NCJ Number
70967
Date Published
1980
Length
28 pages
Annotation
Presenting the third component of a three-part evaluation of drug contract houses operating in Massachusetts for residents of the Massachusetts Department of Corrections on a prerelease basis, this report examines recidivism rates for persons released from the houses in 1977-78.
Abstract
The sample population consisted of 21 persons released from the contract houses in 1977 and 13 persons released in 1978. All were released to the community on parole or discharge status. A total of nine contract houses were involved in the program. A recidivist was defined as any subject who is returned to a Federal or State correctional institution or to a county jail or house of correction for a period of 30 days or more as a result of either a parole violation or a new court sentence. Data collected consisted of commitment variables, personal background variables, criminal history variables, furlough variables, and recidivism variables. Data were collected from a computerized data base and from correctional files. Data analysis revealed the following conclusions: Of the 21 persons released to the streets from a drug contract houses in 1977, 1 individual recidivated, giving a recidivism rate of 5 percent. Of the 13 residents released in 1978, 2 were recidivists during the 1-year followup, yielding a recidivist rate of 15 percent. The combined sample of 34 persons released thus gave a recidivism rate of 9 percent, since 3 persons recidivated. Tables and four references are included. Additional tables are appended.