NCJ Number
59066
Date Published
1978
Length
50 pages
Annotation
A STUDY OF AN ADULT TRAINING PROGRAM FOR INMATES SHOWS THAT A LARGE NUMBER OF THOSE IN THE PROGRAM WERE NOT SUITABLE CANDIDATES. REASONS FOR PROBLEMS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE SELECTION ARE MADE.
Abstract
A STUDY OF THE PROGRAM AIMED AT EDUCATION OR VOCATIONAL TRAINING TO LESSEN RECIDIVISM WITHIN THE ONTARIO, CANADA CORRECTIONAL SYSTEM SHOWS THAT OVER HALF OF THOSE INTERVIEWED FOR THE PROGRAM WERE NOT ACTUALLY PART OF THE DESIRED 'TARGET POPULATION', EITHER BECAUSE OF A HIGHER LEVEL OF EDUCATION THAN WAS WANTED, BECAUSE THERE DID NOT APPEAR TO BE EMPLOYMENT PROBLEMS, OR BECAUSE SENTENCES WERE SCHEDULED TO END IN LESS THAN 3 MONTHS. OTHER INDIVIDUALS DID NOT WANT TO BE PART OF SUCH A PROGRAM FOR PERSONAL REASONS. THE STUDY CONSISTED OF THREE PARTS: (1) TO DESCRIBE THE PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS IN TERMS OF CRIMINAL HISTORY, EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT HISTORY, TRAINING EXPERIENCE, ATTITUDES AND PERCEIVED BENEFITS OF TRAINING; (2) TO IDENTIFY THE TYPES OF PROGRAMS AVAILABLE AND ANY BENEFITS WHICH INMATES FEEL THEY HAVE GAINED FROM PARTICIPATION IN THE PROGRAMS; (3) TO EXAMINE THE COMMUNITY ADJUSTMENT OF INMATES WHO REMAINED IN THE PROGRAMS UNTIL RELEASE. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT FUTURE CRITERIA FOR SELECTION INTO A PROGRAM INCLUDE OBJECTIVE DATA DIRECTLY RELATED TO EDUCATIONAL OR VOCATIONAL GOALS. PRESENT AGGREGATE CRITERIA DO NOT APPEAR TO PROVIDE THIS OBJECTIVITY. ANOTHER ISSUE TO BE EXAMINED IS WHETHER INMATE MOTIVATION SHOULD BE A PRIME CONSIDERATION FOR ASSIGNMENT TO THE ADULT TRAINING PROGRAM. PROGRAM POLICIES NEED TO BE REEVALUATED BECAUSE MANY OF THE INMATES DO NOT SEE THE NEED TO TAKE BOTH ACADEMIC AND VOCATIONAL TRAINING. OUTREACH PROGRAMS SPONSORED BY LOCAL COMMUNITY COLLEGES FILL SOME OF THESE NEEDS. TABLES ILLUSTRATE THE DATA USED. (RFC)