NCJ Number
49060
Date Published
1978
Length
24 pages
Annotation
THE NEW LINE, AN INTAKE CLASSIFICATION CAPABILITY DESIGNED FOR COURT COMMITMENTS TO THE MASSACHUSETTS CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION (MCI) AT CONCORD, IS EVALUATED AFTER ITS FIRST YEAR OF OPERATION.
Abstract
NEW LINE, AN INNOVATIVE CLASSIFICATION PROGRAM, WAS IMPLEMENTED AT A FACILITY THAT HOUSED YOUNGER MALES WHO WERE RELATIVE NEWCOMERS TO CRIME. PROCEDURES WERE FUNDED BY LEAA FOR THE YEAR 1975-1976. THE MISSION OF NEW LINE WAS TO DIVERT INDIVIDUALS FROM THE OVERCROWDED MCI AND TO CONSOLIDATE AND UTILIZE THE VARIOUS TREATMENT MODALITIES FOR OFFENDERS WHO WOULD REMAIN AT CONCORD. THE EVALUATION INCLUDES A DESCRIPTION OF CLASSIFICATION OPERATIONS AND AN ANALYSIS AND PROFILE OF THE MEN DIVERTED FROM THE FACILITY. IN ITS FIRST YEAR, NEW LINE CLASSIFIED 265 MEN OUT OF 377 SCREENED, AND THE AVERAGE CLASSIFICATION PROCESS LASTED 12.5 WEEKS. IF THE INDIVIDUAL WAS TO BE DIVERTED, HE REMAINED AT THE NEW LINE FOR 2 WEEKS. THE STAFF RECOMMENDED THAT 42.2 PERCENT OF ALL CLIENTS SEEN BE DIVERTED, AND NEARLY 70 PERCENT OF THE DIVERTED INMATES WERE TRANSFERRED TO A MINIMUM SECURITY PLACEMENT, A COMMUNITY-BASED FACILITY, OR DIRECTLY PAROLED. THE CLIENT PROFILE REVEALED SOME DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS OF DIVERTED INDIVIDUALS AS COMPARED TO NONDIVERTED INDIVIDUALS. THE INMATES WHO WERE TRANSFERRED WERE MORE LIKELY TO HAVE BEEN OLDER WHEN COMMITTED, TO HAVE BEEN OLDER WHEN FIRST ARRESTED, TO HAVE HAD A LONGER EMPLOYMENT HISTORY, AND TO HAVE BEEN BETTER EDUCATED. THEY WERE LESS LIKELY TO HAVE BEEN ARRESTED FOR A SEX OR PROPERTY CRIME, OR TO HAVE BEEN INCARCERATED AS AN ADULT. NEW LINE SUSTAINED A HIGH RATE OF DIVERSION, PLACING A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF OFFENDERS IN LOWER CUSTODY OR COMMUNITY-BASED FACILITIES. THE PLACEMENT DECISIONS APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN APPROPRIATE, AND NEW LINE ACTIVITIES SEEM TO BE CONSISTENT WITH A REINTEGRATIVE PHILOSOPHY OF CORRECTIONS AND A CONCERN FOR INDIVIDUALIZED TREATMENT NEEDS. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT-MODIFIED--DAG).