NCJ Number
66444
Date Published
1978
Length
76 pages
Annotation
RESULTS ARE REPORTED FROM A REANALYSIS OF A STUDY OF THE SOCIAL CONTROL EFFECTS OF RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT PROGRAMS IN THREE MINNESOTA COUNTIES.
Abstract
A 1977 BY THE MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS CONCLUDED THAT AN UNINTENDED RESULT OF RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT PROGRAMS IN DODGE, FILLMORE, AND OLMSTEAD COUNTIES WAS TO INCREASE THE LEVEL OF SOCIAL CONTROL BY SHIFTING A SIGNIFICANT PROPORTION OF OFFENDERS TO RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT WHO WOULD FORMERLY HAVE BEEN PLACED ON PROBATION. THE EVALUATION COMMITTEE OF THE COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS ADVISORY BOARD CHALLENGED THE REPORT'S CONCLUSION WITH THREE MAJOR OBJECTIONS: (1) THE INAPPROPRIATENESS OF THE STATISTICAL TECHNIQUES USED AND THE NEED FOR ADDITIONAL ANALYSIS OF THE DATA, (2) THE EXCLUSION OF JAIL CLIENTS AS A MAJOR DISPOSITIONAL GROUP, AND (3) THE WEAKNESS OF THE CRIMINAL ACTIVITY AND ECONOMIC BENEFITS MEASURES. CORRECTING FOR THE PERCEIVED WEAKNESSES IN THE STUDY INVOLVED INCLUSION OF A JAIL SAMPLE AND THE USE OF DIFFERENT STATISTICAL ANALYSIS TECHNIQUES. A UNIVARIATE ANALYSIS OF THE FIVE VARIABLES USED IN THE STUDY ON A SAMPLE BY SAMPLE BASIS SHOWED THE RESIDENTIAL GROUPS NOT TO BE COMPARABLE TO PROBATION OR CLEARLY DISTINCT FROM INSTITUTION GROUPS. ANALYSIS OF THE OLMSTEAD DISTRICT COURT DATA OVER AN 11-YEAR PERIOD SHOWED THAT THE USE OF RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT WAS CONSTANT, WITH A SIGNIFICANT DECREASE IN THE USE OF PROBATION AND PRISON AND A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THE USE OF JAIL. A SURVEY OF DEFENSE ATTORNEYS FOR CLIENTS WHO WERE SENTENCED TO RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT INDICATED THAT 64 PERCENT OF THE ATTORNEYS BELIEVED THAT THE MOST LIKELY ALTERNATIVE TO THE RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT HAS REDUCED SOCIAL CONTROL AND THAT IT SHOULD BE EXPANDED IN ITS USE IN LIEU OF JAIL. TABULAR AND GRAPHIC DATA ARE PROVIDED. APPENDIXES CONTAIN CORRESPONDENCE AND ADDITIONAL DATA. (RCB)