NCJ Number
68360
Date Published
1979
Length
44 pages
Annotation
THE SOCIAL HISTORIES, EXPERIENCES, AND PERCEPTIONS OF 192 PARTICIPANTS IN A COMMUNITY SERVICE ORDER (CSO) PROGRAM IN ONTARIO, CANADA, ARE DESCRIBED.
Abstract
THE CSO PROGRAM OPERATED IN 12 PILOT PROJECT AREAS THROUGHOUT ONTARIO FROM DECEMBER 1977 TO DECEMBER 1979. THIS REPORT FOCUSES ON A SUBSAMPLE OF PROBATIONERS WHO COMPLETED THEIR ORDERS DURING 1979 AND WHO WERE SUBSEQUENTLY GIVEN A DEBRIEFING INTERVIEW. THE MAJORITY OF THE PARTICIPANTS WERE MALE, ABOUT 22-YEARS OLD, SINGLE, WITH A FAIRLY STABLE EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT HISTORY. MOST HAD BEEN SENTENCED FOR A SINGLE PROPERTY-RELATED OFFENSE, SUCH AS THEFT UNDER $200. THEY HAD BEEN SENTENCED TO A MEAN OF 13.7 MONTHS OF PROBATION IN ADDITION TO THEIR CSO ASSIGNMENTS, WHICH RANGED FROM 10 TO 400 HOURS. THE MEAN ASSIGNMENT WAS 65.8 HOURS. ON THE WHOLE, PROBATIONERS FELT THEY HAD BEEN TREATED FAIRLY BY THE COURTS. ONE-THIRD OF THE SAMPLE, HOWEVER, THOUGHT THEY WOULD HAVE GONE TO JAIL IF THEY HAD NOT AGREED TO THE CSO AND 70 PERCENT ASSERTED THAT THE CSO EXPERIENCE WOULD HELP TO KEEP THEM OUT OF FURTHER TROUBLE WITH THE LAW. PROBATIONERS TENDED TO REMAIN AT ONE COMMUNITY PLACEMENT THROUGHOUT THEIR WORK ASSIGNMENT, AND AT LEAST HALF PERFORMED MANUAL LABOR WHILE THERE. THE MAJORITY ENJOYED THEIR PLACEMENTS AND SAID THEY HAD BEEN TREATED NO DIFFERENTLY FROM OTHER PERSONNEL AND HAD BEEN TREATED FAIRLY BY THE COMMUNITY AGENCIES. A TOTAL OF 11,778 HOURS OF FREE SERIVCE WAS PROVIDED BY THESE 192 OFFENDERS. ONLY 2.9 PERCENT HAD BEEN RECONVICTED OF AN OFFENSE DURING THE PERFORMANCE OF THEIR CSO ASSIGNMENTS; 97 PERCENT COMPLETED THEIR ORDERS SUCCESSFULLY. SEVERAL PROBATIONERS REPORTED THAT THEIR CSO ASSIGNMENTS HAD AN INFLUENCE ON THEIR LIVES, PARTICULARLY ON THEIR FAMILIES AND FRIENDS HAD SHOWN SOME INTEREST IN THEIR CSO WORK. IN TERMS OF PERCEIVED BENEFITS OF THE CSO PROGRAM, PARTICIPANTS MOST OFTEN CITED PERSONAL SATISFACTION FROM THEIR WORK EFFORTS. THE TIME THE CSO PROGRAM TOOK AWAY FROM BEING WITH FAMILIES, FROM WORK, OR FROM SCHOOL WAS CITED AS A DRAWBACK. HALF OF THOSE WHO GAVE RECOMMENDATIONS SUGGESTED THAT THE PROGRAM BE EXPANDED. THUS, IT APPEARS THAT THE CSO PROGRAM IS SUCCESSFULLY PROVIDING AN ALTERNATIVE SENTENCING DISPOSITION AND A POSITIVE EXPERIENCE FOR OFFENDERS. TABLES, FIGURES, REFERENCES, AND AN APPENDIX LISTING PROBATIONERS' OFFENSES ARE INCLUDED. FOR FIRST PART OF THIS REPORT, SEE NCJ 68359. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)