NCJ Number
19444
Date Published
1974
Length
360 pages
Annotation
DESCRIPTION AND EVALUATION OF THE PROJECT IN WHICH COMMUNITY SPONSORS ARE USED TO PROVIDE NORMAL SUPPORTIVE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN INMATES AND NONCRIMINAL MEMBERS OF OF THE COMMUNITIES TO WHICH THEY WILL ULTIMATELY RETURN.
Abstract
THE TASKS OF THE SPONSOR ARE TO ACT AS AN INTERPRETER BETWEEN THE INSTITUTION AND THE COMMUNITY, TO AID THE INMATE IN PREPARING A REALISTIC RELEASE PLAN, TO PROVIDE COMMUNITY INPUT INTO THE INMATE'S TREATMENT PLAN BY SERVING AS A MEMBER OF THE INMATE'S SUPPORT TEAM AND TO HELP IN ANY OTHER WAY TO BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN CORRECTIONS AND THE COMMUNITY. RESIDENTS OF THE STATE CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION AT ROCKVIEW ARE SELECTED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE SPONSOR PROJECT ON THE BASIS OF THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA: 1) COMMUNITY TO WHICH THE RESIDENT COULD EVENTUALLY RETURN, 2) THE AMOUNT OF TIME LEFT TO SERVE, 3) COUNSELOR'S RECOMMENDATIONS, 4) RESIDENTS' REQUESTS TO PARTICIPATE, AND 5) SUBJECTIVE JUDGEMENTS OF THE PROJECT STAFF. SPONSORS RECRUITED FROM THE COMMUNITY BECOME A MEMBER OF THE RESIDENT'S SUPPORT TEAM, WHICH IS COMPRISED OF THE RESIDENT, HIS COUNSELOR, HIS WORK AND HOUSING OFFICERS, AND HIS COMMUNITY SPONSOR. THE EVALUATION SHOWED THAT WHILE THERE WAS LITTLE EVIDENCE THAT HAVING A SPONSOR INFLUENCED THE BEHAVIOR OF THE RESIDENT IN THE INSTITUTION, THERE WAS SOME TENTATIVE EVIDENCE THAT RESIDENTS WITH SPONSORS MAY BE SLIGHTLY LESS LIKELY TO ENCOUNTER NEW PROBLEMS WITH THE LAW FOLLOWING THEIR RELEASE. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED).