NCJ Number
61377
Date Published
1978
Length
85 pages
Annotation
FOR LOCAL DECISIONMAKERS, THE METHODOLOGY, FINDINGS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS ARE REPORTED FROM A 2-YEAR RECIDIVISM STUDY OF PARTICIPANTS OF THE WORK FURLOUGH PROJECT IN JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA.
Abstract
PROJECT SERVICES INCLUDE VOCATIONAL COUNSELING AND ASSESSMENT, PSYCHOMETRICS, VOCATIONAL PLAN DEVELOPMENT, REFERRAL TO COMMUNITY RESOURCES, JOB DEVELOPMENT, INDIVIDUAL COUNSELING, AND PERIODIC REEVALUATION BY THE CLASSIFICATION REVIEW TEAM. DATA WERE OBTAINED ON A RANDOMLY-SELECTED SAMPLE OF 250 MALES DRAWN FROM THE POPULATION OF 338 MALES ON WORK FURLOUGH FROM OCTOBER 1, 1975 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30, 1976. THE STUDY ALSO UTILIZED DATA ON THE POPULATION OF 34 FEMALES FOR THE SAME FISCAL YEAR. DATA WERE OBTAINED ON COST-EFFECTIVENESS, DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS, COMMITMENT OFFENSES, TIME IN THE PROGRAM, TYPES OF RELEASE, PARTICIPANT EARNINGS, POSTRELEASE EMPLOYMENT, AND RECONVICTION FOR CRIMINAL ACTS. SINCE 1971, THE PROGRAM HAS SERVED OVER 3,000 INMATES, DURING WHICH TIME NO RAPES, ASSAULTS, ARMED ROBBERIES, OR OTHER SERIOUS OFFENSES HAVE BEEN ATTRIBUTED TO PARTICIPANTS. DURING THE SAME PERIOD, WORK FURLOUGHEES ARE REPORTED TO HAVE EARNED OVER 2 MILLION DOLLARS, OF WHICH $364,642.57 WERE RETURNED TO THE PROGRAM IN BOARD CHARGES. ALSO, 61 PERCENT OF THE 1975-76 SAMPLE (283 MALE AND FEMALE PARTICIPANTS) HAD NOT BEEN RECONVICTED. THE STUDY SUGGESTS THAT THE PROJECT BE CONTINUED AND INSTITUTIONALIZED AFTER THE TERMINATION OF FEDERAL FUNDING IN MID-1980. APPENDIXES INCLUDE DEMOGRAPHIC DATA AND RELATED MATERIAL, A REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PREVIOUS RECOMMENDATIONS, AND A STATEMENT OF THE STANDARD FOR JAIL RELEASE PROGRAMS FROM FLORIDA'S CRIMINAL JUSTICE STANDARDS AND GOALS. TABULAR DATA ARE ALSO PROVIDED. (RCB)