NCJ Number
82719
Date Published
1982
Length
72 pages
Annotation
The paper examines male offenders released directly from the Walpole maximum-security institution in Massachusetts from 1977 through 1980 in terms of their institutional experience and recidivism rates.
Abstract
The 497 men released from Walpole represent 11 percent of the total Department of Correction releases over the period. Of the men placed on parole, 49 percent were returned to Walpole as parole violators prior to being released again. Fewer Walpole releases spent their entire incarceration in maximum security than in past years. Most offenders who spent their entire prison terms at Walpole served 23 months before release. For parole violators released from Walpole with no participation in graduated release strategies in 1979 and 1980, 63 percent were released after serving 3 months or less in maximum security. Those men released from maximum security who participated in graduated release strategies prior to their release represented 50 percent of the Walpole releases from 1977 to 1980. Of these men, 46 percent had at least one placement in a medium-security institution and 54 percent had at least one placement in a minimum-security facility or prerelease center. Men released from maximum security during 1977 and 1978 who spent less than 1 year in maximum security before release had a recidivism rate of 20 percent compared to a rate of 29 percent for men who spent more than 1 year in maximum security before release. Men who had spent less than 1 year in maximum security and who had been exposed to a prerelease center or forestry camp had a recidivism rate of 15 percent, the lowest of any of the men. Men who spent all their institutional time in maximum security without participating in graduated release strategies and who were not parole violators had a recidivism rate of 35 percent. Tables are included, and supporting data and a list of variables are appended. (Author abstract modified)