NCJ Number
155403
Date Published
1994
Length
43 pages
Annotation
This evaluation of the Virginia boot camp incarceration program describes offenders selected for the program, findings of the effects the program had on them, and statistics on recidivism.
Abstract
Two-thirds of the offenders entering the program were black, 32 percent white, and the remainder Asian or Hispanic; 61 percent had been convicted of drug possession or distribution. The average sentence imposed on offenders was 10.6 years. Pre- and post-tests measuring probates' change revealed that they gained in educational achievement, improved their motivation and decreased antisocial tendencies, and improved their self-esteem; offenders' denial that drug abuse was related to their criminal history did not change. Data collected from district records indicated that 73 percent of the boot camp graduates were not known to have been convicted of a new crime, nor had their probation been revoked. A major accomplishment of the program was the variety and extent of community service performed by the probates. 2 tables, 5 figures, and 2 appendixes