NCJ Number
85571
Date Published
1981
Length
78 pages
Annotation
The Law Enforcement Assistance Administration (LEAA)-funded Intensive Parole Program, initiated during 1976 in Washington State, provided early release for low-risk felony offenders at no greater risk, and at even less risk in some cases, than offenders serving normal prison terms and supervised under regular parole.
Abstract
Low-risk offenders were released (after an average incarceration of 3 months) to the supervision of a specially trained officer who had a maximum caseload of 20. They were initially identified through a screening procedure assessing level of risk to the community, potential to respond to the program, and personal and offense-related background, among other criteria. An analysis of 289 intensive parolees reveals that they committed fewer new crimes than the matched group of 102 regular parolees. Their parole was revoked at a higher rate, possibly because their violations, largely technical in nature, were reported more often than in the matched group. The revoked offenders were younger, less educated, more likely to be male, and less likely to be married than those not revoked. The intensive and regular parolees did not differ on the total recidivism scale, probably because the intensive parolees' lower rate of new offenses was offset by their higher rate of reported technical violations. The average costs for both parole groups were about the same. Although evidence suggests that intensive parolees have lower recidivism rates, no relevant data were collected. Perhaps intensive parolees had lower rates because more intensive supervision increased their fear of detection or because they were not in prison long enough to adopt inmate values. Data tables are included. Appendixes present program forms, the recidivism scale, and supplementary data. (Author summary modified)