EVALUATION OF THE EFFECT ON CRIMINAL RECIDIVISM OF NEW YORK CITY PROJECTS PROVIDING REHABILITATION AND DIVERSION SERVICES - FINAL REPORT, MARCH 31, 1975

• NCJ Number: 36344
• Author(s): R FISHMAN
• Date Published: 1975
• Length: 159 pages
• Contract Number(s): C-55464
• Sponsoring Agency: New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services
• Corporate Author: City University of New York
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

REPORT EVALUATING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF 18 OUT OF 53 CRIME REDUCTION PROGRAMS IN NEW YORK CITY PROVIDING VOCATIONAL, EDUCATIONAL, COUNSELING, AND DIVERSION SERVICES TO MALE CLIENTS IN THE CITY'S CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.

Abstract

THE COMMON MEASURE BY WHICH THE PROJECTS WERE EVALUATED FOR THEIR ABILITY TO AFFECT THE CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR OF THEIR CLIENTS WAS ARRESTS. A STANDARDIZED INTAKE FORM WAS DEVELOPED, IMPLEMENTED, AND MONITORED TO PROVIDE THE EVALUATION WITH ACCURATE IDENTIFICATIONS AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION. IDENTIFICATIONS WERE USED TO RETRIEVE THE ARREST HISTORIES OF THE CLIENTS FROM THE NEW YORK CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT AND MEASUREMENT OF SEVERITY OF CRIMINAL HISTORY PRIOR TO PROJECT ENTRY WAS DETERMINED. RESULTS INDICATE THAT DIFFERENCES AMONG PROJECTS DID NOT AFFECT THE ARREST RECIDIVISM RATES OF SIMILAR TYPES OF CLIENTS; THAT THE MAGNITUDE AND SEVERITY OF RECIDIVISM WAS HIGH AND AFFECTED BY AGE AND CRIMINAL HISTORY; AND THAT VIOLENT CRIME BEFORE PROJECT ENTRY WAS RELATED TO VIOLENT CRIME AFTER PROJECT ENTRY. IT WAS CONCLUDED THAT REHABILITATION BY THE PROJECTS WAS A FAILURE. FOR AN APPENDIX DETAILING EVALUATION DESIGN AND METHOD, SEE NCJ-36345.