NCJ Number
80347
Date Published
1977
Length
109 pages
Annotation
Findings and recommendations are presented from an evaluation of the Georgia Restitution Shelter Program, a community-based residential program for offenders who perform unpaid community service work or work for wages and make payments to victims.
Abstract
Evaluation data were obtained from a descriptive offender profile, the case record, the scope data sheet, routine probation and parole supervisors' monthly reports, and the scope termination report. One of the purposes of the program was to reduce the inmate population. The achievement of this objective could not be determined, however, because the definition of client eligibility as 'marginal risk' meant that some offenders diverted to the RSP might have been diverted to other community alternatives had the RSP program not been available. The program was moderately successful in its residential performance. Only about one-third of program enrollees were in-house failures; however, goals upon which program effectiveness was measured were loosely defined. One goal of the program was to save $592,000 as a result of program diversion. Using a relative cost-effectiveness approach, the cost saving potential totaled $4,108 per diverted offender compared to institutionalized offenders with comparable sentences. Some problems the program encountered were slow caseload growth, personnel problems, conceptual problems, and operational inefficiency. Forms used in the evaluation are appended. Twenty-five footnotes and 27 bibliographic listings are provided.