NCJ Number
210707
Journal
Journal of Correctional Education Volume: 56 Issue: 2 Dated: June 2005 Pages: 101-107
Date Published
June 2005
Length
7 pages
Annotation
This article describes the components and the evaluation findings of the Hillsborough County (Florida) Sheriff's Office Life Skills Project (LSP), which received a grant under the U.S. Department of Education's Life Skills for State and Local Prisoners Program.
Abstract
The LSP is a comprehensive program that has enhanced three existing programs by adding extensive life-skills components that reinforce the importance of treatment, counseling, education, job and vocational training skills, personal financial management, and family relationship development. Inmates are assigned to one of three programs: substance abuse treatment, domestic-violence counseling, or vocational training. The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office has established partnerships with public and private agencies within the community to ensure that program participants will continue receiving services in the community after release that were begun while in jail. The LSP services both male and female offenders who are either under pretrial custody or jail sentences. A third-party program evaluation used pre/post testing of all program participants. The evaluation concluded that the LSP has been implemented as outlined in the original grant proposal. Participants were found to have a positive increase in knowledge related to employability, personal money management, and in Pathways to Change and parenting classes. In academic classes, inmates showed significant grade-level increases, and 375 inmates tested for their high school diploma while participating in the program. Program completers decreased their recidivism rate by 23.46 percent compared to all inmates booked into the jail, and by 43.46 percent compared to inmates remaining in the system over 48 hours. Overall, the evaluation concluded that the LSP has been a successful, innovative, comprehensive program of counseling, treatment, and training. 5 tables and 3 figures