NCJ Number
91673
Date Published
1982
Length
13 pages
Annotation
This is a summary of the findings of a national survey of 100 offender participation programs in correctional settings, conducted in late 1980 and early 1981.
Abstract
'Offender participation' refers to programs, policies, and practices that use offenders as a correctional resource. The survey revealed an array of programs which were grouped by typology of function as follows: (1) human service aides, where offenders currently under an agency's supervision are used in human service roles; (2) education/training, which includes specialized programs in colleges and universities which provide ex-offenders the opportunity to obtain a college degree in a supportive environment on campus, as well as programs which involve local colleges in training inmates for paraprofessional jobs; (3) community service, where inmates use their own criminal experiences and interpersonal skills to inform persons in the community about the realities of prison life; (4) participatory management, which includes inmate advisory councils, unit self-government, and committees that deal with specific areas; and (5) ex-offender participation, which involves the paid employment of ex-offenders in correctional and private agencies whose clients are offenders or ex-offenders. For each program type, information is presented on program settings, program age, number of offenders involved, selection of participants, average length of participation in program, staff involvement and training, program resources, community resources, program benefits, and program evaluation. The programs involved in the survey are listed.