NCJ Number
160961
Date Published
1993
Length
140 pages
Annotation
This report examines the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) PreStart program, which was implemented in the summer of 1991 and separated the surveillance and supervision functions of parole from integrative social service provision functions, with respect to the policy context in which it was conceived and the process by which it was formulated and developed.
Abstract
The analysis revealed that PreStart was developed in a turbulent policy environment, that the reform resulted from long-standing dissatisfaction with existing parole structures, and that a severe budget crisis determined the timing of PreStart's initiation. Pragmatic financial and organizational concerns drove much of the process that resulted in the program, but it also reflects changing correctional philosophies in the IDOC. The abbreviated planning process and funding limitations seriously harmed staff morale. The short period for program development made it difficult to identify and accommodate implementation contingencies that were likely to develop. As a result, the program was formulated without having widespread acceptance among groups that could shape its eventual implementation. System and facility factors as well as inadequate resources resulted in an uneven level of implementation across facilities. Implementation at community correctional centers was generally much weaker than at correctional institutions. Inmate reactions to the program vary across facilities but have generally been positive. Numerous measures are recommended to improve PreStart programming. 56 references