NCJ Number
30498
Date Published
1975
Length
80 pages
Annotation
THIS PROGRAM INVOLVES A LEGAL CONTRACT BETWEEN PRISON AND PAROLE AUTHORITIES AND PARTICIPATING INMATES ESTABLISHING MUTUALLY AGREED UPON, FIRM PAROLE DATES AND CRITERIA FOR RELEASE.
Abstract
PRISONERS ASSUME THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR PLANNING (WITH PRISON STAFF) AND COMPLETING SUCCESSFULLY AN INDIVIDUALLY TAILORED REHABILITATIVE PROGRAM TO OBTAIN PAROLE RELEASE AT A SPECIFIC DATE. INSTITUTION STAFF AGREE TO PROVIDE ALL SERVICES AND TRAINING RESOURCES REQUIRED BY PRISONERS TO COMPLETE THEIR PART OF THE CONTRACT. PAROLE BOARD MEMBERS AGREE TO HONOR THE PAROLE DATE SET UPON PROGRAM COMPLETION. MAP WAS TRIED ON AN EXPERIMENTAL DEMONSTRATION BASIS IN CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS IN WISCONSIN, CALIFORNIA, AND ARIZONA DURING 1972-73. THIS IS A REPORT ON A RESEARCH STUDY ON THE EFFECTS OF THE PROGRAM ON THE POST-RELEASE EMPLOYMENT AND CRIME-FREE BEHAVIOR OF EX-INMATES WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE PROGRAMS. THE RESEARCH DESIGNED INVOLVED EX-INMATE FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONNAIRES AT THE END OF THE FIRST, THIRD, AND SIXTH MONTH AFTER PAROLE RELEASE, PLUS COMPARISONS OF RESULTS FOR EXPERIMENTALS VERSUS CONTROLS, INMATES WHO HAD COMPLETED THEIR CONTRACTS AND THOSE WHO HAD NOT, AND VOLUNTARY VERSUS NON-VOLUNTARY DROPOUTS FROM THE EXPERIMENTAL GROUP. RESEARCHERS CONCLUDED THAT PRISONER REHABILITATION IS NOT MAP'S MAJOR AREA OF BENEFIT, SINCE EXPERIMENTALS DID NOT PERFORM SIGNIFICANTLY BETTER (IN EMPLOYMENT AND RECIDIVISM) THAN CONTROLS. HOWEVER, IT IS SUGGESTED THAT STUDY DATA INDICATES THAT MAP IS A FEASIBLE METHOD OF ASSURING RELEASE DATE CERTAINTY, REDUCING PAROLE BOARD ARBITRARINESS, REDUCING INMATE ANXIETY, ENCOURAGING MORE REALISTIC POST-RELEASE EMPLOYMENT PLANNING, AND IMPROVING COORDINATION OF TRAINING PROGRAMS WITH RELEASE. THE APPENDIX CONTAINS A DESCRIPTION OF MAP IN CALIFORNIA, SAMPLE 1972 MAP CONTRACTS, AND A COPY OF AN INSTITUTION STAFF QUESTIONNAIRE ON MAP.