NCJ Number
82555
Date Published
1975
Length
465 pages
Annotation
Findings and recommendations are presented from evaluations of six specially funded correctional programs in Suffolk County, Mass.
Abstract
The programs evaluated were (1) the Case Management Project at the Suffolk County (Deer Island) House of Correction operated by the Massachusetts Correctional Association as a counseling, inside advocacy, and general institutional support service; (2) the education program or 'the Academy' at Deer Island, an inmate education program run by Technical Development Corporation; (3) the Community Corrections Program of the Roxbury Multi-Service Center, a counseling and job placement agency for offenders, which aids them before and after release from Deer Island; (4) the Boston Offender Service Project, which provides short-term financial support and job or welfare placement advice immediately after release; (5) the Classification Project, a counseling, mental health screening, and inside advocacy service for inmates at the Suffolk County Jail; and (6) the Bail Appeal Project at Charles Street, which provides bail appeal services to detainees. The major elements of the evaluation included on-location investigation and analysis of the operations of each program; a comprehensive data collection and analysis aimed primarily at obtaining information on the subsequent criminal activities of clients of the Deer Island programs; a variety of data collection and analysis programs to aid performance evaluation; surveys of all the inmates and staff at both institutions, plus contacts with employers of job placement clients. It is generally concluded that none of the four Deer Island programs have had any impact on recidivism. The classification program has reduced jail tensions, and the bail appeal project has generally provided effective representation in bail appeals. Recommendations are provided, along with tabular data. Details of evaluation methodology and findings are appended.