NCJ Number
2784
Date Published
1971
Length
97 pages
Annotation
EFFECTIVENESS OF AN ONGOING WORK FURLOUGH PROGRAM.
Abstract
WITHIN THE THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK OF AN INTEGRATIVE THEORY OF PUNISHMENT, SEVERAL HYPOTHESES GUIDED IN THE DESCRIPTION AND EVALUATION OF THE ORGANIZATION, STAFF, INMATES, INMATES' SIGNIFICANT OTHERS, AND FINANCIAL COST. VARIABLES INCLUDED BACKGROUND, PERSONALITY, ATTITUDES, OPINIONS, AND RECIDIVISM. THE DESIGN WAS ESSENTIALLY EXPERIMENTAL WHERE WORK FURLOUGH AND NON-WORK FURLOUGH GROUPS WERE COMPARED ON A BEFORE AND AFTER BASIS. THE RESULTS INDICATED THAT THE PROGRAM IS WORTHWHILE. IT IS A FINANCIAL SUCCESS AND APPEARS TO REDUCE CERTAIN RECIDIVISTIC CHARACTERISTICS. HOWEVER, IT ALSO SEEMS TO HAVE SOME DELETERIOUS EFFECTS. THE INMATES BECOME EMBITTERED, THEIR LOW STATUS TENDS TO BE PERPETUATED, AND AT TIMES THEY BECOME DOWNWARDLY MOBILE. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT AN IMPROVED PROGRAM COULD BE ACHIEVED BY USE OF A NON-CRIMINAL THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK, EXPANSION TO INCLUDE OTHER INMATES, SOME ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGES, USE OF EXISTING COMMUNITY SERVICES, AND MORE EXTENSIVE COSTSHARING.