NCJ Number
36491
Date Published
1975
Length
66 pages
Annotation
THE BASIC IDEA OF THE SUBSIDY PROGRAM WAS TO REDUCE PRISON AND JUVENILE COMMITMENTS BY PROVIDING MORE EFFECTIVE CORRECTIONAL SERVICES IN THE COMMUNITY, MAINLY INTENSIVE PROBATION SUPERVISION IN SMALL CASELOADS.
Abstract
THE CALIFORNIA PROGRAM, WHICH BEGAN IN JULY 1966, HAD ONE UNIQUE FEATURE: PAYMENTS TO THE COUNTIES WERE GEARED WHOLLY TO REDUCING COMMITMENTS - $4000 FOR EACH REDUCTION ACHIEVED. THIS VOLUME, SIXTH IN A SIX-PART EVALUATION REPORT, DESCRIBES THE PROGRAM AND SUMMARIZES EVALUATION FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS. HOWEVER, THE BULK OF THIS REPORT IS MADE UP OF VOLUME-BY-VOLUME SUMMARIES OF THE FIRST FIVE PARTS OF THE EVALUATION REPORT. THE EVALUATION WAS UNDERTAKEN TO DETERMINE: THE EXTENT TO WHICH THE PROGRAM HAD ACTUALLY ACHIEVED A REDUCTION IN LOCAL COMMITMENTS TO STATE AGENCIES; THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THE PROGRAM ON BOTH THE COUNTIES AND THE STATE; THE CHANGES BROUGHT ABOUT BY THE PROGRAM IN COUNTY PROBATION DEPARTMENTS; THE CHANGES BROUGHT ABOUT IN STATE CORRECTIONAL AGENCIES; AND THE IMPACT ON RECIDIVISM IN THE STATE. EACH OF THESE QUESTIONS IS ADDRESSED IN A SEPARATE VOLUME. OVERALL, THE STUDY FOUND THAT THE PROBATION SUBSIDY PROGRAM HAD BEEN HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL IN REDUCING COMMITMENTS TO STATE INSTITUTIONS AND HAD SAVED THE STATE AND COST THE COUNTIES SIZEABLE AMOUNTS OF MONEY. THE CONCEPT OF INTENSIVE PROBATION SUPERVISION, HOWEVER, WAS JUDGED NEITHER VERY EFFECTIVE OR INNOVATIVE AT REDUCING RECIDIVISM. A FIVE-PAGE REFERENCE LIST IS PROVIDED. APPENDED MATERIALS INCLUDE A COPY OF THE STATE STATUTES DEALING WITH STATE AID FOR PROBATION SERVICES AND A BACKGROUND DISCUSSION OF PROBATION SUBSIDY LEGISLATION, STANDARDS, AND PROGRAMS. FOR THE OTHER VOLUMES IN THIS REPORT SERIES, SEE NCJ-035074-77 AND NCJ-036490.