NCJ Number
56127
Date Published
1978
Length
281 pages
Annotation
A 4-YEAR FOLLOWUP OF 320 ADULT MALE FELONS DISCHARGED FROM WEST VIRGINIA CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS FINDS A STRONG NEGATIVE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN RECIDIVISM AND PARTICIPATION IN ONE OF THE SYSTEM'S EDUCATION PROGRAMS.
Abstract
PAROLE AND INTAKE RECORDS WERE USED TO FOLLOW THE SAMPLE, CONSISTING OF INMATES DISCHARGED IN 1973. AT THE END OF 4 YEARS, THERE WERE 76 RECIDIVISTS; 55 WERE FROM THE GROUP THAT DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, AND 21 HAD PARTICIPATED IN ONE OR MORE PHASES OF THE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS. THE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS CONTAINED FOUR PHASES: PHASE 1 TAUGHT BASIC READING AND WRITING; PHASE 2, SUBJECTS INVOLVED IN GRADES 1 THROUGH 8; PHASE 3, A PREPARATION FOR THE GENERAL EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT TEST (GED); AND PHASE 4, COLLEGE COURSES FOR CREDIT. FOR THE ANALYSIS, THE SUBJECTS WERE DIVIDED INTO 3 GROUPS: THOSE WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE GED PROGRAM (57 OF THE 320 MEN), THOSE WHO COMPLETED THE GED (54 MEN), AND THOSE WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE COLLEGE PROGRAM (24 MEN). FINDINGS SHOWED THAT 10 OF THE GED PARTICIPANTS WERE RECIDIVISTS AND 47 WERE NOT. THIS DIFFERENCE IS NOT STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT, BUT THE NUMBER OF RECIDIVISTS IS LOWER THAN WOULD BE EXPECTED CONSIDERING OTHER INMATE CHARACTERISTICS. ONLY SEVEN OF THOSE COMPLETING THE GED AND ONLY FOUR OF THE COLLEGE-LEVEL PARTICIPANTS WERE REINCARCERATED. THIS WAS NOT STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT, BUT IT IS INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT 83.33 PERCENT OF THIS GROUP WAS SUCCESSFUL OVER A 4-YEAR PERIOD. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN INMATE CHARACTERISTICS, EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM PARTICIPATION, AND RECIDIVISM IS DISCUSSED AT LENGTH. TABLES PRESENT STATISTICAL DATA. APPENDIXES GIVE CURRICULUM OUTLINES FOR THE PROGRAM LEADING TO THE GED DIPLOMA, GOALS AND PROCEDURES OF THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF THE HUTTONSVILLE CORRECTIONS CENTER, AN OUTLINE OF THE COLLEGE PROGRAM, AND CORRESPONDENCE AND DATA RELATING TO THE STUDY. (GLR)