NCJ Number
42407
Date Published
1977
Length
70 pages
Annotation
INTENSIVE SPECIAL PROBATION (ISP) PROGRAMS OFFER UNIQUE FORMS OF SUPERVISION OR SUBSTANTIAL REDUCTION IN CASELOADS. THIS STUDY SUMMARIZES AND ASSESSES THE STATE OF KNOWLEDGE CONCERNING THESE INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS.
Abstract
INTENSIVE SPECIAL PROBATION ENCOMPASSES THE GREAT MAJORITY OF INNOVATIONS AND EXPERIMENTS IN ADULT PROBATION, PRIMARILY EXCLUDING ONLY THOSE PROGRAMS CONNECTED WITH PRE-CONVICTION ACTIVITIES OF PROBATION STAFFS, FINANCING OF PROBATION, OR UNUSUALLY LIGHT PROBATION SUPERVISION. OVER THE PAST TWO DECADES A GREAT VARIETY OF ISP PROGRAMS HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED. THIS STUDY WAS CONDUCTED BY THE GEORGIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY BETWEEN JANUARY AND DECEMBER, 1976, AS PART OF THE NATIONAL EVALUATION PROGRAM OF THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE. IT PRESENTS THE CURRENT STATUS OF WHAT IS KNOWN REGARDING ISP AND DESCRIBES THE GAPS IN THE KNOWLEDGE BASE. THIS SUMMARY REPORT INCORPORATES THE MAJOR FINDINGS FROM A SERIES OF EARLIER REPORTS, WHICH WERE BASED ON A LITERATURE SURVEY, COMMUNICATIONS WITH EXPERTS IN ISP, AND SITE VISITS TO 20 PROJECTS THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES. THE STUDY FOUND THAT THE LITERATURE DOES NOT PROVIDE CONCLUSIVE EVIDENCE THAT CASELOAD REDUCTION RESULTS IN A DECREASE IN RECIDIVISM. IN FACT, MANY STUDIES HAVE SHOWN INCREASED RECIDIVISM WHICH RESULTED FROM HIGHER LEVELS OF SUPERVISION. ALTHOUGH PROJECTS SPECIALIZING IN SERVING PARTICULAR CLIENT GROUPS OFFERED EVIDENCE OF SUCCESSFUL OUTCOMES, THERE WAS ONLY WEAK EVIDENCE FOR SUCCESS OF VOLUNTEER PROBATION PROJECTS. THE STUDY CONCLUDES THAT THERE IS A SERIOUS LACK OF KNOWLEDGE ABOUT INTENSIVE SPECIAL PROBATION PROGRAMS. ACCORDING TO THE STUDY, THIS IS MOST LIKELY THE RESULT OF SUCH PROBLEMS AS THE RELATIVE INFREQUENCY OF EVALUATIONS USING SUITABLE COMPARISON AND CONTROL GROUPS, THE LACK OF STANDARDIZED MEASURES, AND THE LACK OF REAL COST EVALUATIONS IN INTENSIVE SPECIAL PROBATION....DMC