NCJ Number
67611
Date Published
1978
Length
30 pages
Annotation
DIVERSION-ORIENTED SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEM OF PRISON OVERCROWDING (ALTERNATIVES TO INSTITUTIONALIZATION), AS IMPLEMENTED IN GEORGIA IN THE FORM OF AN INTENSIVE PROBATION/PAROLE SUPERVISION PROGRAM, ARE DISCUSSED.
Abstract
THIS REPORT ON THE DEVELOPMENT AND OPERATION OF GEORGIA'S INTENSIVE PROBATION/PAROLE SUPERVISION PROGRAM WAS PRODUCED UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF OFFENDER REHABILITATION, OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND EVALUATION, WITH FUNDING PROVIDED BY THE GEORGIA STATE CRIME COMMISSION AND THE GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF OFFENDER REHABILITATION. THE PROGRAM IS BRIEFLY REVIEWED IN TERMS OF ITS CONCEPT, OPERATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS, OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY, AND IMPACT EFFECTIVENESS. THE LATTER CRITERION IS ESPECIALLY SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE IT DEALS WITH BEHAVIORAL CHANGES IN OFFENDERS, MEETING OFFENDERS' NEEDS, AND OFFENDERS' CHOICE OF POST-RELEASE OPTIONS. IF THE PROGRAM IMPACT HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL, THE RATE OF RECIDIVISM AMONG THE PROGRAM'S CLIENTS WILL BE LOW. THE NATURE AND STRUCTURE OF THE INTENSIVE SUPERVISION PROGRAM IN LIEU OF INCARCERATION IS DESCRIBED IN DETAIL. IN ADDITION TO SOLVING THE PRISON OVERCROWDING PROBLEM, THE ALTERNATIVE PROGRAM WAS INTENDED TO PROVIDE INCREASED REHABILITATION CHANCES, ESPECIALLY FOR MARGINAL RISK OFFENDERS. THE PROGRAM FACED MAJOR OBSTACLES, INCLUDING AMBIGUOUS CLIENT ELIGIBILITY DEFINITIONS, THE LACK OF LEAD TIME FOR PLANNING BETWEEN GRANT DEVELOPMENT AND PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION. BECAUSE OF INSUFFICIENT EFFORTS AT MAKING COMMUNITIES AWARE OF THE PLAN, IT FAILED TO ATTRACT AN ADEQUATE NUMBER OF CITIZEN VOLUNTEERS. STAFFING PROBLEMS WERE CREATED BY THE 1974 RECESSION THAT FORCED THE STATE TO FREEZE HIRING, PROMOTION, AND UPGRADING OF EMPLOYEES. SOME OF THE PROGRAM GOALS WERE ACHIEVED, INCLUDING SOME COST SAVINGS, BUT THE NUMBER OF OFFENDERS TO BE SERVED HAD TO BE CUT FROM A PLANNED 3,900 TO 51.9% OF 2,200 (THE LATTER FIGURE WAS AN ALMOST IMMEDIATE MODIFICATION OF THE ORIGINALLY-TARGETED 3,900). MEASURING THE PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS IN TERMS OF CLIENT RECIDIVISM, TENTATIVE FINDINGS INDICATE THAT THE RATE OF RECIDIVISM FOR THIS PROGRAM WAS SLIGHTLY LOWER THAN FOR OTHER PROGRAMS TO WHICH IT WAS COMPARED. HOWEVER, CHANGES IN GEORGIA'S LAW REGARDING REPEATED OFFENDERS, AND LEGAL AND JUDICIAL COMPLEXITIES, DICTATE GREAT CAUTION IN THE USE OF THESE FINDINGS. THE VIABILITY OF THE ENTIRE PROGRAM DEPENDS ON COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AND SUPPORT WHICH CAN ONLY BE ACHIEVED THROUGH EXTENSIVE PUBLIC RELATIONS AND INFORMATION EFFORTS. AN APPENDIX GIVES OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS OF TERMS AND CONCEPTS USED FOR ANALYSIS PURPOSES IN THE AREA OF RECIDIVISM.