NCJ Number
45901
Date Published
1976
Length
13 pages
Annotation
PARTICIPATION, ESCAPE, AND ESCAPEE RETURN STATISTICS FOR THE MASSACHUSETTS FURLOUGH PROGRAM ARE PRESENTED. STATISTICS COVER THE PERIOD FROM THE PROGRAM'S INCEPTION ON NOVEMBER 6, 1972 TO APRIL 24, 1976.
Abstract
DURING THIS PERIOD, A TOTAL OF 28,477 FURLOUGHS HAVE BEEN GRANTED TO 3,624 INDIVIDUAL INMATES. OF THESE, 381 HAVE RESULTED IN ESCAPES FOR AN OVERALL ESCAPE RATE OF 1.3 PERCENT; 85 PERCENT OF THE ESCAPEES HAVE BEEN RETURNED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS, AND 28 PERCENT OF THESE RETURNED VOLUNTARILY WITHIN 24 HOURS. SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE PROGRAM THERE HAS BEEN A PROGRESSIVE AND SIGNIFICANT DECLINE IN THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS FURLOUGHED RESULTING FROM TIGHTER ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES. A CONCOMITANT DECLINE IN THE ESCAPE RATES HAS ALSO BEEN SEEN. OF THE TOTAL RESIDENT POPULATION, 41 PERCENT HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THE FURLOUGH PROGRAM. FORTY-FIVE PERCENT OF THE RESIDENTS SERVING LIFE SENTENCES HAVE BEEN GRANTED A TOTAL OF 2,744 FURLOUGHS WITH AN ESCAPE RATE OF 0.8 PERCENT. A STUDY OF THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN RECIDIVISM AND PARTICIPATION IN THE FURLOUGH PROGRAM HAS INDICATED THAT RECIDIVISM DECLINES AS THE NUMBER OF FURLOUGHS GRANTED TO THE INDIVIDUAL INCREASES. OF THOSE ESCAPING DURING FURLOUGH, 41 PERCENT WERE NOT PROSECUTED; 43 PERCENT WERE FULLY ADJUDICATED AND THREE-EIGHTS OF THESE RECEIVED AN ADDITIONAL SENTENCE, USUALLY, LASTING 3 MONTHS. SUBSTANTIAL STATISTICAL DATA FOR THE FURLOUGH PROGRAM IS PRESENTED IN EIGHT TABLES. (JAP)