NCJ Number
195747
Date Published
2001
Length
18 pages
Annotation
This article reports on a systematic review, using meta-analysis, of the effects of correctional boot camps on offender recidivism, using 44 studies which provided the primary unit of analysis.
Abstract
This article discusses quasi-experimental and experimental studies which evaluated a residential program with a militaristic environment, such as boot camps and boot-camp like programs for juvenile and adult offenders, and compared the recidivism of participants to that of a comparison group receiving other correctional sanction. The study method was based on examination of a residential program that incorporated a militaristic environment; a comparison group that received community supervision or incarceration in an alternative facility; participants who were convicted or adjudicated; and a post-program measure of criminal behavior. A keyword search of a computerized database was used to find studies meeting these criteria and contact with authors working in this area. The return to criminal activity or recidivism by boot camp participants was the primary area of interest in this study. The effects found ranged from large reductions to large increases in the risk of recidivating for the boot camp participants relative to the comparison groups, ultimately indicating an almost equal recidivism rate for the average boot camp participant. In conclusion, it was reported that, overall, the meta-analysis found evidence of no effect on recidivism between boot camp participants and comparison samples. It was further determined that the results could not be attributed to differences in study methodology, offender characteristics, or boot camp program components. Figure, tables appendix, and references