NCJ Number
212826
Journal
Corrections Compendium Volume: 30 Issue: 6 Dated: November/December 2005 Pages: 6-7,30,35
Date Published
November 2005
Length
8 pages
Annotation
This article presents findings from an evaluation of California's Preventing Parolee Crime Program (PPCP), which involved a statewide effort to address the four main obstacles to successful parolee reintegration: substance abuse, unemployment, illiteracy, and homelessness.
Abstract
The evaluation found that PPCP parolees as a whole were less likely to reoffend than non-PPCP parolees, even after controlling for individual-level characteristics; however, the program was most effective for those who met one or more program goals. There was no statistical difference between PPCP parolees who did not meet their program goals and parolees not enrolled in PPCP services. After the measured success of the PPCP pilot effort, the program was expanded statewide in 1998. Eighty percent of the State's parole units had access to at least one of the six PPCP service components: two employment programs, one substance abuse treatment program, one substance abuse education program, one computer-assisted math and literacy training program, and one residential services program. The evaluation, which was conducted during fiscal years 2000-2001 and 2001-2002, examined the extent to which PPCP as a whole was effective in reducing recidivism; the extent to which individual programs were effective in reducing recidivism; and the extent to which levels of participation in the services were effective in reducing recidivism. Evaluation data were obtained from the California Department of Corrections Offender-Based Information System and the Statewide Parole Data Base. These data track the movements of parolees throughout their supervision period. Data were also obtained from PPCP service provider records, which contained information on the parolees who used services, the services used, and the outcome of service contacts. 5 tables, 6 notes, and 10 references