NCJ Number
43336
Date Published
1977
Length
23 pages
Annotation
A GROUP OF 96 MEN WHO HAD COMPLETED A PRERELEASE TRAINING PROGRAM DESIGNED TO REDUCE PROGRAM NONCOMPLETIONS AT MASSACHUSETTS COMMUNITY-BASED CORRECTIONS FACILITIES WAS COMPARED WITH A CONTROL GROUP NOT RECEIVING TRAINING.
Abstract
EACH GROUP WAS TRACKED FOR 10 MONTHS FOLLOWING EACH GROUP WAS TRACKED FOR 10 MONTHS FOLLOWING RELEASE INTO THE COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAM. A NONCOMPLETER WAS DEFINED AS ANYONE WHO RETURNED TO A HIGHER SECURITY LEVEL OR WAS DECLARED ESCAPED-AT-LARGE. IT WAS FOUND THAT 32 OF THE TRAINING GROUP WERE NONCOMPLETERS, OR 41.6 PERCENT, COMPARED TO 16.9 PERCENT OF THOSE NOT UNDERGOING PRERELEASE TRAINING, WHEN COMMITMENTS TO THE FACILITY AT CONCORD, MASSACHUSETTS, WERE EXAMINED, IT WAS FOUND THAT 60.0 PERCENT HAD RECEIVED PRERELEASE TRAINING, 40.0 PERCENT HAD NOT. TRAINING CLIENTS ALSO TENDED TO CONTINUE AS PRERELEASE RESIDENTS FOR PROLONGED PERIODS OF TIME. AN EXPLANATION MAY BE THAT A HIGHER-RISK GROUP WAS CHOSEN FOR THE PRERELEASE TRAINING. ANOTHER EXPLANATION MAY BE THAT MORE IS EXPECTED OF THE PRETREATMENT CLIENT, WHO IS NOT RELEASED UNTIL HE IS FUNCTIONING BEYOND THE POINT CONSIDERED ADEQUATE FOR THE REGULAR PRERELEASE CLIENT. THE TRAINING MAY ALSO ADVERSELY AFFECT WHAT IS EXPECTED OF THE PERSON. RESEARCH NEEDS TO BE CONDUCTED INTO THESE POSSIBLE EXPLANATIONS.