NCJ Number
67364
Date Published
1977
Length
28 pages
Annotation
OHIO'S FURLOUGH PROGRAM IS EVALUATED IN TERMS OF SUCCESS ON PAROLE AND COSTS.
Abstract
PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS WERE PLACED IN HALFWAY HOUSES JUST PRIOR TO PAROLE AND SCHEDULED FOR WORK, EDUCATION, OR TRAINING. FROM JULY 1972 TO DECEMBER 1977, THREE GROUPS WERE STUDIED: ALL 1,216 FURLOUGHEES, ALL 316 PERSONS DENIED FURLOUGH, AND 1,070 PERSONS RECEIVING REGULAR PAROLES. THE PAROLE BOARD AND A COMMITTEE AT EACH INSTITUTION SELECTED THE FURLOUGHEES. THOSE DENIED FURLOUGH HAD CONSIDERABLY WORSE CRIMINAL HISTORIES THAN THOSE RECEIVING FURLOUGH; THEY WERE LESS LIKELY TO BE WHITE OR FROM RURAL AREAS; THEY WERE YOUNGER AT ADMISSION AND RELEASE, LESS LIKELY TO BE MARRIED, AND WERE SLIGHTLY LESS EDUCATED. THOSE RECEIVING REGULAR PAROLES AND FURLOUGHEES WERE VERY SIMILAR IN THESE RESPECTS. A FURLOUGH PROGRAM IS SUCCESSFUL IF FURLOUGHEES DO BETTER WHEN PAROLED THAN THEY WOULD HAVE DONE WITHOUT PAROLE. A COMPARISON BETWEEN THOSE DENIED FURLOUGH AND FURLOUGHEES SHOWED THAT THE TWO GROUPS DID EQUALLY WELL ON PAROLE. HOWEVER, THOSE RELEASED ON REGULAR PAROLE DID WORSE THAN THOSE FURLOUGHED PRIOR TO PAROLE AND THOSE DENIED PAROLE. THE STUDY SUGGESTS THAT FURLOUGH DOES NOT IMPROVE AN INMATE'S CHANCES OF SUCCESS ON PAROLE, AND THAT FURLOUGH CRITERIA DO SELECT PERSONS MORE LIKELY TO SUCCEED ON PAROLE. THE COST STUDY INDICATED THAT THE PROGRAM INCREASED COSTS OVER 5 1/2 YEARS BY $1.6 MILLION ABOVE WHAT EXPENSES WOULD HAVE BEEN IF INMATES HAD BEEN KEPT IN THE INSTITUTIONS. THE STUDY RECOMMENDS THAT THE PROGRAM BE RETAINED ONLY IF IT IS SIGNIFICANTLY REVISED AND ONLY IF MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH PRISON OVERCROWDING CONTINUE. CHANGES SHOULD INCLUDE DRASTIC REDUCTION IN THE NUMBER OF PERSONS RETURNED TO PRISON FOR FURLOUGH VIOLATIONS AND SELECTION OF FURLOUGH CANDIDATES PRIMARILY FROM GROUPS NOT YET ELIGIBLE FOR PAROLE RELEASE. PERSONS ELIGIBLE FOR PAROLE RELEASE SHOULD BE PAROLED IF ANY RELEASE SEEMS APPROPRIATE. REFERENCES AND FOOTNOTES ARE MISSING, BUT TABLES ARE INCLUDED.