NCJ Number
49915
Journal
Community Mental Health Journal Volume: 10 Issue: 1 Dated: (SPRING 1974) Pages: 33-40
Date Published
1974
Length
8 pages
Annotation
A PROGRAM OF CORRECTIONAL ADVOCACY BASED ON A SYSTEM OF PAROLE SUPERVISION AND FOCUSING ON MAINTAINING THE CONTINUITY OF CORRECTIONAL SERVICES IS DESCRIBED.
Abstract
COMMUNITY PRESSURES MAKE IT NECESSARY FOR CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS AND THEIR PERSONNEL TO HAVE AS THEIR FIRST RESPONSIBILITY THE PROTECTION OF THE COMMUNITY, WITH REHABILITATION OF THE OFFENDER BEING A MUCH LOWER PRIORITY. SUCH PRESSURES HAVE LIMITED THE FUNCTION OF COMMUNITY TREATMENT PROGRAMS, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF PROBATION, TO THAT OF SUPPLEMENTING EXISTING INSTITUTIONAL PROGRAMS. EFFORTS TO REINTEGRATE OFFENDERS INTO THE COMMUNITY MUST NOT BE RESTRICTED TO ASSURING THAT EDUCATIONAL OR VOCATIONAL SKILLS DEVELOPED IN INSTITUTIONS HAVE RELEVANCE FOR THE COMMUNITY. A MECHANISM FOR SECURING TIES TO THE COMMUNITY IS ALSO NECESSARY TO PERMIT OFFENDERS TO DEVELOP PROSOCIAL SKILLS AND TO GAIN COMMUNITY ACCEPTANCE OF OFFENDERS. THE PROPOSED CORRECTIONAL ADVOCACY MODEL REQUIRES THAT TWO KINDS OF ACTORS FUNCTION IN THE EXTRAINSTITUTIONAL COMMUNITY: ONE SET OF ACTORS, CONSISTING OF PROFESSIONALS WITH TRAINING IN GROUP WORK/URBAN STUDIES, WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR INITIATING CONTACT WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND ORGANIZATIONS WHICH COULD CONTRIBUTE TO THE OFFENDER'S COMMUNITY ADJUSTMENT; THE OTHER SET OF ACTORS WOULD HAVE THE TASK OF MAINTAINING THE INTERESTS OF THE COMMUNITY AND THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE COMMUNITY AND THE OFFENDER. THE PROPOSED ADVOCACY MODEL CAN BE INTEGRATED WITH EXISTING CORRECTIONAL PRACTICES THROUGH MODIFICATION AND EXPANSION OF THE PAROLE SYSTEM. THE WORK OF BOTH PROFESSIONALS AND COMMUNITY AIDES INVOLVES EDUCATING THE COMMUNITY ABOUT ISSUES AND TECHNIQUES IN CORRECTIONAL REHABILITATION. REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (DEP)