NCJ Number
61848
Journal
OFFENDER REHABILITATION Volume: 3 Issue: 4 Dated: (SUMMER 1979) Pages: 299-317
Date Published
1979
Length
19 pages
Annotation
A COUNSELING PROGRAM WAS DESIGNED TO FAMILIARIZE NEW PROBATIONERS AND PAROLEES WITH THEIR EXPECTED BEHAVIOR AND TO TEACH REALISTIC METHODS OF PROBLEM SOLVING.
Abstract
THE MISSOURI BOARD OF PROBATION AND PAROLE INSTITUTED A PROGRAM IN 1975 WHICH REQUIRED ALL NEW PROBATIONERS AND PAROLEES TO TAKE AN 8-WEEK COUNSELING PROGRAM. INTAKE GROUPS CONSISTED OF 12 TO 15 PERSONS. THE COURSE WAS DIVIDED INTO FOUR PHASES: LEARNING ABOUT THE CONDITIONS OF PAROLE; REALITY THERAPY WHEREIN AN INDIVIDUAL IS TAUGHT TO HAVE A REALISTIC VIEW OF PROBLEMS AND TO ATTEMPT TO SOLVE THEM IN A RESPONSIBLE MANNER; DISCUSSION OF CONTAINMENT THEORY; AND FORMULATION OF A PAROLE OR PROBATIONARY PLAN. THROUGHOUT THE PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS WERE COUNSELED ON INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP BASES AND GIVEN HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS. IN ORDER TO EVALUATE THE PROGRAM, A SAMPLE OF 135 INDIVIDUALS WHO HAD COMPLETED THE COURSE WAS COMPARED WITH THE SAME NUMBER WHO HAD NOT ENTERED THE PROGRAM. THE CHARACTERISTICS OF BOTH GROUPS DIFFERED ONLY IN THAT THE INTAKE GROUP HAD MORE UNSKILLED WORKERS. INDIVIDUAL PROGRESS WAS MEASURED BY A CLIENT ANALYSIS SCALE AND DIFFERENCES IN PAROLE AND PROBATION VIOLATIONS WERE SO SLIGHT AS TO BE INSIGNIFICANT, POSSIBLY BECAUSE ONLY THE FIRST 6 MONTHS OF THE OFFENDERS' TERMS WERE EXAMINED. HOWEVER, THE STUDY INDICATED THAT THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO HAD BEEN EXPOSED TO THE PROGRAM WERE MORE SUCCESSFUL IN SOLVING THEIR PROBLEMS. THE DATA ALSO SUGGESTED THAT THE PROGRAM WAS MOST HELPFUL TO PERSONS WHO COULD BE CONSIDERED SOCIALLY DISADVANTAGED BECAUSE OF AGE, SEX, RACE, EDUCATION, OCCUPATION, AND PREVIOUS CRIMINAL ACTIVITY. ALTHOUGH THE EVALUATION LEFT MANY QUESTIONS UNANSWERED CONCERNING THE REASONS FOR AND EXTENT OF ITS EFFECTIVENESS, THE PROGRAM SEEMS TO HAVE POTENTIAL USE AS A REHABILITATION TOOL. REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED, AND TABLES ILLUSTRATE THE TEXT. (MJM)