NCJ Number
154286
Journal
Federal Probation Volume: 59 Issue: 1 Dated: (March 1995) Pages: 63-67
Date Published
1995
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This impact analysis of the Alabama boot camp program examines the recidivism rates and the cost of the program.
Abstract
By statute the Alabama Disciplinary Rehabilitation Unit (DRU) targets young, first offenders who have committed nonviolent crimes. The main program components are military matching, discipline, physical training, work, classes, and drug and alcohol treatment that features the 12-step program used by Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous. The program evaluation followed a quasi-experimental design. First, the experimental group consisted of the first 153 boot camp graduates (BCG) and the first 50 nongraduates or bootcamp failures (BCF). Two comparison groups were used: offenders on probation (123) and offenders released from prison on a split sentence (a period of incarceration followed by probation). The program period under consideration was from September 1988 to July 1989. Recidivism was considered over a 1-year period and encompassed rearrest, reconviction, and reincarceration. Findings show that the recidivism rate for the boot campers was not significantly lower than that for the other two groups. BCG's did slightly better than the probationers and slightly worse than the incarcerated group. There was no evidence of "net-widening." No matter which cost-analysis approach is used, the boot camp generates an estimated savings of between $779,229 and $1,676,880 compared to prison. The boot camp can thus save money and reduce prison crowding. 3 tables, 10 notes, and 17 references