Evaluation of the Madison County Sheriff's Work Alternative Program (SWAP)

• NCJ Number: 172257
• Author(s): R Schmitz; P S Wassenberg; L Gransky; P G Hagner
• Date Published: 1998
• Length: 71 pages
• Grant Number(s): 96-DB-MU-0017
• Sponsoring Agency: Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA); Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority
• Corporate Author: University of Illinois at Springfield
• Sale Source: NCJRS Photocopy Services; Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: From the series on "Research and program evaluation in Illinois: Studies on drug abuse and violent crime."

Annotation

This evaluation of the Madison County (Illinois) Sheriff's Work Alternative Program (SWAP) fulfilled its initial objectives of removing inmates from the county jail and providing a means for offenders to pay back their debt to society.

Abstract

One goal for the SWAP was to reduce crowding in the Madison County Jail by removing sentenced individuals from the jail to perform labor on work crews in lieu of a jail sentence. Another goal was to provide a means by which sentenced individuals could repay their debt to society by performing public works. The program was designed to include persons convicted of drunk driving as well as misdemeanants and felons sentenced for nonviolent offenses. SWAP began operating in December 1992. In order to describe the initial framework of the program as well as its evolution and impact, the research team examined the program's documents, correspondence with the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, and criminal history data bases; interviewed SWAP supervisors and staff, judges, jail personnel, and community leaders; and surveyed SWAP participants. Two major changes have occurred since the program's inception. First, the persons in the positions of program supervisor and coordinator have changed; and second, the judiciary no longer sentences offenders directly to the SWAP. Now, the program staff makes the initial determination of program eligibility from the sentenced population in the jail. Apparently program goals have been achieved while maintaining strict standards for conduct and job performance. Interviews and documents did not reveal any incidents in which community safety has been compromised. Both local government and charitable organizations were pleased with the program. The majority of participants remained arrest-free after being involved in the SWAP (65.6 percent), and 19.1 percent were rearrested once. Among those rearrested, the most common offenses were crimes against persons. All program personnel and judges interviewed recommended expanding the program to include more offenders, but none recommended changing the type of offenders eligible for participation. 28 tables, 1 figure, 3 references, and appended offense codes, a monthly data report, the questionnaire administered to program participants in the evaluation, and data on participant characteristics