NCJ Number
43689
Date Published
1977
Length
9 pages
Annotation
THE GOALS AND SERVICES OF THE 40-BED PRE-RELEASE CENTER IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MD., ARE DESCRIBED, AND HIGHLIGHTS FROM STATISTICAL ANALYSES OF THE CENTER'S PROGRAM ARE PRESENTED.
Abstract
THE PHILOSOPHY UNDERLYING THE CENTER IS THAT THE PROCESS OF RESOCIALIZING AND REINTEGRATING OFFENDERS INTO THEIR OWN COMMUNITY IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE MEANS OF CORRECTION. RESIDENTS ASSIGNED TO THE CENTER SPEND EACH DAY EITHER WORKING AT JOBS IN THE COMMUNITY OR PARTICIPATING IN COMMUNITY-BASED ACADEMIC OR VOCATIONAL TRAINING PROGRAMS. EVENING ACTIVITIES INCLUDE COUNSELING, CENTER-BASED ADULT EDUCATION PROGRAMS, A SOCIAL AWARENESS PROGRAM, AND COMMUNITY-BASED DRUG AND ALCOHOL COUNSELING PROGRAMS. SUMMARY DATA ARE PRESENTED ON THE CHARACTERISTICS OF CENTER RESIDENTS, RECIDIVISM RATES, COSTS, AND OTHER ASPECTS OF THE PRERELEASE PROGRAM. SPECIFIC SERVICES AVAILABLE TO OFFENDERS THROUGH THE CENTER ARE OUTLINED. A 1-YEAR FOLLOWUP STUDY FOUND THAT, FOR PERSONS SUCCESSFULLY RELEASED FROM THE CENTER, THE ARREST-FREE RATE WAS 80.5 PERCENT, THE REARREST RATE WAS 19.5 PERCENT, THE RECONVICTION RATE WAS 11 PERCENT, AND THE REINCARCERATION RATE WAS 6.4 PERCENT. ARREST-FREE, REARREST, RECONVICTION, AND REINCARCERATION RATES WERE 53.6, 46.4, 20.9, AND 15.4 PERCENT, RESPECTIVELY, FOR RESIDENTS WHO WERE REVOKED FROM THE PRERELEASE PROGRAM AND RETURNED TO SECURITY CONFINEMENT. (FOR THE COMPLETE REVIEW AND PERFORMANCE EVALUATION, SEE NCJ-43692).