Federal Halfway Houses - An Approach to Corrections

• NCJ Number: 70453
• Author(s): S M Brown
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 113 pages
• Sale Source: UMI Dissertation Services
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: *This document is currently unavailable from NCJRS. California State University, Long Beach - masters thesis

Annotation

Offenders' reintegration into the community through the use of Federal Community Treatment Centers (federal halfway houses) is outlined, and the Long Beach Community Treatment Center in California is described in detail.

Abstract

Federal Community Treatment Centers (CTC) recognize the importance of easing the offenders' transition from total confinement to freedom by working with them in the community near their family and friends. Residents selected for the Federal CTC's are provided with guidance in securing employment, housing, vocation and educational assistance and assistance in resolving family problems. The Centers serve as a focal point for referral to other community service agencies. Data were collected on residents entering this center during a 4-month period to provide information on the program failure rate and the demographic characteristics of residents, and to profile both the successful and the nonsuccesful resident. The residents' ages at the center ranged from 20 to 60 years with a mean age of 31. A total of 60 percent of residents were white and over 50 percent had completed high school. In-program failures were 21 percent of residents who did not complete the program because they escaped, were arrested and returned to the institution, or were returned to court as probation violators. In-program successes were residents who had successfully completed the program and were discharged into the community or were transferred to another community agency. A comparison of these two groups showed that those residents who did not complete the program had usually been unemployed while at the center. In conclusion, the study indicated that the reintegration of offenders into the community is an effective, humane, and inexpensive approach to corrections. Citizen support and acceptance of community treatment programs should be developed and community treatment programs should be expanded at the Federal, State, and local levels. Tables, 117 references, and 2 appendixes listing U.S. Codes are included. (Author abstract modified)