Changes in probation officer behavior and caseload recidivism following training in cognitive-behavioral techniques. Criminal Justice and Behavior.
Angelone, D. J., Mitchell, D., Wells, B., Korovich, M., Nicoletti, A., & Fife, D. (2024). Assessment of sexual violence risk perception in men who have sex with men: Proposal for the development and validation of “G-Date.” JMIR Research Protocols, 13(e57600). https://doi.org/10.2196/57600
Assini, A., Angelone, D. J., Mitchell, D., & Shank, F. (2024). The development and validation of the Glassboro Inventory for Twelve-Step (GIFTS). Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly, 42(2), 253-267. https://doi.org/10.1080/07347324.2023.2292027
Tafrate, R. C., Mitchell, D., Cox, S. M., & Hogan, T. (2023). Measuring a motivational interviewing practice orientation in criminal justice practitioners: Initial validation of the Response Style Screening Questionnaire. Frontiers in Psychology, 14. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1308086
Mitchell, D., Angelone, D. J., & Viglione, E. (2023). Initial validation of Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) screening tools for sexual victimization and abusiveness: A pilot study. Journal of Community Justice, 33(1), 4-9. https://www.civicresearchinstitute.com/online/article_abstract.php?pid=9&iid=1777&aid=10738
Tafrate, R. C., Mitchell, D., Hogan, T., Vincent G. M., Jones, N. J., & Bourgon, G. (2023). Ten things risk/needs assessment is not. Federal Probation, 87(1), 8-18. https://www.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/87_1_2_0.pdf
Cantor, N., Yucel, E., Mitchell, D., & Angelone, D. J. (2022). A content analysis of posts to an online support forum for “girl lovers.” Journal of Child Sexual Abuse,31,522-537. https://doi.org/10.1080/10538712.2022.2112348
Angelone, D. J., Mitchell, D., Yucel, E., Davis, K. C., &, George, W. H. (2022). An evaluation of the methodological underpinnings of a laboratory paradigm for the study of sexual violence. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 37(23-24), NP22092 - NP22113. https://doi.org/10.1177/08862605211068081
Tafrate, R. C., Mitchell, D. (2022). Criminogenic thinking among justice-involved persons: Practice guidelines for probation staff. Federal Probation, 86, 4-10. https://www.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/usct10024-fedprobation-jun2022_508_1.pdf
Tafrate, R. C., Mitchell, D., Mackey, B. J., Appleton, C. E., Walters, S. T., & Taxman, F. S. (2021). Surfing the three waves of CBT. Federal Probation, 85, 21-25. https://www.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/usct10024-fedprobation-dec2021_508_0.pdf
Jones, N. J., Mitchell, D., & Tafrate. R. C., & Mitchell, D. (2021). The gendered nature of criminogenic thinking patterns among justice-involved clients: A pilot study. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 48, 442-458. https://doi.org/10.1177/0093854820942561
Tafrate, R. C., Hogan, T., & Mitchell, D. (2019). Integrating motivational interviewing with Risk-Need-Responsivity based practice: Collaboratively focusing on what matters most. In A. Day, D. Polaschek, and C. Hollin (Eds.), Wiley internationalhandbook of correctional psychology (pp. 603-622). Wiley. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119139980.ch38
Mitchell, D., Tafrate, R. C., & Hogan, T. (2018). Cognitive behavioral therapy in forensic treatment. In E. L. Jeglic & C. Calkins (Eds.), New frontiers in offender treatment: The translation of evidence based practices to correctional settings (pp. 57-85). Springer Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-01030-0_4
Angelone, D. J., Mitchell, D., & Smith, D. (2018). The influence of gender ideology, victim resistance, and spiking a drink on acquaintance rape attributions. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 33, 3186-3210. https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260516635318
Tafrate, R. C., Mitchell, D., Simourd, D. J. (2018). CBT with justice-involved clients: Interventions for antisocial and self-destructive behavior. Guilford Press. https://www.cms.guilford.com/books/CBT-with-Justice-Involved-Clients/Tafrate-Mitchell-Simourd/9781462534906/authors
Recent Presentations
Bonta, J., Mitchell, D., Smith, P., & Tafrate, R. C. (June, 2024). Lessons learned from CBT training programs for probation officers. Panel conducted at the annual meeting of the Canadian Psychological Association, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Jones, N. J., Tafrate, R. C., & Mitchell, D. (June, 2024). Anger as a criminogenic need? Panel conducted at the annual meeting of the Canadian Psychological Association, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Mitchell, D., & Tafrate, R. C. (2024). Differences in criminogenic thinking between justice-involved clients with and without mental disorders. Snapshot presentation at the annual meeting of the Canadian Psychological Association, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Tafrate, R. C., Mitchell, D. (June, 2024). The development of a measure of motivational interviewing practice orientation in criminal justice practitioners. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Canadian Psychological Association, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Mitchell, D., Angelone, D. J., & Viglione, E. (November, 2023). Initial validation of Prison rape Elimination Act (PREA) screening tools for sexual victimization and abusiveness. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Criminology, Philadelphia, PA.
Korovich, M., Nicoletti, A., Angelone, D. J., Mitchell, D., Wells, B., & Jones, M. C. (2023, November). Gay and bisexual men’s experiences on DSN apps and perceptions of “red flags.” Paper presented to the annual meeting of the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality, New Orleans, LA.
Mitchell, D., Angelone, D. J., Wells, B., & Doremus, C. (November, 2023). Perception of sexual violence risk cues among men who have sex with men: Are some cues seen as more risky than others? Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality, New Orleans, LA.
Bourgon, G., Kroner, D., Mitchell, D., Tafrate, R., & Vincent, G. (June, 2023). Four things criminal risk/needs assessment is not (and four things it should be). Panel conducted at the 5th North American Correctional and Criminal Justice Psychology Conference, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Angelone, D. J., Mitchell, D., & Wells, B. (June, 2023). Deconstructing the construction of a new tool for sexual violence risk perception in men who have sex with men. Poster presented at the 4th occasional meeting of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Working Group on Intervention Development for Alcohol-Related Sexual and Intimate Partner Violence, Bellevue, WA.
Angelone, D. J., Doremus, C., Mitchell, D., Yucel, E., Nicoletti, A., Korovich, M., & Wells, B. (June, 2022). An evaluation of alcohol risk cues in a novel paradigm to examine sexual risk perception in men who have sex with men. Poster presentation at the annual meeting of the Research Society on Alcoholism, Orlando, FL.
Mitchell, D., Jones, N. J., & Tafrate, R. C. (June, 2022). Gender differences in criminogenic thinking of justice-involved clients reentering the community. Snapshot presentation at the annual meeting of the Canadian Psychological Association, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Mitchell, D., Tafrate, R. C., Cox, S. M., & Hogan, T. (June 2022). Measuring communication skills in probation officers using the Response Style Questionnaire. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Canadian Psychological Association, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Tafrate, R. C, & Mitchell, D. (June, 2022). Addressing values and life priorities with justice-involved clients in a risk reduction framework. Workshop conducted at the annual meeting of the Canadian Psychological Association, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Angelone, D. J., Doremus, C., Nicoletti, A., Yucel, E., Wells, B., & Mitchell, D. (November, 2021). The development of a novel paradigm to examine sexual risk perception in men who have sex with men. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality, San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Cox, S. M., Tafrate, R. C., Mitchell, D., Hogan, T., Rugge, T., Bourgon, G., & LaPierre, B. (November, 2022). An office approach to changing probation officer supervision. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Criminology, Atlanta, GA.
Mitchell, D., Freidinger, E., & Angelone, D. J. (June, 2021). Assessing risk of perpetrating institutional sexual misconduct assault: Findings from a sex offender facility. Virtual presentation at the 2021 annual meeting of the Canadian Psychological Association.
Angelone, D. J., Mitchell, D., & Yucel, E. (November, 2020). Updating the sexual imposition paradigm 25-years after its introduction. Virtual presentation at the 2020 Global Sex Research Virtual Conference.
Mitchell, D., Freidinger, E., & Angelone, D. J. (November, 2020). Assessing risk of institutional sexual assault: Findings from a sex offender correctional facility. Virtual presentation at the 2020 Global Sex Research Virtual Conference.
Tafrate. R. C., Mitchell, D., & Jones, N. J. (June, 2019). Broad-based gender differences in criminal thinking patterns among justice-involved clients. In N. Jones (Chair), The gendered nature and impact of criminal thinking patterns among justice-involved clients. Symposium conducted at the 4th North American Correctional and Criminal Justice Psychology Conference, Halifax, Canada.
Jones, N. J., Tafrate. R. C., & Mitchell, D. (June, 2019). Improving the assessment of criminal thinking: The empirical derivation of gender-responsive criminal thinking scales. In N. Jones (Chair), The gendered nature and impact of criminal thinking patterns among justice-involvedclients. Symposium conducted at the 4th North American Correctional and Criminal Justice Psychology Conference, Halifax, Canada.
Jones, N. J., Tafrate, R. C., & Mitchell, D. (March, 2019). Gender differences in criminal thinking patterns: Prevalence and predictive salience. Paper presented at the annual meeting of American Psychology-Law Society, Portland, OR.
Jones, N. J., Mitchell, D., & Tafrate, R. C. (November, 2018). Empirical derivation of gender-responsive criminal thinking scales. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies, Washington, DC.
Mitchell, D., Jones, N. J., & Tafrate, R. C. (November, 2018). Exploration of predictive validity of criminal thinking patterns by gender. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies, Washington, DC.
Mitchell, D., Freidinger, E., Hasson, J., & Angelone, D. J. (November, 2018). Assessment of prison sexual assault risk with male sex offenders. Paper presented at the annual meeting of Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Wells, B., Angelone, D. J., Mitchell, D., Marcantonio, T., O’Neal, A., & Jozkowski, K. (November, 2018). An exploration of dating social network app use and sexual violence among men who have sex with men. Paper presented at the annual meeting of Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Mitchell, D., Freidinger, E., Hasson, J., & Angelone, D. J. (June, 2018). Assessing risk of prison sexual assault perpetration and victimization. Poster presented at the International Congress on Applied Psychology, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Tafrate, R. C., Cox, S. M., Mitchell, D., O’Neill, C., & Kochol, P. (June, 2018). Development of a risk assessment tool for the supervision and case management of justice-involved youth: The Prospective Risk Evaluation for Delinquency in Connecticut (PrediCT). Paper presented at the International Congress on Applied Psychology, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Co-Investigator. The Development and Validation of a Novel Paradigm for Assessing Sexual Assault Risk Perception in Men Who Have Sex with Men. (2020-2023). R15 grant funded by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health. Principal Investigator: D. J. Angelone.
Program Developer U.N.I.T.Y. (Utilizing New Initiatives with Today's Youth) (2019 - 2023). Program developer on a 3-year Bureau of Justice Assistance grant to reduce violence and recidivism of 18 to 24 year old high risk probationers in two Connecticut cities. Principal investigator: Stephen M. Cox, Ph.D.
Assistant Manager-Program Development/Implementation. Expansion of the Forensic Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Training Program (2016-2021). Activities include (1) refining and implementing a cognitive behavioral training program to probation officers to aid in their supervision of probationers, (2) develop and certify coaches for future cognitive behavioral therapy program training initiatives. Funded by an Innovative Supervision Grant, Bureau of Justice Assistance, U. S. Department of Justice.
Assistant Manager-Program Development/Implementation. The Forensic Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Training Program (2012-2014). Activities include (1) developing and implementing an experimental cognitive behavioral training program to probation officers to aid in their supervision of probationers, (2) training probation support staff to code probation officers’ audio-taped assessments and supervision sessions for quality assurance purposes, and (3) provide ongoing coaching and feedback to probation officers who have been trained in the program. Funded by a Smart Probation Grant, Bureau of Justice Assistance, U. S. Department of Justice.
Professional Associations
- American Psychological Association
- Canadian Psychological Association
- American Society of Criminology
- National Register of Health Service Providers in Psychology
Editorial Board
- Criminal Justice & Behavior
- Journal of Rational-Emotive and Cognitive-Behavior Therapy
Undergraduate Courses
- Research Methods
- Drugs and Society
- Extreme Offending
- Sexual Predators
- Offender Testing
- Cults and Conspiracy Theories
- Principles and Ethics in Criminal Justice
- Foundations of Criminology
Graduate Courses
- Research Methods
- Sexual Offending
- Offender Testing and Assessment