CLASSIFICATION REQUIREMENTS IN THE PROCESS OF SOCIAL CHANGE

• NCJ Number: 35080
• Author(s): L A BENNETT
• Date Published: 1972
• Length: 21 pages
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: PRESENTED AT THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE SEMINAR ON 'THE CLASSIFICATION OF CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR - USES AND THE STATE OF RESEARCH', WASHINGTON, DC, MAY 11, 1972.

Annotation

THE THESIS IS PRESENTED THAT CHANGING CORRECTIONAL DECISION-MAKING PATTERNS AT KEY DECISION POINTS BASED ON FEEDBACK OF RESULTS OF PAST ACTIONS CAN HAVE A GREATER THERAPEUTIC EFFECT THAN TRYING TO CHANGE SYSTEM CLIENTS.

Abstract

AN IMPLICIT CLASSIFICATION AND SELECTION PROCESS BASED ON FEEDBACK RESULTS IS DEVELOPED TO MATCH OFFENDER GROUPS WITH APPROPRIATE CORRECTIONAL TREATMENT STRATEGIES. THE DEVELOPMENT OF PROBATION SUBSIDY IN CALIFORNIA IS CITED AS A PRACTICAL EXAMPLE OF THIS THESIS. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT THIS APPROACH COULD BE USED TO CHANNEL TO LOCALLEVEL AND COMMUNITY-BASED CORRECTIONS THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO WOULD TRADITIONALLY HAVE BEEN SENTENCED TO STATE LEVEL INCARCERATION. ALSO RECOMMENDED IS THE DEVELOPMENT OF A COMMUNITY-BASED CORRECTIONS POLICY, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THIS CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM, WHICH WOULD ENCOMPASS CONTROL OF THE USE OF CUSTODIAL RESTRICTIONS AT ANY STEP IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROCESS. THIS POLICY WOULD PERMIT ENTRY INTO ANY CONFINEMENT PHASE OF THE SYSTEM ONLY BY THOSE FOR WHOM NO SUITABLE ALTERNATIVE COULD BE DEVELOPED AND WOULD RETAIN PEOPLE IN THE CONFINEMENT STAGE FOR THE SHORTEST POSSIBLE TIME CONSISTENT WITH COMMUNITY SAFETY. IN ADDITION, ONLY THOSE FOR WHOM NO SUITABLE COMMUNITYBASED ALTERNATIVE COULD BE DEVELOPED WOULD BE RETURNED TO CONFINEMENT FOLLOWING A PERIOD OF INSTITUTIONAL STAY, AND ALL THOSE DEMONSTRATING A REASONABLE POTENTIAL FOR ADJUSTMENT WOULD BE REMOVED FROM THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.