NCJ Number
48168
Date Published
1977
Length
4 pages
Annotation
AN OVERALL CONCLUSION ABOUT THE ADULT PROBATION STUDIES REVIEWED IS PRESENTED, AND A MODEL PROBATION MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM IS PROPOSED.
Abstract
IT IS GENERALLY CONCLUDED THAT TOO FEW RESOURCES HAVE THUS FAR BEEN APPLIED TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE EVIDENCE ON EFFECTIVE APPROACHES TO CRITICAL ISSUES IN ADULT PROBATION. IT IS ADVISED THAT THE STUDIES REVIEWED CANNOT GIVE THE NEEDED GUIDANCE TO PLANNERS, JUDGES, OR PROBATION MANAGERS THAT WOULD PROVIDE A SYSTEMATIC PROGRAM FOR INCREASED ADULT PROBATION EFFECTIVENESS. TO REMEDY THIS SITUATION, A MODEL PROBATION MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM IS PROPOSED. THE MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM WOULD BE DESIGNED TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK ON SUCH CRITICAL ISSUES AS REVOCATION/RECIDIVISM, PREDICTION, PROBATION, AND TREATMENT. IT WOULD REQUIRE THE RELIABLE COLLECTION OF STANDARDIZED AND COMPREHENSIVE INFORMATION ON THE CHARACTERISTICS OF PROBATIONERS AT THE TIME OF SENTENCE. A SYSTEM OF FOLLOWUP, WITH CAREFULLY DEFINED AND AGREED-UPON MEASURES OF OUTCOME WOULD ALSO BE NEEDED. PREDICTION MEASURES, BASED UPON RELEVANT INFORMATION ABOUT OFFENDERS, WOULD BE DEVELOPED AND TESTED TO ASSURE THEIR VALIDITY. SUCH MEASURES WOULD PROVIDE, FOR ANY CLASSIFICATION OF PROBATIONERS, THE EXPECTED OUTCOMES (SUCH AS RECIDIVISM RATES) THROUGH THE FOLLOWUP SYSTEM. DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE EXPECTED AND OBSERVED OUTCOMES CAN THEN BE ASSESSED, TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ON THE PROGRAMS THAT APPEAR TO BE USEFUL AND THOSE THAT DO NOT IN RELATION TO VARIOUS CLASSIFICATIONS OF OFFENDERS WITH RESPECT TO VARIOUS DEFINITIONS OF 'SUCCESS' AND 'FAILURE'. EFFECTIVE TREATMENT PROGRAMS CAN THEN BE INVESTIGATED WITH MORE RIGOROUS RESEARCH DESIGNS. (RCB)