COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS - A STATE OF TURMOIL (FROM CORRECTIONS IN THE COMMUNITY - ALTERNATIVES TO IMPRISONMENT - SELECTED READINGS, 2D ED., 1978 BY G G KILLINGER AND P F CROMWELL, JR - SEE NCJ-45910)

• NCJ Number: 45911
• Author(s): R P SEITER
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 14 pages
• Corporate Author: West Publishing Co
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: PROCEEDINGS OF THE 105TH ANNUAL CONGRESS OF CORRECTION OF THE AMERICAN CORRECTIONAL ASSOCIATION, LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, 1975

Annotation

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF 10 ADULT HALFWAY HOUSES IN OHIO IS EVALUATED IN A STUDY EMPLOYING A QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN.

Abstract

THE IMPORTANCE OF EVALUATION AND SYSTEMATIC POLICY ANALYSIS IN COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS IS DISCUSSED, AND FACTORS IN THE USE OF EVALUATION TO DETERMINE PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS ARE CONSIDERED. THE REPORT OF THE OHIO STUDY FOCUSES ON THE EVALUATION OF PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS IN TERMS OF REINTEGRATION OF OFFENDERS INTO THE COMMUNITY. AN EXPERIMENTAL GROUP OF 144 PAROLEES, 31 PROBATIONERS, AND 61 FEDERAL OFFENDERS ON PRERELEASE STATUS FROM 10 HALFWAY HOUSES WAS COMPARED WITH A CONTROL GROUP OF 404 PAROLEES RELEASED FROM OHIO INSTITUTIONS. THE COMPARISON COVERED DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS, CRIMINAL RECORDS, EMPLOYMENT HISTORY, ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE, AND A RELATIVE ADJUSTMENT OUTCOME CRITERION. THE FINDINGS INDICATE THAT THE HALFWAY HOUSES ARE MORE EFFECTIVE THAN TRADITIONAL PRISON-PAROLE METHODS OF REINTEGRATING EXOFFENDERS INTO THE COMMUNITY. IT IS NOTED THAT OTHER EVALUATIONS OF SIMILAR HALFWAY HOUSE PROGRAMS HAVE FOUND THE PROGRAMS NOT TO BE SUCCESSFUL. THE POSSIBILITY THAT SUCH FINDINGS ARE ATTRIBUTABLE TO SHORTCOMINGS IN EVALUATIVE METHODOLOGY (E.G., FAILURE TO ACCOUNT FOR DIFFERENCES BETWEEN EXPERIMENTAL AND CONTROL GROUPS, PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH USING RECIDIVISM AS A CRITERION) IS POINTED OUT. SUPPORTING DATA AND DETAILS OF THE RELATIVE ADJUSTMENT OUTCOME CRITIERION ARE PROVIDED. (LKM)