NCJ Number
181781
Journal
Journal of Criminal Justice Volume: 28 Issue: 1 Dated: January-February 2000 Pages: 53-68
Date Published
2000
Length
16 pages
Annotation
A national comparison of 27 shock incarceration program and 22 traditional juvenile correctional facilities collected information from surveys of administrators and data from institutional files.
Abstract
The data collection took place during site visits conducted between April 1997 and August 1998. The boot camp programs were developed between 1988 and 1997; most of the comparison facilities were developed between 1885 and 1995. The overall capacity range was 24-250 juveniles for boot camps and 28-500 for traditional facilities. The juveniles in the boot camps had less serious offending histories than did those in traditional facilities. Boot camp settings were more structured than the traditional facilities. Most boot camps incorporated components of military basic training. Differences also existed in the use of summary punishments and certain other matters, but few differences existed in therapeutic activities. In general, boot camp juveniles had more activities, but the comparison facilities had more educators and other staff for each juvenile. Juveniles in traditional facilities also had more community contacts. Few institutions had access to any outcome information telling them how and what the juveniles did after release. Findings suggested that boot camps would not be expected to be any more effective than traditional facilities in reducing recidivism. In fact, many findings suggested that the comparison facilities may be more successful than boot camps due to their higher staff levels and lower level of structure, both of which would make possible more individualized attention. Tables, figures, and 46 references (Author abstract modified)