NCJ Number
44255
Date Published
1975
Length
50 pages
Annotation
FINDINGS ARE REPORTED OF A STUDY CONCERNING JUVENILE PROBATION IN MARYLAND, ITS COSTS AND EFFECTIVENESS, THE INTERRELATIONSHIP OF COSTS AND EFFECTIVENESS, AND THE FACTORS WHICH UNDERLIE THEM.
Abstract
THE STUDY APPLIED THE INDEX OF RECIDIVISM TO MEASURE PROBATION EFFECTIVENESS. THE MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF JUVENILE SERVICES' FINANCIAL AND PERSONNEL DATA WERE ANALYZED TO DEVELOP PRELIMINARY ESTIMATES OF PROBATION COSTS, AND THESE COSTS WERE EXAMINED WITH RELATION TO EFFECTIVENESS TO DETERMINE WHETHER ANY CORRELATION EXISTED. VARIATIONS AMONG THE DEPARTMENT'S REGIONAL OFFICES WERE ANALYZED. RECIDIVISM DATA WERE COLLECTED ON TWO SAMPLES OF YOUTH. THE FIRST CONSISTED OF ALL JUVENILES IN MARYLAND PLACED ON PROBATION FOR THE FIRST TIME DURING FISCAL YEAR 1971. THE SECOND WAS A SUBSAMPLE OF THE FIRST, RANDOMLY SELECTED FOR INTENSIVE STUDY. IT CONSISTED OF FIRST-TIME PROBATIONERS RESIDING IN ONE OF SEVEN SELECTED AREAS. FOUR TYPES OF RECORDS WERE CHECKED TO DETERMINE RECIDIVISM OF THE INTENSIVE SUBSAMPLE: THE DEPARTMENT'S PRINTOUT; THE SOCIAL CASE RECORDS OF EACH SUBJECT; RECORDS OF THE JUVENILE BRANCHES OF MARYLAND AND DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA COURTS; AND RECORDS OF THE CRIMINAL DIVISIONS OF THESE COURTS. TABLES ARE PRESENTED WHICH SHOW RECIDIVISM RATES FOR THE STATE AS A WHOLE AND FOR INDIVIDUAL COUNTIES, AND WHICH OUTLINE PROBATION COSTS FOR THE SAME AREAS. FINDINGS OF THE STUDY INCLUDED THE FOLLOWING: THE STATE'S OVERALL RECIDIVISM RATE WAS 45.5 PERCENT; MAJOR DIFFERENCES EXISTED IN THE COST OF PROBATION AMONG THE COUNTIES EXAMINED; COUNTIES WITH THE HIGHEST RECIDIVISM RATES TEND TO HAVE LARGER PROPORTIONS OF HIGH RISK PROBATIONERS IN THEIR CASELOADS; SOME COUNTIES PLACE LARGE PROPORTIONS OF THEIR MORE TROUBLESOME YOUTH ON PROBATION, WHILE OTHER COUNTIES RELIED MORE HEAVILY ON CONFINEMENT; SOME EVIDENCE INDICATED THAT LOWER CASELOAD SIZE WAS ASSOCIATED WITH LOWER RATES OF RECIDIVISM; AND MAJOR DETERMINANTS OF COST DIFFERENCES WERE CASELOAD SIZE AND DURATION OF PROBATION. RECOMMENDATIONS ARE MADE FOR: FURTHER STUDY TO INCLUDE CONSIDERATIONS OF NEARBY JURISDICTIONS; DEVELOPMENT OF MORE MEANINGFUL INDICATORS OF PROBATION EFFECTIVENESS; PERIODIC COST ANALYSES; AND IMPROVED REPORTING PROCEDURES. A GLOSSARY IS PROVIDED. (VDA)